Charles Barkley has long been outspoken about issues surrounding race. In fact, he has known them since childhood, from growing up in Leeds, Alabama, during the era of segregation to attending a predominantly White high school and later navigating the racial dynamics of life as a professional basketball player.
Over the years, the NBA legend has watched society make progress in addressing racial inequality, but discrimination and prejudice remain prevalent. He believes a major force behind these issues is often overlooked: the media, particularly television and Hollywood movies.
“I’ve said this before, ‘Because we still live in a segregated society, unfortunately, we got different pockets of neighborhoods.’ So, people’s perception of other races is dictated by television,” he said on The Bruce Pearl Show. “I really think Hollywood has done a disservice to race relations, the way minorities are portrayed.”
Barkley blasts Hollywood portrayal of minorities
Hollywood has produced thousands of films and television shows over the decades. Some of these projects, however, have drawn criticism for their portrayal of racial minorities. They have often been underrepresented in film and television or portrayed through harmful stereotypes, while white characters have historically held more leading roles and heroic depictions.
According to a 2025 study published in Media Psychology, the way minorities are depicted in popular media can shape how people perceive them, with negative portrayals leading to more negative perceptions and positive ones encouraging more favorable views. Barkley expressed the same sentiment.
“I think television and movies have really done a disservice to race relations in this country,” he explained. “Because the blacks and the Mexicans are always going to be crooks. The Muslims are always going to be blowing up stuff.”
“Television is a very powerful thing…Do you actually know any black people, or are you just going by what you saw on TV shows? Do you actually know any Muslims, or are you just going to go by what you saw in movies and TV?” he added.
Not the first time Barkley shared this view
Before social media and streaming platforms became widespread, Charles Barkley was already criticizing the media’s role in shaping racial perceptions. In a 1993 interview with Playboy, he said that media coverage was fueling division between Black and white Americans.
He argued that media outlets focused their coverage on negative stories, including crime and racial tensions, often without providing a balanced picture of both communities — all of which, he believed, was done in the name of profit.
“I blame the media for a lot of our problems. They don’t usually tell the truth. They got the majority of white people thinking Black people are bad, and they got the majority of Black people thinking white people are bad,” he said. “The truth is, we’re all the same. But the negative stuff sells papers and TV shows.”
Barkley particularly blames Trump
At the end of the day, Barkley believes the blame should fall on those in positions of power who have helped normalize racism and discrimination in modern society. In the United States, he places that responsibility on Trump.
According to Barkley, Trump has made racism more acceptable by allowing racist behavior to go unchecked, making some Americans feel they can express such views without facing consequences, as he does.
“I think that’s one of the worst things about Trump. He’s made it popular to be racist,” Barkley said. “There’s no consequences for being racist now. It’s like a lot of people are wearing it with a badge of courage…he never denounces it…You used to have to be quiet when you were racist. You don’t have to be quiet anymore.”
Hollywood will continue to produce films and television shows, while Trump’s second term is far from over. The only thing Barkley can do now is keep speaking out about these issues and hope for better days.
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This article original appeared on: Charles Barkley explains how Hollywood hurts race relations – Basketball Network