Tatiana Maslany has had enough of the sexism in Hollywood. The Orphan Black star has been quietly rebelling against the system, to the point that she refuses to wax her “mustache” for a role if it is not crucial.
Tatiana Maslany is considered by many as one of the most talented actresses on television at the moment. Maslany, 29, portrays five main characters on BBC America’s hit show, Orphan Black. The critically-acclaimed Canadian science fiction television series premiered in 2013.
Maslany has become a big star, but she is still baffled by the problem of sexism in Hollywood. In a new interview with People, the Golden Globe nominee gets blunt about the things women go trough in the movie industry. The Canadian talent is fighting back to make things better.
The Two Lovers and a Bear actress started by saying that sexism is something that is in the DNA of the great American movie mecca. Maslany revealed:
“I don’t think that any woman in this industry hasn’t [experienced sexism] – I think we all have in various ways, and sometimes you can’t even tell that it’s happening because it’s so ingrained in the way things are structured.”
Maslany said that sexism is so deep that it leads to some outrageous demands from filmmakers. The Woman in Gold starlet shared some examples:
“Like being told, ‘Let’s not talk about that, sweetheart,’ if I have an issue with being hit on by a 50-year-old when I was 17 and on set. It’s never ending. Being put into this little outfit that showed my midriff in a scene where I’m supposed to be grieving the death of a family member, and it’s like, ‘Make sure that her belly button is showing’ – it’s just pathetic. It’s so pathetic.”
Maslany also recalled being asked to shave her armpits for roles, she will only say yes to requests like this if it fits the part. Otherwise, she answers no. The Toronto resident added:
“And wax my mustache, which I refused to do! I’ll do it if the part calls for it and it makes sense.”
Despite the things she went through, Maslany remains hopeful that a change is going to come as more women make their way to leading positions in the industry. She stated:
“I can’t imagine that it’s going to stay stuck like this. I hope not! People are too upset, people are too pissed off and too many strong voices are now being heard. There is a big shift happening, and I think we are at the messy puberty stages of it right now, but I hope that at some point it becomes the default that every racial group has their own stories that are being told that aren’t stereotypical.”
Fans have praised Tatiana Maslany’s bold stance against sexism in Hollywood. Her supporters also pointed out that she never said that she is against shaving in her personal life. She only stated that people in the industry should not force women to live by those beauty standards.
Few critics have pointed out that not waxing her “mustache” is simply “gross.” Those commentators say the fight for equality should address more important issues.
What do you think of Tatiana Maslany’s comment on sexism? Is it sexist to ask a woman to shave her “mustache” for a job?
.@tatianamaslany on rejecting Hollywood beauty standards: 'I refused to wax my mustache': http://t.co/hRMk7RazPo pic.twitter.com/CCOUQGXhT1
— People magazine (@people) August 14, 2015
