What does 'representation' mean in this context？

Question

There are plenty of reasons to cheer for the new romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, which opened in theaters on Aug. 15. For starters, the Jon M. Chu-directed adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s blockbuster novel is the first major Hollywood feature since 1993’s The Joy Luck Club to feature an ensemble almost exclusively of Asian heritage — a significant, and overdue, step forward for representation.

I saw it from this article. The article made a hyperlink for "step forward for representation" to another article, where they put:

Constance Wu is fully aware of the lack of representation in the entertainment industry.

I don't quite understand what 'representation' means in both contexts. They probably denote the same sense I guess.

A side question: why do they put commas for "a significant, and overdue, step forward for representation", instead of "a significant and overdue step forward for representation"?

I can get the basic meaning of representation from dictionaries. But I am not sure how it can fit in the context above.

the act or an instance of representing or the state of being represented

Answer 1

A step forward for representation in this context refers to the representation of a certain section of the community in the Hollywood film industry, in this instance to actors of Asian, essentially Chinese, heritage.

Hollywood has longed been plagued with complaints that it is dominated by ethnic Caucasians, more commonly referred to as white people, especially white males.

Groups campaigning for more minority representation include older women, the LGBT community and African Americans. (Separately, there has been a great deal of controversy over the selection of certain actors/actresses for parts in which they represent individuals of other genders or ethnicities.)

Googling Oscars blacks whites minorities brings up a host of websites concerning campaigns to make the American film industry more representative of the wider community. These efforts were reflected in the 1918 Academy Awards ceremony.

So your report celebrates the success of a film produced and acted by individuals of Asian heritage as a step forward for greater representation of minority communities in the industry.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/02/politics/oscars-hispanic-asian-representation-trnd/index.html https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/5/17081910/oscars-diversity-2018-inclusion-rider-asian-latinx-black-excellence https://www.goldderby.com/article/2018/2018-oscars-diversity-get-out-lady-bird-news-379514680/