Taking risks as an artist OK, says star

Reese Witherspoon is adamant more women should have the “opportunity to fail” in Hollywood.

The actress is one of the most bankable stars in the entertainment business, having found success with films such as Legally Blonde, Walk the Line and Wild, as well as the HBO series Big Little Lies.

She juggles her busy acting career with running her own production company, Hello Sunshine, and has now explained she doesn’t believe it is important for all female-focused projects to be big winners at the box office.

“It shouldn’t just be about financial success,” she told Marie Claire magazine, about making movies with women for women. “We should have as many opportunities to fail as we do succeed. Because artistry is not about succeeding always. It’s about having the courage to try and put out into the world new ideas.”

Witherspoon shared that she has received a lot of support from her talent agent husband Jim Toth, and her A Wrinkle in Time co-star Oprah Winfrey, when it comes to her various ventures. But every now and then she will become anxious about breaking new ground with her work.

Witherspoon, 41, also spoke about the Time’s Up movement. The star has been open about being sexually assaulted by a director at the age of 16, and is hopeful other women won’t have to experience what she went through.