Study: Middle Eastern Actors Ignored, Stereotyped by TV

Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek. (AFP)
Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek. (AFP)
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Study: Middle Eastern Actors Ignored, Stereotyped by TV

Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek. (AFP)
Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek. (AFP)

Actors and characters of Middle Eastern and North African descent are either ignored by TV or stereotyped, according to a new study.

The few such actors who get work are largely confined to playing tyrants and terrorists, said the university-funded study released Monday.

One percent of regularly seen TV series actors have roots in countries including Egypt, Turkey and Israel. But estimates show about 3 percent of the US population, 10 million people, are from the region, said the study's lead author, Biola University associate professor Nancy Wang Yuen.

Researchers who examined 242 scripted prime-time series on broadcast, cable and streaming during the 2015-16 season found that between 90 percent and 97 percent had no characters of Middle Eastern or North African ethnicity.

When those characters do appear, 78 percent are tyrants or trained terrorists, agents or soldiers, the study said. Most speak with obvious foreign accents.

Ninety percent of shows with such characters feature just one — with the now-ended "Tyrant," a drama set in the Middle East, among the exceptions.

The study warned that such depictions can contribute to the rise of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant sentiment in American society.

Three instances were described as "exemplary" in the report: Iranian-American actress Necar Zadegan's portrayal of an attorney on Bravo's "Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce," the cyber-security engineer played by Egyptian-American (and Emmy-winning) actor Rami Malek on "Mr. Robot" and a tennis pro on Amazon's "Red Oaks" played by Turkish-American actor Ennis Esmer.

"His ethnicity doesn't define the role, and he gets to be a full person aside from that, and in fact because of that," Esmer said of his character in a statement.

The entertainment industry as a whole must seek change, the study said. It recommended steps including the hiring and mentoring of Middle East and North African actors, directors, executives and others.

The study cited the work of actress Azita Ghanizada, who founded an advocacy coalition that successfully lobbied Hollywood guilds to include Middle East and North African performers in casting data reports.

The study received funding from schools including Biola University in La Mirada, California; California State University Fullerton; and San Jose State University, along with CBS Entertainment Diversity.



German Backpacker Escapes Australian Bush Ordeal by 'Sheer Luck'

German backpacker Carolina Wilga lost hope of rescue after 11 nights in the Australian bush. Handout / WESTERN AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCE/AFP
German backpacker Carolina Wilga lost hope of rescue after 11 nights in the Australian bush. Handout / WESTERN AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCE/AFP
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German Backpacker Escapes Australian Bush Ordeal by 'Sheer Luck'

German backpacker Carolina Wilga lost hope of rescue after 11 nights in the Australian bush. Handout / WESTERN AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCE/AFP
German backpacker Carolina Wilga lost hope of rescue after 11 nights in the Australian bush. Handout / WESTERN AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCE/AFP

German backpacker Carolina Wilga lost hope of rescue after 11 nights in the Australian bush, and only made it out by "sheer luck", police said Saturday.

The 26-year-old walked "confused and disoriented" 24 kilometers (15 miles) away from her van after it got stuck in remote bushland in Western Australia, AFP reported.

As police searched for her by air, the backpacker's ordeal ended Friday when she managed to flag down a woman driving by who took her to police.

"She is still in disbelief that she was able to survive. In her mind, she had convinced herself that she was not going to be located," said Jessica Securo, acting inspector for the Western Australia police.

The rescue was down to "sheer luck".

"I actually spoke to Carolina this morning, so she confirmed that she was very confused and disorientated," Securo told a news conference.

"She basically looked at the direction of the sun and tried to head west, thinking that that would be her best bet of coming across someone or a road."

Wilga had been last seen on June 29 arriving in the van at a general store in the small agricultural community of Beacon, northeast of Perth.

Police found the van on Thursday, abandoned after getting stuck in dense bushland north of Beacon, with plastic orange traction tracks placed beneath the rear wheels.

"It appears that she has somewhat lost control of the vehicle, and then it's become mechanically unsound, and bogged," Securo said.

- 'Overwhelmed' -

She stayed with the van for one day before leaving the vehicle through "panic", hoping to find help.

Wilga was found "exhausted, dehydrated and hungry", suffering from cuts and bruises, but "overwhelmed" to have found someone to help her.

"She had minimal food and minimal water. From speaking to her, she has said she could have planned better."

The terrain "can be quite dangerous", Securo added.

Wilga remained in a Perth hospital and was not expected to be released on Saturday, still needing "emotional support" and treatment for some injuries.

"She's had a good night's sleep. She's had a shower. We've got her some food, which was a massive relief for her. So she's just taking it one day at a time at the moment."

The backpacker is now in "frequent communication" with her family who are relieved and thankful the Western Australian community came together to "throw every resource at locating their daughter", Securo said.

The family had no plans at this stage to travel to Australia.

Police say Wilga had spent two years backpacking around the country, and was working at mine sites in Western Australia while staying mostly at hostels.

"Carolina has told me that she loves Australia. She still has so much travel to do here. She hasn't made it over to the east coast yet, so that's still on her bucket list."