There’s a fascinating insight and curiosity that infuses the new two-part documentary Number One on the Call Sheet. The title refers to the production unit data on any show or film which shows on which number an actor is placed. This small ranking reveals much more in an ecosystem like Hollywood, which follows its own rules and trends on who makes it upward on that list and why that happens. This system is interrogated in two parts in this documentary, where the first episode takes the perspective of male actors, while the second one is focused on female actors. The way it plays out, filled with insights from some of the most trailblazing Black actors of this generation, is tremendous. (Also read: Seeds review: Documentary highlighting the realities of Black farmers is a must-see)
Part one
From Michael B Jordan to Daniel Kaluuya, Denzel Washington to Will Smith, Kevin Hart to Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman to Marlon Wayans, and the late Chadwick Boseman, the first episode starts off with patience and regard for the history of Black actors in Hollywood. The question of what a Black male actor could look like and demand space (and respect) in front of a screen is deservedly started with the impact and legacy of Sidney Poitier, the first Black actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Cleverly extracting archival and film footage, Reginald Hudlin assembles a lot of earnest throwbacks to the actors who have since made their mark in Hollywood.
The discussion shifts to the way Hollywood made these actors fit into a certain template of an action star, someone with great comedic timing, or someone considered for ‘actor’ roles. Between Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, and Denzel Washington, which one would you pick to fit these criteria? That’s the exact deal of creating a perception and image-building that takes centre stage. However, this episode is somehow a tad too self-aware for its own good, it settles quickly through giddy first assumptions, motivational one-liners and anecdotes. Unsurprisingly, it is Denzel Washington‘s astute and sharp examination of Hollywood and its idea of a leading man that stands out the most.
Part two
Shola Lynch helms the second part featuring a jaw-dropping group of actors- including Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Gabrielle Union, Taraji P Henson, Halle Berry, Tiffany Haddish, Gabourey Sidibe, Alfre Woodard and more. This episode feels tighter and more nuanced in its interrogation of beauty standards, and immediately moving in its denouement. Here the history stems from the stereotypical representation of Black women in maid roles, in service to the White lead heroine. This trope of supporting characters has transmuted into the present, with many recent examples of Black actors playing friends of a White lead- just sassy enough but careful not to overshadow them. Take The Queen’s Gambit, for instance.
The history of representation and recognition for a Black female actor is then carefully threaded into the history of the Academy Awards. It forms the most important segment of the whole documentary, excellently structured and edited. Halle Berry recounts the historic win in 2002 with glorious anecdotes from Whoopi and Taraji, but since then, what has changed? No other Black actor has won the Oscar for Lead Actress. The wins are strategically in the Supporting Actress category. There is still so much room for change, but it’s also about leading by example.
Final thoughts
One of the highlights of this episode is actor Ruth Negga’s emotional admission to owning her surname and clarifying what it means to her as someone refusing to disregard her own identity for the sake of presumptions. It is a breathtaking moment handled carefully by the director and her camera, delivered by an actor who is always captivating on screen. Her unforgettable work in Passing (2021), so shockingly snubbed by the Academy, is a crucial thematic subtext in this interrogation of the personal versus the political.
Perceptive and powerful, Number One on the Call Sheet is at once a celebration and an enquiry. Its portrait of Hollywood and its history of treating Black actors does not sugarcoat the disturbing truths of the industry. This documentary is more of a dialogue, a way of confronting the truths of showbiz. It is also a celebration of creative and artistic perseverance in an unfathomably capitalistic industry.
