In a few words, Julianne Moore expertly sums up sexism on the red carpet
This year, the award season junket has been on the receiving end of more scrutiny that ever before — and now, one more actress is adding her voice to the mix. Recent Academy Award winner (!!!) Julianne Moore sat down with Harper’s Bazaar in an interview for their April issue, and she offered up her own opinion on the ridiculousness of certain aspects of the red carpet. One facet? The mani-cam, which is exactly what it sounds like — a miniature red carpet where actresses can show off their professional manicures. Here’s what Moore has to say about it:
“I’m 54 years old. I can’t make my fingers walk; it’s humiliating! And a guy asked me to lift up my skirt to show them my shoes, and I said, ‘I don’t need to do that,” she says. “Let’s keep some dignity.’ ”
Frankly, we’re in agreement with her. As a well-established actress and a mother of two, she’s entitled to some dignity when it comes to answering questions about all aspects of her body posed by the media. That’s part of what the #AskHerMore campaign (initiated by The Representation Project) is all about – drawing attention to the discrepancy between questions that female celebrities get asked versus the questions their male peers do. It’s had a pretty noticeable effect so far, though — this year the mani-cam didn’t actually re-emerge at the Oscars — and fellow stars like Reese Witherspoon put out a call on social media in advance of the ceremony, challenging reporters to ask the nominees about something other than who they were wearing.
In the interview with Bazaar, Moore also takes a moment to give love to some of her favorite actresses today.
“Ellen Page [who stars as Moore’s girlfriend in the upcoming Freeheld]. Kristen Stewart, I just love her. Emma Stone is fabulous. I love Catherine Deneuve. I love Tilda Swinton.”
Moore is an awesome champion of women in Hollywood, which is so important in an industry where leading men earn more than most top-billed actresses and boys clubs still dominate behind the scenes. We love it when famous women give each other props and see each other not as competition, but as inspiration. And Moore definitely stands behind her fellow females, in both her nuanced portrayals and in her real life as a working mom.
“Women are fabulous,” she continues. “I like our camaraderie, our similarities, how we collaborate. When my daughter was born, I looked at her in the bassinet and I said, ‘You’re one of us.’ I’m going to cry if I think about it too much. I had this little girl and was like, ‘Yup. You’re one of us. ‘”
Now we’re going to cry.
[Featured image via.]
