Excerpt:
An industry panel discussed ways to avoid Muslim stereotypes in film and TV while also offering suggestions to ensure more authentic representations of Islam and Muslims in Hollywood at a recent event presented by the Writers Guild of America Foundation and the Hollywood Bureau of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
The MPAC's Hollywood Bureau consults with production companies on authentic portrayals of Muslims and connects companies with Muslim creatives in writers rooms to tell their own stories to ensure that the stories told on the screen are accurate.
The panel discussion, held Monday night at the WGAF/WGA headquarters in Los Angeles, included MPAC president Salam Al-Marayati, actor-writer Dan Milano (Robot Chicken, Greg the Bunny), creator/executive producer/writer Chris Keyser (Party of Five, The Last Tycoon, Tyrant), writer Sohrab Noshirvani (Dry River Road, Junkyard Dogs), producer Cherien Dabis (Empire, Quantico), and writer Y. Shireen Razack (Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, Haven). Writer/producer Valerie C. Woods (Any Day Now, Soul Food) moderated the panel.