When I was growing up there were few Asians on TV and now I'm one of many and that makes me happy. I see how far we've come, which is amazing. But diversity is still an issue and we have to continue to grow the message.

Diversity has always been incredibly important, but we have not always had the progress to support there being more inclusion in the entertainment industry until more recent times.

One of the most exciting aspects of the evolution of representing South Africa internationally is the inclusivity that encompasses the diversity of beauty

The thing I have been most grateful for in the roles I have had the pleasure of tackling is their diversity. As I grow older, my life is opening me up to all kinds of roles in different genres, giving me the opportunity to keep growing

Diversity isn’t just having a black person here and there. It’s about where they can have some kind of influence and power, and have a say in how things should run.

I just found out about this last week. There is — has always been available to all — everybody … that does a negotiation on a film, an "inclusion rider" which means that you can ask for and/or demand at least 50 percent diversity in not only the casting, but also the crew. And so, the fact that we — that I just learned that after 35 years of being in the film business … we're not going back. So the whole idea of women "trending" — no. No "trending". African Americans "trending" — no. No "trending". It changes now, and I think the inclusion rider will have something to do with that.

Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.

We’ve grown a lot in this industry and we’ve grown a lot in representation and we’ve grown a lot in terms of understanding the needs of an African American actress

We can be more – the power of diversity

America has taken small baby steps of progress towards having more inclusion and diversity in Hollywood. It's optimistic. I'm hopeful, but there is so much more work that needs to be done.

It’s an absolute delight for me to play a naagin on screen. I have grown up watching, admiring and idolising Sridevi ma’am’s Nagina and Nigahen and always wanted to play a similar role rooted in Indian traditional folklore. It’s like playing an iconic character, which has always been so fascinating for the audience.

I think some of the bigger issues in terms of diversity are specifically about Broadway and Hollywood, where it's more about money. There are major controversies going on at those levels…there is always controversy over how Hollywood is casting white actors in what might have been Asian roles, or Asian roles that have been transferred into white roles. So on that level, there are some real challenges.

Just the fact that it exists makes the collaboration more welcoming. We invite professionals to give talks on equity and inclusion issues. We have discussions about issues such as implicit bias, the gender gap, systemic racism, and about what actions we can take to help.

I could not be more ecstatic. I say it over and over, but it really is such a surreal feeling, especially with such an iconic brand, that I have looked up to for such a long time. Also, it’s great because they already have such a diverse roster of faces. You have the Kerry Washingtons, the Jennifer Garners … so to become one of those faces and be part of a company that not only embraces diversity but also embraces powerful women who use their voice, which is something that I try to exercise whenever I possibly can, it’s a beautiful feeling.