August 7, 2008

Hollywood Feminist of the Day: Connie Neilsen

Neilsen is a woman who could probably play any part she wants cause she's so tall and gorgeous. But that doesn't interest her. (Could this be something about women who grow up outside the US?) She rejects fame and money. Her films choices remind me a bit of Nicole Kidman - brave and not always commercial.

It's much harder for women to be brave and outside the box in their film choices because they have shorter careers than their male peers because of ageism and sexism. Two films of Neilsen's the I recommend checking out are The Situation where she plays a reporter in Iraq, and Brothers a Danish film directed by Susanne Bier. She co-stars in the upcoming Battle in Seattle.

"I absolutely refuse the fame part of my business," she says. "I refuse even the money side of my business. I try to do as good work as I can do, I try to grow in my art and reach for truth," she says.

Nielsen has in the past been critical of Hollywood for its lack of female roles, saying "you think once you've shown what you can do, and your movies have been successful, that snap, you work. So to discover the difference between guys' roles and girls' roles made me plain mad. It's unjust."
Neilsen proves she's no Hollywood eye candy (CNN)
photo credit: Glenn Harris/Photorazzi