In a recent interview with Esquire magazine, Boogie Nights actress Heather Graham spoke out about the blatant sexism in Hollywood.
Appearing in the final season of Showtime’s Californication, Graham was asked about her recent bout of “sexy mother” roles and whether or not she feels typecast.
“I’m just glad to be working,” the 44-year old actress said. “I’m not actually a mom in real life, so it’s fun to pretend to be one. I like to approach things the same in art as in life. You can choose to look on the positive side and enjoy whatever roles you’re given. You can find the silver lining in anything.”
She then went on to add, “I’m not saying the movie business isn’t sexist. It’s totally sexist. If you look at all the movies being made these days, eighty percent of them are about men … It’s a sexist world and a sexist industry. But I’ve been very lucky as an actress, to work as much as I have and as consistently as I have.”
Though Graham is also known for her roles in films such as Swingers, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and The Hangover, the topic of her role as a young rollerskating porn star in Boogie Nights always seems to arise – thus, bringing home the fact that Hollywood is, indeed, “totally sexist.”
#HeatherGraham says 80% of movies are about men. Agreed. Boogie Nights should have just been about Roller Girl.
— David Noble (@HeadlineBasher) April 24, 2014
But Graham told Esquire that the role of women in films is one of the reasons she wrote a script about sex from the female point of view.
“Specifically women who like having sex,” she said. “I don’t see anything in film about women who want to have sex. I don’t see myself and my friends represented. When do you ever get to see a movie from the point of view of a woman who’s more interested in having really great orgasms than finding a husband? I would say almost never.”
Graham’s screenplay was written with help from a book called Extended Massive Orgasm by Steve and Vera Bodansky.
“What actually gets a woman off?” Graham asked. “I think it’s worth exploring. I’m sure men really want to know. Why wouldn’t they? But it’s more mysterious. So these people wrote this book, going into depth about what’s involved.”
Graham can be seen in her recurring role on Californication which started last Sunday, April 20, at 9:30pm ET on Showtime.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
