Zoë Kravitz calls out Hulu’s lack of minority woman leads after ‘High Fidelity’ is canceled after one season
'At least Hulu has a ton of other shows starring women of color we can watch. Oh wait,' Zoë Kravitz says
Actress Zoë Kravitz had some words for Hulu after the streaming platform canceled her new TV series last week.
Hulu announced Wednesday that “High Fidelity,” an adaptation of Nick Hornby‘s novel “High Fidelity,” will not return for another season. Kravitz, who stars in the romantic-comedy show, isn’t thrilled that the company cut loose one of few shows on the platform that feature women of color in lead roles.
Kravitz, 31, called out the lack of representation on Hulu in an Instagram post later that day. She expressed thanks to fans and crew in the post and showed off pictures of the cast and behind the scenes before turning her ire to Hulu in the comments section.
“i (sic) wanna give a shout out to my #highfidelity family. thank you for all the love and heart you put into this show,” she wrote. “i’m in awe of all of you. and thank you to everyone who watched, loved and supported us.”
READ MORE: Hulu teases new comedy series ‘Woke’
When actress Tessa Thompson replied to the post, “I will miss you alllllllllllll so much,” Kravitz responded, “It’s cool,” before she added sarcastically, “At least Hulu has a ton of other shows starring women of color we can watch. Oh wait.”
Actresses Lena Waithe, creator of “The Chi,” and Reese Witherspoon, who stars in Hulu’s “Little Fires Everywhere” and is among the highest-paid actresses in the world, both dropped by the comments section to share their thoughts on “High Fidelity” getting the boot.
“NOOOOOOO!!! I rarely find shows that genuinely impress me. This one did. I told you how much I loved this show. And I still do. This one definitely deserved another season,” Waithe wrote.
“I’m so sad ?I loved this show !! The cast and the writing was ??,” Witherspoon said.
READ MORE: Zoe Kravitz considered dropping her last name to escape parent’s legacy
Kravitz has a right to question the streaming service’s diversity levels. According to Rotten Tomatoes, there were three original scripted comedies on Hulu that premiered in 2020. “High Fidelity” is the only one that did not get renewed. Neither of the other two, “The Great” and “Love, Victor,” features women of color in prominent roles.
“High Fidelity” follows a record store owner, played by Kravitz, in Brooklyn, NY. In addition to being based on the 1995 book of the same name, there was also a 2000 film adaptation, with John Cusack as the lead.
READ MORE: Zoe Kravitz considered dropping her last name to escape her parent’s legacy
The 10-episode series premiered for streaming on Hulu on February 14, and received praise from both fans and critics. According to rating site Rotten Tomatoes, “High Fidelity” scored an 86% approval rating from critics and an 82% approval rating from fans.
Kravitz’s ties to the show go beyond just portraying the main character. In addition to executive producing the series and co-writing one of its episodes, it was somewhat a homage to her mother, actress Lisa Bonet, who starred in the 2000 film version.
“I’ve always been a fan of the book and the film regardless of the fact that she was in it,” Kravitz stated in an E! News interview. “But I think it’s a cool thing that she was a part of it. And it feels like a very cool, serendipitous, full-circle situation for sure.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
More About:Entertainment News Television Comedy