Phylicia Rashad Talks Legacy, AARP Black Representation Study
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- Phylicia Rashad served as guest speaker at the AARP-sponsored C-Suite Luncheon during the 24th annual Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF), in conversation with AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan.
- AARP's Movies for Grownups released a new study, "Bridging the Gap: The Path to More Authentic Portrayals of Black Adults in Movies and TV," finding that Black adults attend movies and consume TV/streaming at higher rates than the general U.S. population.
- The same AARP study found audiences view older Black women as influential cultural figures, and that showcasing them on television makes viewers feel more positive about aging.
- Rashad cited her parents, grandparents, and the communities of her childhood as the foundation of her legacy, adding that legacy "is really about the way we live."
- Rashad's recent slate includes directing the Tony-winning Broadway play "Purpose," acting in HBO's "The Gilded Age" and Paramount+'s "Diarra From Detroit," and she is Emmy-nominated.
- Asked about shows that don't accurately depict the Black experience, Rashad said: "If there's something on television that I don't like, I simply don't watch it."
Why it matters: The AARP study positions Black adults — and older Black women specifically — as an under-served but heavily consuming audience, giving advertisers and showrunners a market-based case for the kind of authentic casting that Rashad spent the event advocating for in human terms rather than ratings terms.
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