I’m not interested in dancing around this or pretending we don’t know how Hollywood works. I’m also not here to tear down a Black woman for surviving a system that was never built for her. But let’s stop lying to ourselves.
Teyana Taylor’s Golden Globe nomination for One Battle After Another didn’t come just because of “range,” “depth,” or “craft.”
It came because her character is sexually involved with two white men — and that still opens doors in an industry that has always needed Black women to be digestible through whiteness before it calls them worthy.
That’s not bitterness. That’s pattern recognition.
We’ve Seen This Movie Before
Hollywood has rules, even when it pretends it doesn’t. One of the oldest rules is this:
Black women are most celebrated when their bodies, pain, or desire are framed around white men.
You can scroll through award history and see it plain as day. Roles where Black women exist for themselves — as leaders, thinkers, builders, or fully centered humans — rarely get this kind of shine. But let a story place a Black woman’s intimacy in white hands? Suddenly the cameras turn on. Suddenly the praise pours in. Suddenly it’s “groundbreaking.”
Nothing about that is accidental.
Don’t Confuse This With an Attack on Her
This isn’t about hating Teyana Taylor. She didn’t invent this game. She didn’t set these rules. Like many before her, she played a role that Hollywood understands and rewards.
But we don’t have to pretend the reward came from a vacuum.
Black talent has never been enough on its own in this industry. Not consistently. Not fairly. And definitely not for Black women who don’t already fit a narrow box.
The truth is uncomfortable, but it’s real:
If that same performance existed without sexual access to white male characters, it’s very likely we wouldn’t be having this Golden Globe conversation at all.
Why This Keeps Happening
Hollywood doesn’t just want Black excellence.
It wants Black excellence that reassures white power.
That’s why:
The love interest matters
The gaze matters
Who desires whom matters
Awards aren’t just about acting. They’re about what makes the people in charge feel safe, familiar, and in control.
And yes — sexual dynamics are part of that control.
Pro-Black Means Telling the Truth, Not Protecting Comfort
Being pro-Black doesn’t mean clapping for every outcome just because a Black face is involved. It means being honest about why certain outcomes happen — especially when they follow the same script we’ve watched for decades.
We can celebrate Black talent and call out the price that often comes with recognition.
We can support Black women without pretending Hollywood suddenly grew a conscience.
And we can say this plainly:
White approval still carries weight.
White desire still opens doors.
And Black people are still expected to pay for access.
