I've worked really hard to bring something more to 'pretty girl' roles over the years. I consider it a challenge.
I get a stack of scripts, like, once a month, and most of the time, you find these placeholder girls that are there to provide a bounce for the male character. So we know he's funny because she's serious and she's mad at him. We know he's strong because she needs saving. So really, her job is to validate this personality trait of our hero or male.
I feel like I'm constantly fighting against my exterior, or this exterior presentation of myself, because of how I look or perhaps because of who I'm with.
I used to be very interested in the history of women's rights in this country and in other countries. I tried to learn as much as I could about it, and more than anything, I would be called gay. It was phenomenal. But if a boy has something to say, he is appreciated; he's even popular. If a girl says something, it's instantly a threat.
I want to be an artist. I don't want to be a celebrity.
I think the main struggle for women in Hollywood and women in my position is to fight for true representation in the media and accurate representation of our many diverse qualities in stories.
When only one or two percent of filmmakers are female, you can't help but have some kind of bias.
If I were a man, I'd be allowed to play roles that were compelling and drove an audience to an emotional response.
I try to search for roles where the character is not dependent on how she looks, but it is hard because I didn't know anyone in this industry, so I started as an extra and fought.
