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Culture September 14, 2017
"Being alone in the room is exhausting … you feel like you have to stand up for the entire gender or race."
Olivia Pope is a badass woman, but the woman behind the character is the real life version of Pope. In an industry with a lack of women of color, Kerry Washington is standing up to speak for all women.
Washington spoke to a group of women at Sundance Film Festival’s annual Women in Film Brunch earlier this year about progress in the film industry.
She advised that women need to get together to incite change.
“Sometimes the people who are in charge of those rooms, they want us to feel lucky to be in the room. And we are because we’re all really blessed to be doing what we do … but that doesn’t mean that I don’t get to bring other people with me,” Washington said. “Being alone in the room is exhausting … you feel like you have to stand up for the entire gender or race.”
“Manchester by the Sea” director Kimberly Steward joined Washington to mention the importance of women supporting women. Washington then said, “A woman who shouts out other women? That’s just something we all have to do.”
Washington also said that she plans on hiring more women, people of color and people from the LGBTQ community to work on her sets.
“(It’s) making sure people in society who we’ve labeled as other have a seat at the table,” Washington said.
Steward also said producers need to be more willing to take risks. Washington also said that making movies for and about women and people of color isn’t a risk.
“Why do we allow this myth of risk to remain?” Washington asked. “And if it doesn’t work, who cares? So many movies don’t work.”
Just like her character in “Scandal,” Washington isn’t afraid to voice her opinions. With the lack of diversity in the film industry, the actress is work hard to fix this ongoing issue.
