Anne Hathaway says that starring in “Oceans 8” made her rethink her role as a woman

Ocean’s 8, an adaptation of the classic Ocean’s 11 but featuring an all-female cast comes out next summer, and because we know how the world works, it’s probably going to start a lot of conversation. In next month’s issue of Elle, covergirl Anne Hathaway says that she’s not paying attention to any of the hate for now. Quite the opposite actually: Oceans 8 made Anne Hathaway rethink her role as a woman, in and out of Hollywood. So for now, any criticisms can go to you-know-where, because no matter what, it’s a big deal to have an action movie with an all-female cast in her opinion, period.

Hathaway said, “Hollywood is not a place of equality. I don’t say that with anger or judgment; it’s a statistical fact. And even though I’ve been in some female-centric films, I’ve never been in a film like this.”

She added:

"It just kind of makes you aware of the ways you sort of unconsciously change yourself to fit certain scenarios. It's not better or worse, or right or wrong, but there are certain things you understand about one another because of experiences you have in common…it's probably easy for men to take that for granted."

She added that it was a refreshing experience to be around women all day, every day. “Just being on a set where I’m the one who possesses that ease is really something. It’s a nice alternative narrative,” she added, referring to the totally liberating feeling of not having to “unconsciously change yourself,” or code switch, around her female co-stars. What a world, right? 

Ocean’s 8 stars Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, and Sarah Paulson, which is a lot of star and girl power. Hathaway told Entertainment Tonight that she doesn’t care if the movie draws the same kind of ridiculous criticisms that the all-female Ghostbusters did last year.

"When I’m a second or a third lead in a film — usually the first and second leads are men — my character doesn’t feel political. When I’m number one on the call sheet, it suddenly becomes a ‘woman’s story’ and it’s a statement.

Sure, it will be nice when one day there are an equal number of films with not just all-female casts but more female stories. For now though, we’re happy that Hathaway and the Oceans 8 crew had such a good time making the movie.