She plays activist Emmeline Pankhurst in her upcoming flick Suffragette, about how women won the right to vote in early 20th century Britain.
And off-screen Meryl Streep is one of the most passionate advocates and respected voices in the fight for gender equality in Hollywood.
Speaking to Time Out this week, the 66-year-old acting veteran reveals her frustration at the challenges women still face in the entertainment industry and gave her thoughts on how sexism could be eradicated.
As an actress, Meryl explained she is often asked patronising questions by the press and quoted her least favourite as ‘”You often play very strong women… Why do you choose…? Blah blah blah.”‘ ‘No man is ever asked: “You often play very strong men. Why?” It would be an absurd question.‘ But when asked if she’s a feminist, the Devil Wears Prada star is sure to distinguish herself as a humanist instead, explaining ‘I am for nice easy balance.’
The three-time Oscar-winner has a refreshingly simple strategy for how to improve the situation of gender inequality among the top execs in Hollywood.
‘Men should look at the world as if something is wrong when their voices predominate. They should feel it. People at agencies and studios, including the parent boards, might look around the table at the decision-making level and feel something is wrong if half their participants are not women. Because our tastes are different, what we value is different. Not better, different.’
Meryl stars in Suffragette alongside Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter.
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