NEW YORK, NY — Actor and show creator Kelsey Grammer has a decades-old mission to increase diversity on screen in Hollywood. His insistence on ensuring women of color are seen and heard both in front of and behind the camera has been a cornerstone of his career, reinforced by his push to have diverse voices heard on iconic series like Frasier.
According to Grammer, his commitment to diversity in several entertainment areas also has a lot to do with his upbringing and the people who made a difference in his life. He told a moving tale of returning home from work, named Ted Thurston, a Black man who befriended him as a young man when he was devastated by the death of his grandfather.
“Ted was a landscape guy … and he worked on most of the neighborhood. As a kid, he began having conversations with me, you know, did I have a good day,” Grammer said.
It was an act of tender steering that would stay with Grammer for the rest of his life, informing his human relationship’s philosophy.
“Ted gave me help as a young guy when you never had to. And so it’s just what you do.”
These early life experiences helped shape Grammer’s understanding of the importance of connection and lending a hand to others. “That we are all in this together and that it is our job to do our best for each other all the time,” he added, saying that these beliefs informed how he approached diversity and representation in his work.
Grammer tearfully thanked the selfless support of people such as Ted Thurston for guiding his path toward recognizing injustices.
“God bless him. Ted Thurston. What a great man,” Grammer added, highlighting the lasting contributions of a mentor’s love, care, and inspiration.
Summing up his feelings following meetings about diversity in Hollywood, Grammer bemoaned that despite the talk, there has been no action.
“I was finally like, you know what, f**k this, I’m gonna do a show about some black girls who love each other,” he said regarding the hit show Girlfriends.
Motivated to see some change from all the promises of change, he decided to take a new show to Dawn Ostroff at Paramount and UPN, making his dream a reality.
“It was long overdue for us to put our money where our mouth was.”
Grammer’s philosophy isn’t just about creating chances—he has a mindset of overcoming complacency and social clusters to pursue opportunity and unity. “People gather in clusters because it’s a place that makes them feel safe. But you have to get over that. And we’ve all got to rise up. That’s our job.“
Despite looking back fondly on some of his favorite roles, including the character on two seasons of the show BOSS, Grammer suggests there’s still a chance of returning to them at some point.
“I still love Boss, you haven’t done it in years … he may come back. You never know.“
Kelsey Grammer’s legacy is defined not just by his talent as an actor, but also by his enduring commitment to ensuring that the entertainment industry reflects the diversity of the world. His efforts have paved the way for greater representation and inspired future generations.
