The Walking Dead earns another ReFrame Stamp for gender equity
The Walking Dead season 10 is recognized for dedication to gender balance
ReFrame announced the recipients of the coveted ReFrame Stamp celebrating series from the 2019-2020 television season that met the organization’s guidelines for gender-balanced hiring. The Walking Dead’s season 10 was recognized for its work, giving the show back-to-back recognition for its dedication to gender equity on set.
The ReFrame Stamp is awarded to shows with women and female-identifying people in four of eight areas including “writer, director, showrunner, producer, lead, season regulars, department heads and crew.” There are also additional points given to shows with women of color in those positions.
The Walking Dead has always had strong female leadership from executive producers Gale Anne Hurd and Denise Huth, and over the years several female directors and writers have been key players on the show. Despite its massive cast, The Walking Dead has always had multiple women at the forefront, from Sarah Wayne Callies to Lauren Cohan and even Samantha Morton as Alpha in seasons 9 and 10.
Angela Kang’s move to showrunner in season 9 signaled an even greater dedication to gender equity on the show as Danai Gurira and Melissa McBride moved into lead roles in an expanded capacity after Andrew Lincoln’s departure in the first half of season 9. The news of a Carol and Daryl spin-off in 2023 will allow Kang to continue her brilliant work within The Walking Dead Universe.
ReFrame co-founders Keri Putnam and Cathy Schulman released a statement about the awards:
"From Regina King leading Watchmen, to ReFrame Rise fellow Hanelle Culpepper making history as the first woman to direct a pilot or debut episode of a Starfleet series in the franchise’s 53-year history, women continue to make bold moves, and we’re heartened to see a broadened field of Stamp awardees."
Killing Eve, which is produced by AMC’s BBC America, was also awarded a ReFrame Stamp.
ReFrame was founded by the Women in Film Los Angeles in conjunction with the Sundance Institute and a partnership with IMDbPro. 33 shows were awarded the stamp for the 2019-2020 season, with Netflix claiming the most ReFrame Stamps of any studio.