Jessica Chastain to Hollywood: 'There is a clear disconnect between how we practice what we preach'
'We rally against the president but we ignore the warnings of sexual predators in our offices'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jessica Chastain has consistently been a vocal opponent against hypocrisy in Hollywood, speaking out against the gender pay gap and being one of the first actors to publicly condemn Harvey Weinstein.
Speaking at Elle Magazine's Women In Entertainment event, Chastain used the platform to call out those who don’t practice what they preach.
"This is an industry rife with racism, sexism and homophobia,” she said, via The Hollywood Reporter. "It is so closely woven into the fabric of the business that we have become snowblind to the glaring injustices happening every day.”
She added: ”Oh we're very quick to point the finger at others and address the issue with social action and fundraising. Yet there is a clear disconnect between how we practice what we preach in our industry."
Chastain pointed to actors who have been forced to keep their sexual orientation secret despite the industry championing same-sex marriage. She also pointed to the gendre pay gap, criticising Hollywood for preaching equal pay without offering as much.
Addressing the Harvey Weinstein scandal specifically: "We rally against the presidential candidate who slants a narrative of his sexual assault as mere locker room talk, but at the same time we ignore the stories and warnings of sexual predators in our offices.”
Chastain then made a call to arms: "I'm so inspired by the women who are far braver than I am, who have come forward with their stories and risked everything to help others. What is important is that the voices of these women do not disappear. We must amplify them."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments