David Harewood, 55, was born in Birmingham and is an actor and possibly broadcaster best known for playing CIA director David Estes in the Channel 4 series Country. He recently did a show Psychology and Me, a moving documentary about his shared experience, at the age of 23. His latest documentary on BBC One, Why does Covid kill people of color?, examining smart inequalities in the NHS and showing how poverty and racism can affect all aspects of health in BAME communities.
Why does Covid kill people of color? revealing health inequalities at an alarming level. What surprised you personally, personally, when you were making the film?
It was not idea that women of color five o’clock more likely to die at birth. It’s only since Black Lives Matter started that everyone now wants to talk to Jenny Douglas [an academic and activist featured in the documentary], which has struggled to get people to accept these statistics for 20 years. I have found the same thing myself. It was very emotional last year, after the death of George Floyd, because we were all of a sudden very obvious … it was horrible to me. It ‘s wonderful to hear it, but if people have been denying my truth for decades and now they tell me they want to hear it… It was very strange. What I felt was that they wanted me to go on TV, talk, and cry. I had the news: “Thank you, David Harewood, now we’ll move on to the weather.”
Your documentary powerfully demonstrates that this topic is more than news. So how can race inequality in the NHS be changed?
Since the days of Windrush, black women have been brought to hospitals, but it’s amazing how few people have risen through the ranks. Until the rule changes, nothing will change. Doing the documentary, we met people within the NHS for fear of calling on PPE regulators – for fear of being criticized. I find that awful.
You suffer from asthma, epilepsy and kidney disease – were you scared during a lockout?
Not at all. I’m not sure why. [The first] locking down was the longest time I spent in England for nine years [he has since returned to Vancouver, where he’s based] and it was lovely to be home, though I had scarcely left the house.
Why are so many people BAME against vaccines?
I get the vaccine as soon as one is available… Historically, people of color have been afraid of institutional power, being told what is good for them. They are also skeptical about mental health services.
And more prone to poor mental health?
It relates to issues of identity. Life in Britain for black people can be very difficult. There are strong conservative voices: “There is no such thing as racism”, “Everyone is the same”. Your history – everything about you – has been denied. It is difficult to operate within these parameters. You need to have a strong mind to get through it.
You have a memory coming out in the fall… What do you remember about your breakup?
I have 10 days left to finish my memoir. I had access to my medical records but, for almost two years, I was too scared to look at them. It’s painful to read about your selfless, cunning self. Some of the things I said were very painful, but obvious. One thing I said before I was introduced was: “I have to save the black boy.” What did that mean? It made me realize I wasn’t aware of my color. My breakup was about needing reset. Growing up, I only thought about race in terms of racism. It was only when someone called me a “black bastard” that I thought of myself as black.
You’ve told yourself how to play the clown, growing up?
I was raised in the 60s and 70s Birmingham. Dad was a truck driver, Mum was a cleaner. It was a pleasure to hear Dad laugh. We loved TV comedy: Morecambe and Wise, Tommy Cooper, Love your neighbor. The streets outside could be scary, but it was a joy to be inside the house. My childhood was all about empathy. It may be naive but I never asked the questions the world asked me. When I came out of Rada, the world said, “You’re black” and “What is it like to play black Romeo? ”I hadn’t noticed that my color would take control of everything.
You were, inside 1997, National Theater the first black Othello. What progress has been made in diverse throwing?
There has been an explosion of black talent all over the world, which is very interesting. Art directors Kwame Kwei-Armah at the Young Vic and Rufus Norris at the National have a hand in a diverse, progressive, highly confident audience. But we are in a world far from utopian. Racial issues may be uncomfortable, but we need to speak openly for progress.
Will you and your wife talk to your girls [aged 18 and 15] about racism?
You need to: if your three-year-old is watching a Disney princess, at some point she will ask: “Why are they all white and blond? You have to go against that and say, ‘Well, there are brown princesses.’ You have to have that debate because it’s about images of yourself.
How important it is Country have been?
When I was thrown away, I had £ 80 in the bank and hadn’t worked for nine months. It was an awful turn going from looking up at the summit at 3am asking how I would pay my rent to being flown first class to the Golden Globes.
You have been a bone marrow donor … Why?
I entered the register of the African Caribbean Leukemia Trust. As a result of addiction, there has been so much blood mixing, if you are black and with leukemia, it is 10 times harder to find a donor. I was told I was a match for someone – I don’t know who. They got another three years. I was a little disappointed with that.
Do you miss the UK?
I do, but the UK feels very Brexity and rightwing, and very comfortable of its own after Brexit. And now not many actors can work in Europe – it’s scary.
If you had your time again, would you still choose to get involved?
Yes – I feel very blessed to do what I do.
Why does Covid kill people of color? it’s on BBC One on March 2 at 9pm