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The 2018 Oscar Nominations Saw Several Firsts for Females in Hollywood, Including Greta Gerwig and Mary J. Blige


According to all available statistics, the film industry is especially brutal to the careers of women, who are routinely in the minority when it comes to landing jobs behind the camera. The challenges faced by women of color are even greater. But after a year of change in the cultural conversation around how women are treated in Hollywood and other industries, there are at least a few bright spots to be found in this morning’s Oscar nominations.

For starters, Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird has been nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, making Gerwig the first female director to land a Best Director nomination for her directorial debut. The indie darling was already an established screenwriter, with credits on projects in which she also starred, like Frances Ha and Mistress America. But Lady Bird represented her first solo foray behind the camera (she previously co-directed 2008’s Nights and Weekends with Joe Swanberg). In addition to breaking this particular barrier, Gerwig is now in the teeny tiny club of five women ever nominated for the prize. She joins a handful of other luminaries like Jane Campion and Sofia Coppola. (The club really ought to have included Dee Rees and Patty Jenkins this year, sigh.) Best Director has been won by a woman only once, in 2010 when Kathryn Bigelow took home the Oscar for The Hurt Locker.

Another crack in the glass ceiling comes from Rachel Morrison, who just became the first and only women ever nominated for Best Cinematography, for her work on Dee Rees’s Mudbound. Yes, you read that right, after 90 years, there is finally one woman nominated in this category. Also nominated for her work in Mudbound is Mary J. Blige, who just became the first women ever to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress for a performance in a film directed by a woman of color, as well as the first woman to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song in the same year.

Here’s hoping these incredibly talented women go home with some hardware next month.

Related Stories:

See the Full List of Oscar Nominations Here

2018 Is Going to Be a Great Year for Women in Movies

10 Creep-Free Movies to Root for This Awards Season





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Read Every Word of Nicole Kidman's 2018 SAG Awards Speech on Aging in Hollywood


Nicole Kidman has won many awards over her illustrious 35-year acting career, including an Oscar, two Emmys, and four Golden Globes (as well as being honored as a 2017 Glamour Woman of the Year)—but never a SAG Award, despite being nominated nine times since 2001. It appears that the tenth time was the charm, though, as Kidman picked up her very first Screen Actors Guild at the 2018 awards ceremony for her portrayal of domestic abuse survivor Celeste in HBO’s Big Little Lies—while fighting the flu and zero sleep, no less.

“I was working until 1 A.M.—which is a fantastic blessing—last night, but I have the flu and I’m playing a pretty out-there role right now, so I have had a little trouble shedding it,” Kidman said through tears as she accepted the award. “But I’m here and I’m incredibly grateful.”

And despite being ill and exhausted, Kidman still seized the opportunity to deliver a passionate and powerful speech, calling attention to the important shifts towards equality happening in Hollywood and imploring for change to continue. But while her Golden Globes acceptance speech focused more on standing up to abuse of any kind, Kidman used her SAG Awards speech to highlight equal opportunities for women, no matter their age.

“To receive this at this stage in my life is extraordinary,” Kidman said, referencing winning her first SAG Award at age 50. She continued on to cite numerous actresses who have inspired her throughout her career (including fellow nominees Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange). “I want to thank you all for your trailblazing performances you have given over your career, and how wonderful it is that our careers can go beyond 40 years old,” she said.

“Twenty years ago, we were pretty washed up by this stage in our lives,” Kidman added. “That’s not the case now. We have proven…and so many more are proving that we are potent and powerful and viable. I just beg that the industry stays behind us, because our stories are finally being told. It’s only the beginning, and I’m so proud to be a part of a community that is instigating this change.”

Read the speech in its entirety below:

“Oh, wow! Yikes! I’m crying. It means a lot to me. I have been working since I was 14 years old. Thank you, SAG AFTRA, for giving me something incredibly nervous. This is reality colliding with fantasy right now. I was working until 1:00 A.M—which is a fantastic blessing—last night, but I have the flu and I’m playing a pretty out there role character right now, so I have had a little trouble shedding it, but I’m here and I’m incredibly grateful.

To receive this at this stage in my life is extraordinary and at this time in the industry when these things are going on and for this role. I would like to acknowledge the other actresses in this category, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, my girlfriends, first and foremost, my beyond talented acting partners, I share this with you. And also I want to say Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, I revere you, I watched you and I have learned from you and there are others, Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda, Judy Davis, Shirley Mcclain, Judi Dench, the list is so long.

I would like to say so many names, I can’t right now. I want to thank you all for your trail blazing performances you have given over your career and how wonderful it is that our careers today can go beyond 40 years old. Twenty years ago, we were pretty washed up by this stage in our lives, so that’s not the case now. We have proven and these actresses and so many more are proving that we are potent and powerful and viable. I just beg that the industry stays behind us because our stories are finally being told. It’s only the beginning and I’m so proud to be a part of a community that is instigating this change, but I applaud the writers, directors, and financiers behind our stories. We can continue to do this but only with the support of the industry and that money and passion. Also, I do have trail blazers in my life, Chris, Leslie, Katie, Miranda, lizzy, to my family, I’m nothing without you. Thank you to all of the actors that gave me the chance to say this.”

Related: Nicole Kidman’s Golden Globes Speech Was All About the ‘Power of Women’





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Watch Jessica Chastain Perfectly Illustrate Why Hollywood Needs Better Roles for Women


Jessica Chastain knows there’s a problem for women in Hollywood. Well, besides the sexual harassment. And the pay disparities. And the inane red carpet questions. OK—Jessica Chastain knows there are a lot of problems for women in Hollywood.

But this week on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she wanted to talk about one in particular: underwritten female roles. Like the distraught wife of the hero who saves the day. Or the distraught girlfriend of the man who would and does risk everything. To illustrate just what actresses are dealing with in terms of a lack of depth of the characters they’re asked to play, Chastain asked Fallon to help her read some scenes, with the late-night host taking the female parts while Chastain read for the men. The result was obviously hilarious—and very telling.

Fallon didn’t have to stretch himself much to read for the leading lady in a rom-com, when a meet-cute had the guy waxing poetic about the unpredictable nature of the universe and the possibility of fate, while his female companion…just giggled mostly. He was completely silent during Chastain’s action hero monologue (though, on set he’d probably need to do at least some pained expressions when the hero said, “You wait here”). He did get an actual chunk of very technical dialogue for an imaginary sci-fi script, with his heroine outlining her perfectly calculated plan to save the ship, but it’s still not exactly a shining beacon of feminism at work—her plan was quickly and simply dismissed by her male counterpart.

At the end of the sketch, Chastain and Fallon made sure to plug Time’s Up, the initiative to fight gender inequality that’s been rampant in the world of Hollywood and beyond, making it clear that just poking fun at problems in the industry isn’t going to cut it; there need to be clear indicators that positive changes are truly coming.

Watch the sketch for yourself, below:

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300 Powerful Hollywood Women Just Launched Time's Up, a Massive Anti-Harassment Action Plan


Women in Hollywood have had enough of sexual harassment—whether it’s in Hollywood or for their sisters in agricultural, service, and domestic industries. On Monday, more than 300 women working in the entertainment industry, including actresses, agents, writers, directors, and producers, announced an ambitious action plan called Time’s Up Now, with the goal of ending the imbalance of gender power across all industries. According to The New York Times, a few of the women who helped start the plan are actresses America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Rashida Jones, Emma Stone, Kerry Washington, and Reese Witherspoon, along with producer Shonda Rhimes and lawyers Tina Tchen and Nina L. Shaw.

“The struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard and acknowledged in male-dominated workplaces must end; time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly,” the group wrote in an open letter posted to their dedicated site, TimesUpNow.com.

The letter further explained that the group was moved by another open letter it received in November on behalf of 700,000 female farmworkers who said they stood with the actresses and felt their same pain.

“To the members of Alianza and farmworker women across the country, we see you, we thank you, and we acknowledge the heavy weight of our common experience of being preyed upon, harassed, and exploited by those who abuse their power and threaten our physical and economic security,” the Time’s Up Now letter read.

To fight gender inequality and all the trappings that come with it, the group has come up with several ways to fight the battle—including a legal defense fund that is already backed by $13 million in donations. This, the Times explained, will be used to assist less-privileged women to protect themselves after incidences of sexual misconduct. Moreover, the group announced it will work on passing legislation that will penalize companies that remain tolerant of “persistent harassment” and use nondisclosure agreements to intimidate victims. Right now, the group isn’t centralized around a particular leader, and it’s also run completely by volunteers.

The open letter also explained that the group is asking women in Hollywood to wear black at the Golden Globes and to speak out about sexual harassment at the red carpet. As Longoria told The Times, the majority of women contacted about the all-black protest have signed on.

“For years, we’ve sold these awards shows as women, with our gowns and colors and our beautiful faces and our glamour,” Longoria said. “This time the industry can’t expect us to go up and twirl around. That’s not what this moment is about.”

As Rhimes further noted to the paper, “It’s very hard for us to speak righteously about the rest of anything if we haven’t cleaned our own house.” She added, “If this group of women can’t fight for a model for other women who don’t have as much power and privilege, then who can?”

The group isn’t just looking to protect the rights of women, but also aims to protect all marginalized groups including minorities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. “No one wants to look back and say they stood at the sidelines,” Lena Waithe, one of Master of None‘s stars, added.

Read the group’s entire mission statement and learn more about the program on their site here.

Related Content:
–#MeToo Founder Tarana Burke on What Needs to Happen After the Hashtag
–Hundreds Turn Out for Take Back the Workplace, #MeToo Demonstrations in Hollywood
–Four Powerful #MeToo Stories Take Center Stage at the ‘Glamour’ Women of the Year Awards



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At the Golden Globes, Hollywood Men Will Be Joining Actresses in Wearing All Black


During the last few months, the #MeToo movement has not just resurfaced but taken down powerful men in Hollywood. One of the first notable casualties, of course, was Harvey Weinstein back in October, whose downfall catalyzed a wave of damning allegations that have sunk other once-prestigious mens’ careers. Earlier this month, actresses announced that they’d be protesting sexual abuse and harassment in the industry by wearing all black to the Golden Globes, the first major award show of the new year, on January 7—and now actors are joining in.

People confirmed in mid-December that major actresses and female presenters, like Meryl Streep and Emma Stone, would wear black in solidarity with the #MeToo movement. But celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati posted on her Instagram account Saturday that all of her prominent male clients will be wearing black to the Golden Globes, too.

“Because everyone keeps asking me… YES, the men WILL be standing in solidarity with women on this wearing-all-black movement to protest against gender inequality at this year’s Golden Globes,” she wrote. “At least ALL MY GUYS will be. Safe to say this may not be the right time to choose to be the odd man out here… just sayin…”

Hear, hear.

One of her clients, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, formalized his participation by commenting, “Yes we will.” Urbinati also represents Tom Hiddleston and Call Me By Your Name actor and Best Supporting Actor nominee Armie Hammer.

Granted, women do have a lot more styles, shapes, and colors to work with on the red carpet than men, who generally stick to some iteration of a black tux. But the fact that these actors are publicly standing with their female counterparts is a decision worth noting.

Related Stories:
–Meryl Streep Replies to Rose McGowan’s Criticism: ‘I Didn’t Know’ About Harvey Weinstein
–Amber Tamblyn Slams Rose McGowan for ‘Shaming’ Actresses Planning to Wear Black to the Golden Globes
–Actresses Will Reportedly Dress in Black at 2018 Golden Globes in Solidarity With Harassment Victims





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Billy Bush Writes 'New York Times' Op-Ed Stating the Access Hollywood Tape Is True


Late last night, The New York Times published a new op-ed written by former Access Hollywood host, Billy Bush, titled “Yes, Donald. You Said That.”

Of course, the quotes Bush is referring to are those from the infamous tape in which the now President says:

“I moved on her like a bitch. But I couldn’t get there. And she was
married. Then all of a sudden I see her, she’s now got the big phony
tits and everything. She’s totally changed her look…I better use
some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m
automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s
like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star,
they let you do it. You can do anything…Grab ’em by the pussy. You
can do anything.”

Bush is heard egging Trump on throughout the tape, was summarily fired by NBC, and now he seems to be on a publicity tour to rehab his image—even tweeting, “Well, you asked…” when sharing the Times piece—and frankly, I’ve got no time for it.

Actually, Billy, I don’t think we did. Reports started circulating last week that the President had privately expressed that perhaps the tape was faked, even though at the time he told The Washington Post: “This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course—not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.”

Here’s the thing: Anyone who actually thinks that tape isn’t real is never going to be convinced otherwise. We all know there’s a segment of Trump’s base who will side with him, no matter what facts are presented to the contrary. There was not ever any real dispute over the veracity of the tape. We didn’t need Billy Bush to confirm it.

Now, the substance of Bush’s op-ed isn’t all bad, per se. He says that he believes the women who have accused Trump of misconduct. Great. He admits that he was “guilty of sacrificing a bit of ourselves in the name of success.” We all knew that, but OK, I’m glad you can say it out loud now. He writes, “The activist and gender-relations expert Jackson Katz has said that this is not a women’s issue—it’s a men’s issue. That’s a great place to start, and something I have real thoughts about—but it is a story for another day.” True, but what are you waiting for? Probably a book deal.

I’m sure I sound a little cynical, and that’s probably because I am. How can you not be, given how we’ve watched the failing upward of men behaving badly so many times? This happened and Trump became the President of the United States. Yeah, I’m cynical. But also, I just don’t have time right now to help make men feel better about what they’ve done. This moment in time is so utterly raw, emotional, and triggering for women. We are too busy taking care of one another to give Bush a warm pat on the back for performing what I suppose he considers “wokeness.”

“On a personal note, this last year has been an odyssey, the likes of
which I hope to never face again: anger, anxiety, betrayal,
humiliation, many selfish but, I hope, understandable emotions. But
these have given way to light, both spiritual and intellectual. It’s
been fortifying.

I know that I don’t need the accouterments of fame to know God and be
happy. After everything over the last year, I think I’m a better man
and father to my three teenage daughters—far from perfect, but
better.”

I’ll take a hard pass on all this rhetoric, especially the part where you try to use your daughters for sympathy, like so many men before you. I do feel for them, very much. But they shouldn’t be a tool you use to get your career back.

I hope you continue to evolve as a person, Billy Bush. Seriously, I do. Just keep it to yourself.





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