Natalie Portman Admits Rose McGowan Has a Point

She addresses criticism of Oscar statement
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 13, 2020 8:32 AM CST
Natalie Portman Admits Rose McGowan Has a Point
Rose McGowan gets a hug from model Paula Williams at a news conference outside a Manhattan courthouse after the arrival of Harvey Weinstein, Monday, Jan. 6, 2020 in New York.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Natalie Portman apparently has no intention of getting involved in a war of words with Rose McGowan. After McGowan slammed Portman Wednesday for protesting the Oscars exclusion of female directors but failing to "walk the walk," Portman agreed that it was inaccurate to call her "brave," People reports. "Brave is a term I more strongly associate with actions like those of the women who have been testifying against Harvey Weinstein the last few weeks, under incredible pressure," she said. The cape Portman wore on the red carpet was embroidered with the names of female directors who missed out on nomination. She was praised for wearing it, but McGowan and other critics noted that Portman's own production company has never made a film with a female director who wasn't called Natalie Portman, the BBC reports.

Portman acknowledged that she had only worked with female directors a handful of times in her career. She said she had tried to make other projects with female directors, but they fell through because it is "incredibly hard" for them to secure financing and support from studios. "I have had the experience a few times of helping get female directors hired on projects which they were then forced out of because of the conditions they faced at work," she said, adding: "After they are made, female-directed films face difficulty getting into festivals, getting distribution, and getting accolades because of the gatekeepers at every level. So I want to say, I have tried, and I will keep trying. While I have not yet been successful, I am hopeful that we are stepping into a new day." (More Natalie Portman stories.)

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