I’ve been working in Hollywood for over 10 years. Coco Jones says she’s finally starting to see a change in the way dark-skinned black women are treated.
Fans will think this is what the 25-year-old is saying. She has been very vocal about fighting racism in the past. But in her new interview, people. Jones said the industry offers more opportunities for dark-skinned Black women than when she was on the scene.
She told the publication: “Especially since I was young, I feel like the industry is getting better and better for dark-skinned black women. ”
“And I think the more stories and positions of power that are told from the perspective of women of color, the more opportunities there will be for women to fill those roles and hire women who understand those stories. ”
Coco Jones’ colorism concerns
In 2020, Coco Jones made headlines with her YouTube video, “What Really Happened?” She revealed the harsh reality of what it’s like to be a dark-skinned actress in an industry that often favors lighter skin.
She also opened up about why she felt her career was derailed after her big break on Disney Channel.
I was so upset when I heard Coco Jones talk about the colorism she faced in the industry.She deserves much better than how this industry treated her pic.twitter.com/Ahwssb0tsL
— ً (@westsiriss) September 12, 2020
In 2012, Jones starred in the film Let It Shine with Tyler James Williams. The film’s success paved the way for Jones to star in the sitcom Good Luck Charlie.
However, the “ICU” artist says that despite her talent being equal to or better than hers, the industry often casts her out of roles in favor of lighter-skinned actresses. This was revealed in a YouTube video.
“The most traumatic thing about this for me was thinking, ‘Okay, I’ll show them what I’m capable of and they’ll believe in me,’ she said.
Executives began to feel that she was of no market value to viewers, so they decided to remove her from future projects. She stated that this manifestation of colorism deeply affected her self-esteem and seriously affected her career growth.
As a young star under the Disney umbrella, Jones expected support and protection from discriminatory practices.
Instead, she recalled instances in which she felt ignored in roles because of the color of her skin and claimed to be facing the reality of colorism within the company.
If Coco Jones isn’t evidence of colorism, I don’t know what is. The best Disney movie. The best Disney vocalist. She was literally 13-14 years old.You better give that girl the love she deserves pic.twitter.com/knmybQcZga
— Cute girl 🍉 (@inshemood) March 20, 2022
“I don’t see mediocrity in women who look like me.” – was close to Coco Jones and all the dark-skinned black women who excelled in their fields.for #colorism We are not given any level of grace, compassion, or room for error. pic.twitter.com/MVwnd2YodX
— Nicki Mayo (@nickimayonews) July 1, 2023
“But they really heard me sing, heard me act, and saw me dance.” […] Just because someone seems a little more marketable, it doesn’t matter, baby girl. So it’s childhood trauma. She doesn’t know how to deal with it and ends up looking at herself, wondering, “What did I do?”
She used her platform to encourage young girls of color to embrace their beauty and fight against such discrimination, while also launching a music career.
Jones released a series of EPs in 2014, eventually signing a record deal with Def Jam Recordings two years later.
