Where My Girls At? Taraji, Helen, Geena
Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 2:12PM Did you catch that insane Fox news thing (I realize that sounds redundant) about Hollywood emasculating men by making women the heroes of all movies. Haha. They're so dumb. And also: WE WISH. A new study suggests that we're reaching record lows with only 12% of Hollywood films having female leads and a gross drop in percentages of roles when women pass the age of 40. So I figure it's time for a very brief Where My Girls At roundup of women who are currently wowing. Only 3 this time.
Taraji
Check out the gorgeous new photos and interview with Empire's Taraji P Henson from Uptown Magazine. I want to rename that show EMPIRE or (The Unexpected Ghetto Fabulousness of Cookie) because she just owns that show. (Lee Daniels, one of TFE's favorite actressexual filmmakers, is such a blessing to women of a certain age. I'd personally argue way moreso than Ryan Murphy because they get to do work just as crazy and show-offy but the results are often better and they don't have to play second fiddle to Jessica Lange.) Anyway, I like that Taraji is particularly frank in this inteview and has interesting "employ tunnel vision" advice on careers. Hers has had its ups & downs, including in awards buzz. Take this bit for example:
While celebrating the variety of black talent currently on-screen, becoming distracted by her peers’ success, however, is not on Henson’s to-do list. With a tightknit, mega-watt circle that includes Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall and Sanaa Lathan, tunnel vision is imperative. “If you don’t stay in your lane and you start looking around, you’ll go crazy,” she says. “I use to have this crazy thing with Amy Adams, and I love Amy Adams. You see her [consistently] getting nominated, as she should, because Amy does good work. But, it’s like, ‘Well, I did good work too.’ But if you choose to stay in that place then you become miserable. It’s a pity party and nobody cares. I’m human, so I’ve done it. But I check that because it’s ego and it’s the devil.”
Helen
Helen Mirren, the world's sexiest 69 year old, continues flaunting it because she's got it. Here's her cheeky new ad for L'Oreal...
Geena
Geena Davis's reign as an A List actress gives good nostalgia now considering how many good movies she made in her heyday. She debuted in a small role in the Best Picture nominated classic Tootsie (1982) and her roles rapidly increased in size in the 80s in classics like The Fly (1986) and Beetlejuice (1988) culminating in an oscar win for another Best Picture nominee The Accidental Tourist (1988). By the time the 90s hit she was a major star (see big hits and feminist classics A League of Their Own and Thelma & Louise). But her reign was short and her career died a still kind of inexplicably swift death in 1996 after two high profile action flops. It was literally the year in which she turned 40. She didn't show up on the big screen again until 3 years later when she was suddenly reduced to the sidebar mom role in the children's hit Stuart Little. But she's become a very vocal activist and gender equality warrior since then. Her latest move is the creation of the Bentonville Film Festival which debuts this May which will showcase female roles, diversity, and family friendly movies. As a moviegoer with a deep love for Ms Davis, I seriously looked into going for The Film Experience but just don't have the funds for it so I'll be reading reports in early May with enthusiasm. Just sad that I won't be one of the lucky film journalists that get to write them. *sniffle*
Reader Comments (24)
I'm a little skeptical of the WalMart Family Film Festival, but maybe it'll exceed my expectations.
I am just beginning to catch up on Empire, I am only at episode 3 and can see that Cookie is fabulous.
Geena Davis: Her work within Hollywood ranks with the best, and she was penalized too harshly for 2 flops. However she walked away and put her energies into a very worthwhile institute.
Seejane.org has the statistical breakdowns on women in film that make me weep, but they provide the credible evidence to help fight for gender equality.
So glad to see you shine a light on this important work - great article, thanks.
Geena's also got a major guest arc on Grey's Anatomy right now (I know, I know), and she's killing it.
I am thankful for a world where Taraji and Lee created someone that inspires me continually. She has gone through so much shit, she is not the nicest person, even to her own children, but she is strong, she believes in herself, and she gives me hope for myself. I want her faith, I want her belief, I want her grace.
I don't know if I would call Cookie graceful, but there is an honesty, lack of judgement or filter and persistence in her, born out of experience, that I revel in.
I don't think I have ever rooted for a character so much in any television show before as I have with Cookie Lyon on Empire. You know the Golden Globes will eat this right up with a spoon :)
To combine two items - Shadowboxer was so nutty, I really want Lee to find an Empire guest spot for Helen. Maybe a Clive Davis-style rival executive?
Or Mirren can play Courtney Love's mother/agent.
I love how frank Taraji can be in interviews. It's like she has no publicists or just has no fucks left to give anymore. The most telling interview I read from her (can't remember the publication) said that her Oscar nomination did absolutely nothing for her career, and all of her strides in the industry post-nominations (Tyler Perry films, "Think Like a Man" series, and the savvy move to television roles) have been self-generated. She's both a realist and a hustler, and I lurve that, of course! Bitch is killing it right now on "Empire"! Everyone watch it if you're not! I mean, Courtney Love is guest-starring tonight! How can u miss that?
I do call it graceful, Henry. She knows who she is, good and bad, and that is how I define grace.
Maggie Gyllenhaal said something similar about Amy Adams on Howard Stern. She must be someone that all these ladies are envious of, but they also like her, so they can't hate her completely. LOL
I am HERE FOR COOKIE and that Henson quote about Amy Adams is everything.
Jase, I KNOW, RIGHT. I totally felt for her there because damn. If Amy getting all the noms and spotlight and attention is getting to *me*, i can't imagine how that must have been for her.
I think Cookie is the type of person we all want to be. Just trying to make it out there getting what ours while giving zero fucks about people standing in our way. Cookie for President.
Plus, i never knew that I needed a show like Empire in my life until I actually sat down and watched it.
Taraji gives really sound advice for every actor- established or aspiring. Love her for that. I'm going to have to start watching Empire...so many things on TV I don't know how I can keep up.
And yes, who would've thought 5 years ago or so that Amy Adams would be the most talked about or, dare I say, most respected actress in the business? Taraji, Reese, Maggie, and Sarah Paulson have all sung her praises and yet have seemed to covet her career.
I'm also enjoying Geena on Grey's Anatomy. The rest of the cast is so so bad that she looks like a goddess of acting.
Should I watch Empire?
Empire is great. Cookie on Empire is grrrrreeeeaattt.
I just watched "In a World..." and the Geena Davis cameo at the end was an unexpected delight! And sort of like embedded advertising for the kind of thing she seems to be doing now.
Empire and Looking are like the only TV shows I watch... so yes, everyone, watch Empire! It's endlessly entertaining and has a fresh voice. I'm white so I might not be exactly eligible to speak on this, but there's something about Shonda Rhimes shows that feel very white washed although they prominently feature black characters to appeal to the masses, but Empire doesn't seem concerned with that. And I love it.
Anyway, yeah, Taraji/Cookie is everything and more. Watch Empire. And I can't wait to catch the episode from tonight. Had no idea Courtney Love was going to be on it (!!!)
Poor Taraji tho... and black actresses in general. There's a reason only two black women have received two acting nominations (Whoopi and Viola)... black women, more than anyone, are not given opportunities. Winners are one-and-done type Oscar winners. Of course asian and native american actors are heavily underrepresented, but I mean black actresses can literally be A-list Hollywood stars and get nothing.
As I've said before, year in and year out, Best Actress usually lacks even one black contender, even longshot. Of course this year had Gugu but that went nowhere. While most other categories have one or two black contenders, longshot or not, best actress rarely does. It's hard enough for white women to get leading roles (as stated in the post), so black women are really left out. Who knows when we'll get our next black best actress nominee, let alone winner.
Wow, I really rambled..
The Geena stuff makes me sad. "Thelma & Louise" was one of those movies that I became inexplicably obsessed with in high school. Why did they cancel "Commander in Chief" after one season?
Adams is officially the envy of Hollywood B and C Listers. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sarah Paulson, Chloe Sevigny, Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Banks and Karen Gillan all said they would love to have Adams's diverse profile.
Poor Taraji tho... and black actresses in general. There's a reason only two black women have received two acting nominations (Whoopi and Viola)... black women, more than anyone, are not given opportunities. Winners are one-and-done type Oscar winners. Of course asian and native american actors are heavily underrepresented, but I mean black actresses can literally be A-list Hollywood stars and get nothing.
As I've said before, year in and year out, Best Actress usually lacks even one black contender, even longshot. Of course this year had Gugu but that went nowhere. While most other categories have one or two black contenders, longshot or not, best actress rarely does. It's hard enough for white women to get leading roles (as stated in the post), so black women are really left out. Who knows when we'll get our next black best actress nominee, let alone winner.
Knowing that Hollywood is patriarchal and white supremacist eases the frustration and pain that comes from their disinterest in nonwhite female talent.
Jakey - I know, right? I thought "Commander in Chief" did well in the ratings but apparently I'm wrong, or maybe it was too expensive for the ratings it got. But it also should've been a better show. It started strong, but I stopped watching after they had her rearrange the chairs at the staff (Thanksgiving? Christmas?) dinner so she could set up 2 of the younger, single staff members. It was just such a silly thing to have the President of the United States do, I completely lost respect for the show.
Cricket lovers from around the world are waiting for cricket world cup 2015.
The tournament is going to start from 14th February 2015.