Emilia Clarke, Gemma Arterton expose Hollywood stereotypes in Leading Lady Parts
Hollywood will rue the day it put actresses in a box.
British stars like Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey and Gemma Arterton have joined forces to appear in a hilarious short film which calls out the stereotypes against women in the movie industry.
Titled Leading Lady Parts, the 10-minute BBC short features the actresses auditioning for a serious role but being told to act more sexual or change their appearance. Arterton, 32, has produced the film while it is written by Jessica Swale, an Olivier-winning playwright who wanted to join the Times Up movement.
In one scene, Game of Thrones actress Emilia is told to deliver a dramatic shower of crying while smiling despite the fact a tragedy comes next.
Although she plays the role of a doctor in the middle of south London in November, Arterton is told to lose all her clothes for the scene because, you know, sex sells and all that.
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Catherine Tate, who plays a casting agent, then tells her: Its not rocket science darling. Were just asking you to be thin and curvy, sexy and innocent. Thin, sexy, hooker, virgin with boobs and hips.
Another actress is told to deliver the scene again but wearing more makeup. Catherine explains, dead-pan: Shes our leading lady. Shes gotta be peachy.
Wunmi Mosaku, a black actress, is mistaken for a coffee runner and told she must have meant to audition of the Black Panther sequel, while Gemma Chan, who has Chinese heritage, is directed to act white.
Throughout the film, most actresses are cut-off while delivering the line: Thats all Ive always wanted. The chance to spe-, driving home the message that women arent supposed to have a voice in Hollywood.
Leading Lady Parts is part of the Hear Her campaign, which aims to provide the opportunity for normally unheard women from across the UK to tell their stories and give their opinions on all matters [to do with] women.
More: Emilia Clarke
Explaining how the film came to fruition, Arterton previously told the LA Times: It was just women in a room, chatting – we felt everything was very serious, there were really big issues being spoken about.
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We felt it would be fantastic to do something light-hearted and more comical that got the message out without beating anyone over the head.
There was a room filled with all these creative, beautiful women and what better way to make a difference … than all coming together and making something?
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