The ethnic mix has nothing to do with any changes in the series. We
ended up keeping the mix intact. Lost was one Caucasian woman, one black
male, one asian female. What we're adding is one Caucasian woman (Lt.
Commander Ivanova), one black male (Dr. Stephen Franklin), and one asian woman
(Catherine Sakai). In addition, we're introducing a Hispanic doctor who will,
we hope be a recurring character from time to time (look for her in
"Believers" to start with). And we will be doing more of this, not just in
small parts, but larger ones as well. We have been very careful to keep a mix
of actors that reflects what our thesis is: that if we go to the stars, we're
ALL going to the stars.

In fact, we just recently -- when we found out it was going on --
instructed our casting people not to put any ethnic background information
into the breakdown sheets that go out to actor's agents. (In other words,
usually you need a white male actor 30-40, with a mustache, that kind of
specificity is commonplace in breakdowns.) We have instituted open
casting...anyone, of any ethnic background, is eligible for any role at any
time. We hope that this will *further* help us to broaden out the tapestry of
our series.

This is a very committed show, on a lot of different levels, with the
idea of trying to live out what we're preaching. We have an almost equal
breakdown of males to females in our crew and every aspect of our production.
(I say almost equal because I'm *fairly* sure there are actually more women on
the show, many in non-conventional jobs, than there are men.) Our casting is
open. We've instituted recycling on an everyday basis. I'm working on
getting the styrofoam cups at the snacks table replaced by recycleable paper
cups, and trying to set up a deal where we can give any leftover food from the
catering truck to a shelter. We've got women in the writer and director
categories, and two of our three editors (a very dominantly male business) are
women.

I don't like the way Hollywood works either.

That's why we're not DOING it that way.

jms