Angela Bassett raises the alarm about DEI and AI in Hollywood, Ryan Coogler thanks the ABFF

During the ABFF honors Angela Bassett speaks out against AI and Ryan Coogler thanks the organization for the community. 

Angela Bassett is sounding the alarm on where Hollywood is headed and who could be left behind.

While accepting the Excellence in the Arts Award at the 10th Annual American Black Film Festival Honors at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on Monday, Feb. 16, the 67-year-old actress reflected on the entertainment industry’s shifting relationship with diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

The “Black Panther” star kicked off her remarks by noting that language once rooted in “promise and possibility” is now being “challenged, rebranded and in some cases, erased,” adding that the cultural shift is impacting “very real lives, real careers and real dreams.” At the same time, she warned that Hollywood’s breakneck embrace of technology is outpacing reflection, with business models changing and stories being reshaped in the name of efficiency.

“In moments like this, I believe it’s fair and necessary to ask, where do Black creatives fit into this future?” she said, per the Hollywood Reporter, questioning who gets to imagine, participate in, and ultimately decide what that future looks like.

Bassett reflected on coming into an industry that offered few examples of fully realized Black women onscreen and even fewer opportunities behind the camera. What sustained her, she explained, was community — the artists who “made room,” the peers who “told the truth,” and the audiences who continued to show up.

“Our stories are not trends,” the “9-1-1” star said. “They are truths.”

She also acknowledged the broader political climate, noting that “targets are being put on our backs as people by those at the highest heights of power.” The answer, she said, is to keep telling stories that reflect both the fullness and complexity of Black life.

“We do belong, we do matter, and we are not going anywhere because we are home,” she said to applause.

Still, Bassett made clear that inclusion alone is not enough. Her hope, she said, is for empowerment, for investment in longevity, ownership, mentorship and legacy, and for an industry that moves beyond tokenism.

To young artists wondering if there is still space for them, she offered reassurance: “You belong here. Your voice matters.” And to decision-makers, she issued a challenge to “choose courage over comfort,” adding that the future of film and television “will not be saved by playing it safe but by allowing us all to have a voice.”

Bassett was one of five honorees celebrated at the ceremony, which gathered some of the brightest stars in Black Hollywood. Dwayne Johnson received the Entertainment Icon Award, Jennifer Hudson was honored with the Renaissance Award, Salli Richardson-Whitfield earned the Evolution Award and Damson Idris took home the Horizon Award. The festival also paid tribute to the creative team behind “Sinners,” with Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku presenting producers Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian with a special honor.

In his remarks, Coogler reflected on how instrumental the ABFF was early in his career, recalling how “so broke” he was when his 2011 short film “Fig” was selected for the festival’s short film competition with HBO.

“I’ll be forever indebted to you guys for being such incredible cultivators,” he said, per Variety. “Whenever I make a film, I think about y’all. I think about this community. It’s got to work for us first, before it works for anybody else.”