Laura Carmichael, Zawe Ashton and Uzo Aduba call for more diversity in the arts

Ashton said the UK was no better than the US when it came to diversity
Speaking out: Zawe Ashton, Uzo Aduba and Laura Carmichael at a party for the opening night of their play The Maids
Dave Benett
The Weekender

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The stars of The Maids backed calls for more diversity in the arts as their play opened at Trafalgar Studios.

Fresh Meat’s Zawe Ashton, former Downton Abbey actress Laura Carmichael and Orange Is The New Black star Uzo Aduba added their voices to the debate surrounding the Oscars, which were criticised for a lack of black nominees.

The trio appear in The Maids, which tells the story of two black maids who fantasise about killing their white boss — 29-year-old Carmichael.

Asked about the diversity row Aduba, 35, who plays Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in the Netflix prison show, said: “I’ve only been here four weeks. However, in those four weeks I have had it said to me again and again how appreciative and excited [people] are to see women, women of colour, self-possessed women, and their stories being on stage. That alerts me to think it’s not the norm.”

Ashton, 31, also said the UK was no better than the US when it came to diversity, adding: “I think we have a huge way to go. We feel incredibly lucky with this play as we have three women whose very presence on the stage feels like an activist moment within itself. With all the conversations raging about diversity in theatre generally we all feel very lucky to have the work speak for us in this capacity.”

Carmichael said: “I feel very privileged to be working with two very brilliant actresses who happen to be black. I don’t think [the industry] in anyway is a fair representation of the society we live in and that absolutely has to change.”

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