Matt James talks being first Black 'Bachelor,' says he's excited to 'have diverse relationships'
Matt James is opening up about being the first Black man to take the lead role on "The Bachelor."
James described receiving widespread support from old friends, fans and peers amid the revolutionary announcement earlier this month, as he sat down with roommate and "Bachelorette" runner-up Tyler Cameron to discuss on Monday night's episode of "The Bachelor: Greatest Seasons—Ever!" with "Bachelor" franchise host Chris Harrison.
"It's been nice, cause, to be honest with you, I've heard from a lot of my Black friends that aren't Bachelor Nation faithful, that are excited about me and are honored I'm in the position I'm in and have this opportunity to just represent what it's going to look like to have diverse relationships and tell those love stories," James told Harrison.
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"I couldn't be more excited about that," he added.
In describing what kind of woman James, 28, would be looking for, Cameron, 27, added that the love of James' life will be "someone that kind of resembles his mother."
"His mother is one of the sweetest ladies, very loving, caring, compassionate, willing to serve others and help out the community," Cameron said.
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James revealed that his mother was looking forward to "a basketball team" of grandkids.
"I think that the grandkid counter from my mom started when that announcement was made," James joked. "She wants a basketball team. I'll have a minivan, that's the max- that's as many as we can fit."
Cameron continued to then praise James: "That's what Matt's gonna do. Matt's gonna change the world."
Alums and fans of the "Bachelor" franchise have been long calling on the series to more consistently cast contestants of color as protests across the country have shown support for the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. Over 40 seasons of "Bachelor," and its sister series "The Bachelorette," only one Black person has held the title role – Rachel Lindsay, who led "Bachelorette" in the 2017 season.
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"Representation matters, and it is one of the most important ways our country can embrace its diversity and evolve," read a statement from the group. "We will use our power as viewers and fans to hold ABC and Warner Bros. accountable and demand they use their platform in a more thoughtful, race-conscious, and socially responsible way. It’s time that ABC, (producer) Mike Fleiss, and Warner Bros. take demonstrable action to address the inequalities in casting, screen time, and employment of minority groups."
Contributing: Kelly Lawler, Hannah Yasharoff
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bachelor: Matt James opens up about being first Black male star