Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story’s Susan Sarandon shares her views on sexism and ageism in Hollywood in the i newspaper

In this Friday’s issue of the i newspaper, Susan Sarandon talks about her latest project, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, a compellingly directed documentary executive produced by Sarandon, telling the story of the 1940s film star, Lamarr.

The actress also discusses her views on the Time’s Up movement, and the attitudes the film industry has towards women.

Interview highlights:

On the importance of telling women’s stories “Telling womens’ stories....and showing women that are the protagonists in their own lives, is very very important….It’s not doing anybody a favour. It’s really just reflecting this amazing world we live in and the stories and heroes that exist. And making it more reflective of what’s out there.”

On the ageism she faced in Hollywood [Sarandon herself also identified with Lamarr’s experience of the inherent sexism within the film industry. When she herself started out in films in the very early ‘70s] she says, “I was told you were done by the time you’re forty and you definitely shouldn’t talk about having children ‘cause that made you less sexy.”

[…]

“I’m still working,” [says Sarandon,] “and there are tons of other women working around my age and the main reason for that is female producers and female writers and directors and people who are willing to try and get money for a female driven story where all the characters are not twenty-two. Otherwise, there just aren’t that many stories of older men and women. I mean there are stories of older men but they always have thirty-year old girlfriends,”

On her views of Time’s Up “Time’s Up”, [she says,] “is not only about violence against women. It’s also about being seen and listening to all women in all kinds of jobs: our sisters that are waitresses and cleaning apartments and taking care of our children and all of these areas where the imbalance of power has led to vulnerability, where women are physically threatened. And in listening to everyone, the world will be a healthier place.”

The full interview appears in this Friday’s issue of the i newspaper, out on 2nd March.

This in an extract from the full interview with Susan Sarandon, available to read in this Friday’s issue of the i newspaper, priced at 60p.