8 Films & TV Series About WOC in Tech
It’s challenging enough to find a list of films and TV series about women in tech, but it honestly feels like a walk in the park once you compare it to narrowing down the search to women of colour.
Hollywood has a long way to go with diversity, but in this case, art kind of imitates life as there are not enough spaces for women of colour in tech in real life either.
The lack of representation in the tech industry can be quite discouraging when there are few role models to look up to. Both the tech and entertainment industries need to work on creating roles that women of colour can see themselves in.
Whether you’re considering a career in tech or not, the below films and TV series might offer not only entertainment but also a bit of inspiration to pursue a completely different career.
Star Trek
As early as 1966, Nichelle Nichols played Lt. Uhura on the hit tv series Star Trek. Her character tackled everything from communications, linguistics to cryptography, which truly pushed the boundaries of how a woman of colour was portrayed on television in the 60s.
2. CodeGirl
CodeGirl is a documentary that encourages and inspires young girls to pursue careers in STEM and business. The film follows high school girls across the globe as they solve community problems by leveraging technology.
3. Bones
In the crime & comedy drama, Bones, Michaela Conlin plays Angela Montenegro, a forensic artist who specializes in forensic facial recognition and three-dimensional holograms.
4. Black Panther
The Academy Award-winning Marvel film Black Panther (2018), has been praised for its depiction of a woman in STEM. Shuri, played by Letitia Wright. She’s a genius inventor, scientist, warrior and princess of Wakanda.
5. Person of interest
This is TV crime drama featuring Sarah Shahi, who plays Doctor Sameen Shaw, a former U.S. Marine Corps soldier and ISA assassin who has impressive technical skills that make her one of two recurring women in STEM characters on the show.
6. Oceans 8
The spin-off from the Ocean’s trilogy has been praised for its all-female and diverse cast. Nine Ball, played by Rihanna, is a hacker that proudly rocks her hair in locs and speaks with a Caribbean accent. This was a conscious decision to show viewers diversity in both appearance and cultural backgrounds.
7. Torchwood
Naoko Mori plays Toshiko Sato, a technical expert and computer genius who is crucial to helping her team complete their missions on both Doctor Who, and its spin-off, Torchwood.
8. Hidden Figures
It’s impossible to write this list without mentioning Hidden Figures. Based on a true story, this film revolves around three female Black mathematicians in the USA who were key figures in John Glenn’s orbit launch in 1962.
