Heather Graham, 53, Calls Out the Sexism During Her Hollywood Career

Heather Graham is speaking out against Hollywood sexism.

The actress, who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s with roles in films such as License to Drive, Drugstore Cowboy, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Boogie Nights, recently called out some unnamed late-twentieth-century films as sexist, telling People that there wasn’t much criticism over the content back then.

“No one thought about or commented on it,” Graham stated in an April 7 interview. “At the time, people thought they were evolving, and now we look back and say, ‘Whoa, that was so sexist.’ I’m glad we’re growing as a culture.”

Heather described herself as “a supporting character in a man’s story,” even in her career.

“I wasn’t always asking myself, ‘What do I want?'” “I was thinking, ‘How do I please other people?'” she told the site. “My journey has been to become more clear about what I want and to pursue it.”

Though the 53-year-old noted how society has evolved, she is dissatisfied with how little progress has been achieved in Hollywood.

Graham also observes that “it’s not that easy” for a “female-driven story”.

“I don’t feel like anything has changed significantly,” Graham added. “More people are concerned, but it is not suddenly equal. It’s still very sexist. Every aspect of the company, from funding to distribution to critics, is dominated by men.”

Graham also observes that “it’s not that easy” for a “female-driven story” aimed at female audiences to navigate “all these levels of male-dominated business.”

However, as more women continue to work in the sector, Heather is optimistic about the future.

“The most inspiring thing to me is seeing a lot of female writers and directors, which is something I’m starting to do,” she remarked. “I enjoy hearing female voices because we learn much about the world from the movies and television shows we watch.” It doesn’t benefit women if we’re always fed stories from a male perspective.”

SOURCE – (AP)