Ben Whishaw is of the firm belief that joining forces with female co-stars and producers is a much more pleasant experience as compared to working with men.
The James Bond actor recently starred in Women Talking, a drama film written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Sarah Polley. And as the only man to be on the movie’s star cast, the English actor realized just how inherently better the environment was with only women around the set.
Whishaw explained how Polley had been a commendable director throughout the entire project and how the rest of his female co-stars had been just as lovely. And that is when he understood the vast difference between collaborating with female directors as opposed to their male counterparts.
James Bond Actor Would Rather Work With Women Than Men
While talking about his recent role in Sarah Polley’s Women Talking, wherein he was the only male counterpart on set, Ben Whishaw explained how there was an air of genuine comfort the entire time they were working, unlike a lot of his previous experiences. If he ever had to pick between working with an all-women team and an only-men crew, the Paddington actor claimed he’d definitely go for the former.
“It’s rare to be around that many women who are intimate with one another in that way, and vulnerable in that way. I definitely had a sense that I liked this quite a lot more than I like being in a group of only men. If I had to choose between the two I’d rather be with women.”
Whishaw also added that there were “no big egos pulling attention away from why we were there,” referring to the ugly clash of character and pride that often unfolds between people at times.
The Prevalence of Toxic Masculinity in Hollywood
As glamorous as the trail to Hollywood might be, the film industry is not exempt from the putrid stench of toxic masculinity and unsavory work environments that numerous celebrities often seem to get enmeshed into. From DC star Ray Fisher to Marvel’s VFX artists who work laboriously behind the screens, innumerable entities have experienced the struggles of a toxic work environment. Even Jennifer Lawrence recently spoke up about her miserable times working with male directors, namely Bryan Singer who she teamed up with for three X-Men projects.
During a THR roundtable event, The Hunger Games actress recalled the “biggest hissy fits thrown on set” by “emotional men” and how great of an experience it was to collaborate with female directors for a change. “It was incredible to not be around toxic masculinity,” Lawrence said as she talked about working with artistic director Lila Neugebauer.
In their interview with Indie Wire, Whishaw along with his co-star Claire Foy both appreciated Polley as a director for creating a safe and calming work environment. “Sarah was at pains to create an atmosphere,” the Spectre star noted, “Where that would be the outcome, that degree of relaxation and ease and just willingness to be vulnerable.”
Source: Indie Wire
