For some actors, being able to express their views and perspectives is

Having is present perfect tense. But the sentence is in simple tense.

Having is not accompanied by another verb so it's present continuous just like being

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Generally, the use of "being" in an action clause, is discouraged.

However, here the rest of the answer choices are all incorrect. Hence A is the only available appropriate option.

(B) the importance of being able to express their views is greater

INCORRECT.

Apart from the use of "being", this choice uses "greater" to complete the sentence. "Greater" is inappropriate comparison term.

(C) having the ability to express their views and perspectives is more important

INCORRECT.

The use of "having" is inappropriate. Could correctly use the phrase "the ability to".

(D) to have the ability to express their views and perspectives is more important

INCORRECT.

The use of "to have the" is inappropriate. Could correctly use the phrase "the ability to".

(E) ability to express their own views has greater importance

INCORRECT.

Phrase is missing "the" as in: "the ability to"

Also, "greater importance" is idiomatically incorrect in context of sentence.

(A) is the best of the lot (but can be improved).

choice d
to have show a future intended action , so, it can not be parallel with being popular, an phenominon existing. D is gone
choice e
ability is a noun , so,it can not be parallel with being. a noun is a fact, being is a condition. they can not be parallel. E is gond
choice b is similar to choice e
choice c

having the ability is wordy.
"the ability" is wrong. it should be "an ability" because the idea of general is better than a specific idea.

this is hard topin on gmat. though gmat test us some points inhere but will do so at higher score level. we should not study this question because it touch the hard problems and it is not from official source.