Henry Simmons On The Groundbreaking Film Crew Behind Cherish The Day

One might think that an actor used to playing comic book tough guys — Henry Simmons is probably best known for his role in Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." — might feel a bit uncomfortable on a set where women are calling most of the shots. But nothing could be further from the truth: Simmons celebrated the opportunity.

"I was so happy. I actually prayed for an opportunity like this," he said. "I prayed to work with not just people of color but women of color. I wanted to work with Black women, and I wanted to work in an environment that was extremely diverse."

He explained that he's noticed the relative absence of other Black faces on sets over the course of his career. "[With] many projects that I've been on, when I walk onto set, there's maybe one or two other Black people," he said. "There aren't a lot of Black people in Los Angeles on the crews, for whatever reason. It's very hard, I guess, to get in crews."