Exclusive
Piece of The Pie is a new TMZ franchise, showcasing amazingly talented people of color who have had trouble making their mark in the entertainment industry.
Our goal here is to raise awareness on behalf of marginalized voices and creators — people who have great stories to tell — and make sure the people who pull the strings in the industry see what they bring to the table.
Antonio Cannady is a screenwriter for a YouTube web series who wants to write for the major streaming networks … but he says being Black makes it harder to land a job in Hollywood.
Antonio’s writing for a show called “The Chronicles of PB and Jay,” but as he tells TMZ’s Loren Lorosa … he’s had white writers tell him his look — tattoos, black skin and muscles — might be intimidating the folks doing the hiring.
It’s pretty alarming … Antonio says early on in his Hollywood career he was told to stop working out, and whenever he interviews for writing positions on TV shows he has to be sure to break the ice and put the rest of the folks in the room at ease.
While Antonio says he’s dealt with stigmas and racial biases, he says it’s important for Black creatives looking to gain a foothold in Tinseltown to remember this … create your own content and let Hollywood come to you.
Antonio warns Black folks not to get caught up focusing on knocking down doors in Los Angeles … instead, he says it’s more important to remain true to yourself, and the success will follow. Ya just gotta get your ideas out there first.