‘I HAVE GROWN INTO A FEMINIST’
Hollywood actor Joseph Fiennes talks about the Time’s Up campaign and the relevance of his muchacclaimed TV show in today’s times
Our show puts the spotlight on everything happening around us. The book was written 30 years ago and still has relevance in today’s society. JOSEPH FIENNES, ACTOR
Playing the military commander Fred Waterford in the awardwinning TV show The Handmaid’s Tale (which will air on AXN) has garnered a lot of appreciation for the Screen Actors Guild Award winning actor Joseph Fiennes. Based on a dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, the show has been lauded across the globe. The actor talks about the relevance of the show in today’s time, the Hollywood campaign Time’s Up and how much India means to him.
The show has garnered a lot of appreciation all over the world.
Yes. Our show puts the spotlight on everything happening around us. The book was written 30 years ago and still has relevance in today’s society. Mankind has through time lived under patriarchal theocracy and even in the free West, we are in the danger of losing to patriarchal fanaticism. That’s why the Time’s Up movement in Hollywood is all about bringing about a balance of power in the higher echelons in all industries and creating equal opportunities for women and working towards a diverse society.
How did the show resonate in your personal life?
My wife and my two daughters are the most important people in my life and my view of the world has changed since working on the show. It has become more focused. The show has changed me. I have grown into a feminist.
What can we expect from season 2 of the show?
We do depart from the novel a bit in season 2. We will venture into the colonies and the slave camp. It will be a more creepy, dark and scary season yet, full of inspiration too. You have to remember that at the heart of this journey is a woman who is fighting to survive.
Have you ever been to India?
Yes. I have been to India twice and I love India. My mother was brought up in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) and she spent her childhood there. My first trip was soon after Elizabeth (1998) when (filmmaker) Shekhar Kapur invited me to stay with him in Mumbai. I loved it so much that I came back the next year on my own. I went to Delhi, Agra and Mumbai, and spent quite a lot of time travelling. I have a great love for India as my mother’s life is shaped by India.
The Golden Globes were the talk of the town, especially because of the Time’s Up campaign.
The Golden Globes was a prolific event and not just a celebration of talent. They were important because the campaign Time’s Up addresses the imbalance of opportunities and power and injustice against women. It was a historical day as it sent a message to the world that anyone who’s been abused will be heard. An amazing group of women have raised $16 million in two months to help people who can’t afford legal fees to fight against injustice.