Diversity in Casting and Storytelling Drives “The Neighborhood” and “God Friended Me”

CBS appears not only to have listened to the ongoing conversation about onscreen representation of all people but to have made changes behind the scenes as well with both shows having very diverse creative teamsamp160amp160amp8220A couple of years ago we committed to doing a better job on the diversity front and that informed a lot of our development and castingamp8221 explained CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl in an exclusive interview with MediaVillageamp160 amp8220The thing about The Neighborhood and God Friended Me is they weren39t just about being diverse showsamp160 It was here are two interesting shows with pertinent things to say about what39s going on in the world todayamp8220The Neighborhood addresses some of the divisiveness out there and shows a path for people to be able to come together and talk about their differencesquot Kahl continuedamp160 quotIt39s not homework it39s funnyamp160and if it39s not then it isamp160not a good showamp160 We have a fantastic cast and producers who every week come together and hit these issues in an entertaining wayamp160 Beyond that it39s authenticamp160 Diversity goes beyond the castingamp160to the writing staffamp160 Oddly enough these are things that CBS was doing in the 3970samp160with All in the Family The Jeffersons and Maudeamp160 These were topics being addressed then and not a lot of shows have addressed sinceamp8221amp8220Right now we live in a time whenamp160there are a lot of forces trying to divide us and tell us as a country and a planet how different we are to one anotheramp8221 explained Jim Reynolds executive producer creator and showrunner of The Neighborhoodamp160who based the show on an experience from his own lifeamp160 He is pictured above left with series star and executive producer Cedric the Entertaineramp160 amp8220Our goal is to discuss and honor some of the ways we are different with an emphasis on how we are probably more alike than not amp160I believe audiences are responding because kindness positivity and hope are underlying themes of our show and that39s in contrast to what we are saturated with on a daily basisamp8220Initially the show did skew more closely to my experience of moving to a diverse neighborhoodamp8221 he added amp160amp8220But as Cedric got involved it evolvedamp160amp160Cedric brought a perspective and insight into the characters and especially the Calvin character that I couldnamp8217t have as a white man moving into a black neighborhood amp160So the focus of the show shifted to be more of a twohander and it definitely shifted away from my experience although a lot of the characters are drawn from people in my lifeamp8221amp160 Pictured below left to right areamp160Neighborhood cast members Sheaun McKinney Marcelamp160Spears Tichina Arnold Cedric the Entertainer Max Greenfield Hankamp160Greenspan and Beth Behrsamp8220Tonally the show became very differentamp8221 Cedric told MediaVillage amp160amp8220The main thing is Jim was very passionate about the idea because it was true to his life experience amp160His assumption was all things he wrote about black people were true because he thought them to be true amp160I was like amp8216No you have to make sure the black person39s point of view is clear to the black person and not what the white person thinks a black person thinksamp8217 amp160That was one of the things I felt was offmessage early on so Jim and I worked together in that processamp160 I think that39s where we found that two points of view could meet in the middle and in that you have a show not where the white and black guys are written by the white guyamp8220You can39t be right about all of themamp8221 he continuedamp160 amp8220That39s where we realized Calvin has this skewed point of view that wasnamp8217t strictly about raceamp160 Like a lot of people he judged people on a number of different thingsamp8221amp8220Cedric is my closest partner creativelyamp8221 said Reynolds amp160amp8220I always listen to him and always want to know what his point of view is because at the showamp8217s center its success rides on his confidence and his feeling about something amp160It39s important that I communicate openly with him to make sure he39s comfortable and we39re getting it right from his point of viewamp8221For The Neighborhood having a mix of voices behind the scenes was of paramount importance to theamp160storytelling amp160amp8220If you look at our writers room we are atypical of what is commonly a writers roomamp8221 notedamp160Reynolds amp8220We are well represented and I39m really proud of that as I believe that lends to the authenticity of the showamp8221amp8220Diversity behind the scenes we felt was important and to create opportunitiesamp8221 added Cedric amp160amp8220We wanted all the voices in the room to be heard and to make sure the stories told represented the people that actually lived them amp160All ages ethnicities genders sexual preferences all those things are in that room and that39s what we wanted to have represented in a way that feels really goodamp8221amp160That sentiment is shared by God Friended Me star Brandon Micheal Hall who told MediaVillage amp8220When I initially sat down with our creators Bryan Wynbrandt and Steven Lilien I asked them how diverse the writers room would beamp160 It shows in the scripts how much they listen to us on and off the screen amp160As the scripts keep developing it39s more clear who they are specifically writing for and there have been times reading a script when I39ve said amp8216Hey this is a conversation we had recentlyamp8217amp160 They weave them in so well amp160The room is diverse and everyone in there is talentedamp8221amp160 Hall hasamp160more to say about the show in this interviewamp8220I think people responded to GFM as it gives them a sense of hope and optimism at a time in our country and world when a sense of that is lackingamp8221 Wynbrandt assertedamp160 amp8220If you turn on the news it feels everyone is on opposite ends of the spectrumamp160 Our show tries to bridge that amp160Diversitywise the show reflects the world we live in honestly and realistically amp160People from all walks can tune in and see themselves amp160We believe thatamp8217s important and necessary especially in television as its role has always been to reflect the current state of world affairsamp8220The response is more positive than negativeamp8221 added Lilien amp160amp8220Tackling religion can be polarizingamp160 Our episode with a Muslim and Jewish couple who wanted to marry showed the conversation from both sides episodes like that are importantamp8221amp160 Pictured above left to right are GFM cast members Parminder Nagra Suraj Sharma Brandon Micheal Hall Adam Goldberg and Violett BeaneAs The Neighborhood looks to become even more diverse in season two and God Friended Me opens new chapters in its characters lives in their second season CBS is delighted these stories will continue to unfoldamp160amp160amp8220The gratifying thing is that for most shows season one is about survivalamp8221 said Kahlamp160 amp8220These shows found their voices very quickly which doesn39t mean they can39t improve in season twoamp160 They figured out who they were and delivered consistent and terrific episodes and picked up the pace throughout their seasons which is a really tall order for most showsamp8221The Neighborhood is telecast Monday at 8 pm amp160God Friended Me is telecast Sunday at 8 pmClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Diversity in Casting and Storytelling Drives “The Neighborhood” and “God Friended Me”

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Diversity in Casting and Storytelling Drives “The Neighborhood” and “God Friended Me”

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