There are a lot of talented black actors but stars, not so much. And add to the fact we don’t have the same circuit of black cinema we had in the late 80’s - early 00’s which allowed black actors to really get in front of black audiences in addition to doing mainstream stuff, it’s easy to not know whose making moves if they ain’t making the types of movies you see (like I rarely watch the types of dramas/cinema that gets Oscar buzz, I wouldn’t know black actors if that’s their lane)
I hear ya but to be fair, who are the young white stars or young stars in general? Timothee whatshisface? Tom Holland? Are those two really stars or are they just the face of popular IPs (Willy Wonka, Dune, Spider-Man) that serve as lottery tickets for any white actor?
Ultimately, we're in an era where IPs -not actors- are the bankable stars.
i.e.
That's the only reason we know who the three Cs are (Evans, Hemsworth, Pratt). MBJ wasn't considered a star until the MCU and Rocky franchises. Reynolds career was a dumpster fire before Deadpool. Most white folk didn't know or care who David Corsenwet was pre-2025, but now he got that same Superman stimulus package as Caville.
So of course, an inherent problem now is young black actors aren't going to be prioritized for those big IP roles, unless it's in a supporting role like Boyega in Star Wars, Damson Idris in F1, or David Jonsson in Aliens Romulus. However, black actors and actresses can get much more opportunities and variety via streaming shows than they've had the past 20 years. Not ideal for those who prefer traditional theatrical settings, but what to do?