By Durga Chakravarty
Singapore, Nov 9 (IANS) Actress-director Robin Wright is happy with the #MeToo movement in Hollywood and says that there is finally a microphone on the voice so that people "wake up and change the bad".
The #MeToo movement began in Hollywood last year with The New York Times reporting multiple sexual assault allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. It led to the opening of a Pandora's box of complaints against celebrated personalities like Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey, who shared screen space with Wright in Netflix's political thriller series "House Of Cards".
Asked about the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, Wright said: "...I am just happy that there is finally a microphone on the voice, so that people wake up and change bad habits...
"I think it's great for the whole new generation of kids... Yes, we have always been taught the difference between right and wrong, but we are going to have a new lesson about right and wrong and I think that kind of movement shines a light... Teaching a new way of operating and being decent. We have lost decency."
Trouble for Spacey started when actor Anthony Rapp claimed that he sexually assaulted him when he was 14.
Following the allegations, Spacey apologised to Rapp, but claimed that he didn't remember the encounter and said that he now will "choose to live as a gay man".
This opened a box full of troubles for Spacey. More allegations were made against him. He was fired from the show and removed from the film "All The Money In The World" too.
Talking about dealing with the crisis with Spacey's exclusion from the series, Wright said: "The crisis was going on... It was a current affair... Everybody was shocked and alarmed it was hitting the news and multiple things. People were hitting the news on a daily basis and because the climate was so sensitive and hot at the same time... It was a conversation that we all had...
"Me, the showrunners, Netflix -- we said 'you know what we need to take a pause here, let the dust settle and really digest and what do we do collectively. Let's decide.... And ultimately, I wanted to continue because we would have put over thousands of people out of employment in the state of Maryland..."
In the current atmosphere in Hollywood, how's it to be an actress?
The Golden Globe winner said in response to the question by IANS in a press conference: "I don't know because finishing 'House of Cards' six years great run having tasted the field of directing, I don't feel like an actress right now and I am seeking out things to direct more than acting right now."
Wright has gone behind the camera to direct "House Of Cards". The first two episodes were directed by filmmaker David Fincher. She was here for Netflix's "See What's Next Asia" event.
Wright says direction was daunting at first for her.
"In the beginning it was daunting because I actually believed I was sailing the ship. It was all upto me.... But as a director you are dependent on all of the other departments and we are all architects of that building (story).The production designer, castings and prop department... Having every department head be a part of your vision...We all did it together," she replied to a question by IANS.
(Durga Chakravarty is in Singapore on an invitation by Netflix. She can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)
