Hire more female film crews, says Saoirse
SAOIRSE Ronan has called on Hollywood chiefs to hire more female crew members, including writers and directors – to help eradicate sexism in the entertainment industry.
In the wake of the downfall of disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, the film industry has been shaken by widespread accounts of assault, sexual harassment and abuses of power.
But Carlow native Saoirse, 24, said she believes Hollywood is finally starting to open the door to more female-driven projects, thanks to the impact of global movements such as #MeToo and Time’s Up.
The Mary Queen Of Scots star said: ‘It’s a fantastic time for women. There are signs that change is taking place and there’s greater awareness of the unpleasant things that have gone on. We must support each other and stand up for the courageous women who have gone public with their stories. Their stories shouldn’t be forgotten.’
In an interview with Psychologies magazine, the three-time Oscar nominee also namechecked her film Lady Bird – an acclaimed coming-of-age picture which was written and directed by Greta Gerwig – as a good example of a successful female-driven project.
‘Let’s hope the industry will reflect the spirit of change and we’ll see more projects like Big Little Lies and Lady Bird, where women are taking a lead role in developing projects, as well as telling stories from women’s points of view and with interesting characters,’ she continued.
‘What [executive producer and lead actress of Big Little Lies] Reese Witherspoon did was exceptional. She put together a group of incredible actresses she admires, giving each of them, even in seemingly minor roles, the same importance.’
In another recent interview, Saoirse credited her parents with shielding her from the sleazier side of the industry when she was younger. ‘I was very lucky that I was protected by parents and my mum was always there,’ she said.