Aziz Ansari, famed for his role in Parks & Recreation alongside Chris Pratt, and as the creative force behind the highly praised Netflix series Master Of None, has been a vocal advocate for addressing the limited opportunities afforded to minority actors in Hollywood.
As he appeared in various comedies in the early 2010s, Ansari became acutely aware of the dearth of compelling, multifaceted roles and didn’t shy away from publicly discussing the industry’s reliance on racial quotas in casting.
What Inspired Aziz Ansari To Create Master Of None
Aziz Ansari pointed out that in the casting process for television shows, it’s often the case that they’ve already chosen their token minority character, and it’s rare to see more than one Indian individual or Asian individual in the same show.
Aziz Ansari noted that in the world of television casting, there’s a tendency to limit the number of Black individuals to two before a show is labeled as a “black show.” Similarly, for other groups, like gay or women characters, two is often acceptable, but when it comes to Asian or Indian individuals, it’s rare to find more than one in a single show.
Ansari said (via Farout):
“When they cast these shows, they’re like, ‘We already have our minority guy or our minority girl.’ There would never be two Indian people in one show. With Asian people, there can be one, but there can’t be two. Black people, there can be two, but there can’t be three because then it becomes a black show. Gay people, there can be two, women there can be two, but Asian people, Indian people, there can be one, but there can’t be two.”
Ansari also disclosed that these imbalanced dynamics played a substantial role in motivating him to step into the driver’s seat and create Master Of None.
Aziz Ansari’s Vision Behind The Award-Winning Show
Aziz Ansari pointed out that if an actor is from a minority background, it’s unlikely that anyone would have envisioned a show like Master Of None specifically for them, with a ten-episode series featuring them as a nuanced character.
Ansari told Vulture (via Farout):
“Look, if you’re a minority actor, no one would have written Master Of None for you. No one would have been like, ‘Hey, how about we get Aziz to do this ten-episode show and have him play this thoughtful character.’ At best.”
Aziz Ansari explained that instead, they would typically write a character based on familiar traits and qualities, much like the character Tom.
Due to the industry’s limited approach to character diversity and representation, Ansari expressed his discontent. This checkbox mentality had led to a specific role that Ansari found himself unable to accept. He made a deliberate choice to reject a role in Michael Bay’s popular 2007 blockbuster, Transformers, as he believed it perpetuated the offensive stereotypes he was actively working to challenge.
Master of None can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: Farout
