Yesterday we told you about the forthcoming four-part mini-series Top Boy, set to air in November on the U.K.’s Channel 4, and featuring rising star Ashley Walters. A majority of the program’s cast is comprised of black actors, as its story focuses on the drug-dealing inhabitants of a public housing estate. StereoTypical– I know. But, sadly, Top Boy will be one of the rare occurrences where U.K. viewers will get to see that many black actors on screen at once.

Now, the French-Algerian/London-raised director of Top Boy, Yann Demange, is speaking up on behalf of his actors, and calling for more professional opportunities to be made available to them.

This, of course, is not a new argument. For many years, Black actors across the globe have expressed this sentiment repeatedly. However, it’s good to see someone who very easily could have remained silent on the matter, take a stand and speak on it publicly. Demange told The Stage that there should be an in increase in “colour-blind” casting in television.

Demange made the call after admitting that many of the young, black actors employed on his latest project – the forthcoming Channel 4 drama Top Boy – will find it difficult to continue working in the profession because of the shortage of roles on offer to them.

Most of the cast had never performed before landing parts in Top Boy.

Demange said: “One of them has the bug and has real talent and I would definitely use him again, but there are not enough roles [for black actors].”

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