Evan Rachel Wood Has Been Trying to Pitch a Directing Project for Two Years, Reveals the Sexism She Faces in Meetings
Zack Sharf
Evan Rachel Wood has been struggling to get the money she needs to finance a directorial project, the actress revealed in a Twitter thread posted July 1. Wood notified her nearly 420,000 followers that she’s been trying and failing to pitch her movie for the last two years. The actress said the film is written by two women and stars four “amazing actresses,” and she says Hollywood’s rampant sexism problem is the main reason no one is willing to give her the necessary budget.
“I have been pitching a film, starring [four] amazing actresses, written by [two] women, to be directed by me, for TWO YEARS, to nothing but room after room of white MEN and ‘weirdly’ no one has given it money,” Wood tweeted. “And we wonder why there is a bias in hollywood?? Your move guys.”
Wood remembered one of her pitch meetings where a male executive responded to her by asking, “Well you’re a 30-year-old mom, what gets you out of the house to see a movie?” The actress bashed the question and its implication that “all women are just at home feeding babies and have no lives.”
Wood also revealed the project includes more than one actress of color and said one of the main characters in the script is gay. When a Twitter follower asked why Wood didn’t just finance the project herself, Wood responded by saying the budget is too much. “I have a child to support so, no,” Wood said. “Also even if I sold everything I had it still wouldnt pay for it.”
When asked by one fan why she had to wait for “white men” to make her movie, Wood responded, “They are the ones in power. Thats my point. If the pitch rooms aren’t diverse with women and people of color chances are the films about them wont make sense or resonate with the room.”
Wood is gearing up to star in Miranda July’s next directorial effort. She just wrapped up the second season of HBO’s “Westworld,” which will return for a third season next year.
Fyi I have been pitching a film, starring 4 amazing actresses, written by 2 women, to be directed by me, for TWO YEARS, to nothing but room after room of white MEN and ‘weirdly’
no one has given it money. And we wonder why there is a bias in hollywood?? Your move guys.— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 1, 2018
One guy I was pitching it to actually said, “well you’re a 30 year old mom, what gets you out of the house to see a movie?”
AS IF ALL WOMEN ARE JUST AT HOME FEEDING BABIES AND HAVE NO LIVES.— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
More than 1
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
By saying “well once my nails dry and I am done ironing my husbands shirts and I take my face mask off, REPRESENTATION GETS ME OUT OF THE HOUSE BRO!”
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
They are the ones in power. Thats my point. If the pitch rooms arent diverse with women and people of color chances are the films about them wont make sense or resonate with the room. Which is why there is an imbalance in the film industry which SUCKS. https://t.co/ntOx6eLo0h
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
Pretty much every woman on my timeline is like YES!! And everyone who is saying “well the idea probably sucks..”
Guess who? Not saying ALL men, but a vast majority still cant handle. And this is where we are in the film industry and pretty much everywhere. https://t.co/eEgzB7Ypiy— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
That as well. One of the main characters in my film is gay.
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
I have a child to support so, no. Also even if I sold everything I had it still wouldnt pay for it.
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 2, 2018
