The Hollywood Reporter’s Actress Roundtable Discussion Got Into Representation, Cutoffs, And #MeToo

Yes, cutoffs. This is a roundtable discussion that included a conversation about cutoff jean shorts as a metaphor for the type of roles a certain actress decided to avoid typecasting early on in her career. Catherine Bach might want to avoid this roundtable, because she’s about to feel very attacked.

Every year, The Hollywood Reporter hosts several roundtable discussions with actors and actresses that might be getting a little bit of awards season buzz. This year’s actress roundtable included Renee Zellweger (Judy), Laura Dern (Marriage Story, Little Women), Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit), Lupita Nyong’o (Us), Awkwafina (The Farewell), and Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers). They covered a whole lot of ground, but we’ll first start with the shorts.

The six actresses were asked if they ever made any choices that shifted people’s expectations of them. Scarlett answered that the climate is much different from when she got popular fifteen or so years ago, and that in her late teens and early twenties, she found herself being typecast as “hypersexualized,” a narrative that she believes was “crafted for me by probably a bunch of dudes in the industry.” She says she pulled herself out of that rut by choosing to do an Arthur Miller play on Broadway. Renee Zellweger piggy-backed onto ScarJo’s comments by saying she realized early on in her career that she was heading down a path paved with coochie-cutters.

“As a young person starting out, I would get the cutoff-shorts jobs and the other woman, the one-night-stand girl, and I did about three or four of those little jobs in Texas while I was still at university. And I thought, ‘I think I’m going to not do this anymore because I know where that road will go.’…And there is the inevitability of your body changing and you growing older. I want to work in a way where I can portray women who are relatable throughout my life. I don’t want to have to stop at a particular time because I can’t wear the cutoffs anymore because it looks weird.”

To be fair, cutoffs are a good look, no matter how many candles on your birthday cake. I like to think Jennifer Lopez will still be in short-shorts when she’s dancing with the assistance of a walker. JLo also spoke about what it’s like to be a tabloid fixture, especially during the Bennifer years. Bennifer JLo might have been bothered by the constant press, but current-day JLo doesn’t really pay attention to it.

“What I’ve learned is that none of it matters. And it doesn’t really bother me anymore. I’ve learned that I know who I am, I know what I do, I know I’m a good person, I know I’m just out here working my ass off and trying to fulfill myself creatively.”

They also discussed what it’s like in a post-#MeToo industry. Renee said that she’s noticed men keep their office doors open now, and that one man explained to her that he doesn’t meet with women alone anymore. Jennifer Lopez added that women have point-blank stated that they don’t want gross shit happening anymore. She then gave everyone a little blind item about a director who tried to get a free look at her tits.

Jennifer Lopez: A director at a fitting asked me to take my top off.

Scarlett Johansson: To see what?

Lopez: Because I was supposed to do nudity in the movie.

Johansson: Oh, they wanted to see your breasts?

Lopez: He wanted to see my boobs. And I was like, “We’re not on set.”

Johansson: That is crazy.

Lopez: Well, he was crazy. And…

Johansson: Oh my God, who was it?! I want to know.

Lopez: And I said no, I stood up for myself. But it was so funny because I remember being so panicked in the moment. And by the way, there was a costume designer in the room with me. So there was another woman in the room and he says this and I said no. Luckily a little bit of the Bronx came out, and I was like, “I don’t have to show you my — No. On the set, you see them.”…if you give in, in that moment, all of a sudden that person is off and running, thinking they can do whatever they want. And because I put up a little boundary right there and said no, he laid off and then later on apologized. But the minute he walked out of the room the costume designer was like, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry that just happened.”

Scarlett responded with an anecdote about creepy stuff still happening on set, while Lupita added that the difference is that women are now more empowered to talk about it. Laura Dern said the current generation really has no idea, because she constantly had auditions for directors in hotel rooms, because that’s just what happened in those days. Laura Dern is 52 and says she began auditioning at 10 and 11 years old, which serves as a reminder that that SNL actress roundtable parody isn’t really much of a parody at all.

They also discussed diversity in film. With Scarlett Johansson on the panel, how could you not? Lupita said she works with diverse directors and filmmakers, because those are the parts that are brought to her. Jennifer said she initially pursued romantic comedy roles early in her career, because she wanted to see a Latina in roles that typically went to white actresses. Awkwafina said there’s an urge from audiences to see an industry that represents their lives, while Lupita added that the internet has made it possible for people to be loud and let Hollywood know that they want to see representation and diversity, and that she hopes it’s more than a trend.

Scarlett didn’t really contribute to the diversity conversation. I’m guessing it’s because every time she went to open her mouth, her publicist hit her with a tiny shock from a remote connected to an electric dog collar attached to her left ankle.

“You know, I also agree that audiences want to see diversity on screen. For example, aren’t we all a little tired and bored of seeing trees played by trees? And Awkwafina, I must ask…did they hold auditions for The Farewell or what? Because I’m kind of shocked I was never offered to read for your role. OW OW OW okay, I’ll stop talking.“

Here’s Lupita talking about diversity in Hollywood:

Here’s Scarlett talking about being typecast as sexy:

Pic: YouTube.com