I think there is an element of nihilism about, but I don't think most artists feel their work is meaningless.
In the moment of acting you don't feel like anything, you feel like the person, as much as you can.
Racism springs from the lie that certain human beings are less than fully human. It's a self-centered falsehood that corrupts our minds into believing we are right to treat others as we would not want to be treated.