The turn of the millennium brought about a rapid and progressive change in Hollywood. From shrinking the pay gap to featuring prominently in leading roles, women began to usher in a true sense of modern film-making. Stark examples in the form of Mean Girls, Gravity, The Morning Show, and Captain Marvel have become flag-bearers of this change. In recognition of this showcase of women’s power, a Drama Actress Roundtable took place courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter.
Featuring a star-studded group of some of the best actresses from the entertainment world, the candid talks centered around a plethora of topics regarding showbiz. Additionally, the actresses left no holds barred in dropping truth bombs and opening up on the true reality of working in this industry along with the numerous challenges involved regularly.
Brie Larson shares her “honor” of being on the Drama Actress Roundtable
In its May issue, The Hollywood Reporter dropped a vibrantly chic issue featuring its Drama Actress Roundtable stars that the Avengers: Endgame actress could not help from re-sharing to her Instagram feed. Captioning it as “an honor,” she opened up on being ‘surrounded by some of my favorite “Drama Queens’”. Brie Larson showed up in a flair of white just like her Hollywood counterparts, including Anna Sawai, and Naomi Watts
It also included comedic genius Jennifer Aniston, and Sofía Vergara, alongside Nicole Kidman, and Jodie Foster. Additionally, it also marked a major grouping of actresses from acclaimed projects, including Captain Marvel, Friends, Modern Family, Moulin Rouge!, Shōgun, King Kong, and Nyad, respectively.
The striking factor stood out in the outstanding achievements of the line-up. While the Rachel Green actress boasts one Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Vergara has four of the above two nods, seven Screen Guild nods, and two ALMA Awards and a People’s Choice Award.
Kidman and Foster, meanwhile, boast of two Academy Award wins in addition to several nods for the others, whereas Watts has two Oscar nods to her name. Finally, while the Marvel actress has won one Oscar and a Golden Globe, Sawai has just made her big splash in the industry and has received immense praise and acclaim for her latest period fantasy.
Actresses discuss the evolving nature of Hollywood
A prime highlight of the Drama Actresses’ talks centered on the roles the stars were being offered earlier compared to now. Aniston shared her “dark space as a comedian” and her push to get out of that stereotype with shows such as The Morning Show, which has witnessed her take on the role of a mercurial TV anchor with seriousness and grit, which she described as:
I don’t live in my character, which I know some people do. I choose to just get rid of it as fast as I can. And then I usually say, when I’m done [with the season], “I need a comedy right now.
Reciprocating the same, Vergara spoke of her 11-year stint as Gloria in Modern Family, and how it was almost “playing myself in a way”. Thereafter, Sawai shared how she scrutinized the script for Shōgun to ensure there was no sexualization of Japanese women.
Kidman and Foster stated the stereotypes of women being abused in their early years of scripts, and how stories have evolved much more significantly now. Finally, Watts summed up how casting has undergone changes when earlier actors had to undergo make-out tests to check for chemistry, heralding a change in Hollywood.
