Entertainment Weekly’s latest issue has four gorgeous actresses on the cover –Kerry Washington, Reese Witherspoon, Elizabeth Banks and Eva Longoria – as they discuss issues they face every day in Hollywood.
Kerry, on the pressures in Hollywood: “It reminds me of this line that Shonda Rhimes wrote on our show that has really resonated with African-Americans. It’s this idea you have to be twice as good to get half of what they have. It’s something that most black people I talk, when they heard that line, it completely resonated with how they were raised and the messaged their parents gave them. ‘That’s just the truth.’ I think it’s the same for women. You just know, you have to be twice as good. In a way, until girls don’t have that feeling, we will not have done our jobs. That’s almost the point: to not feel the pressure to be extraordinary.”
Reese, on deciding acting wasn’t enough: “About four years ago I got sent an awful, terrible script. And this male star was starring in it, and there was a girlfriend part. And I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me. No, I’m not interested.” They said, “Well this actress is chasing it, that actress is chasing it: three Oscar winners and two huge box office leading ladies.” And I thought, “Oh, that’s where we’re at? You’re fighting to be the girlfriend in a dumb comedy? For what?” And by the way, two Oscar winners did it.”
Eva, on social media: “I remember starting on Twitter. I loved the immediate way I could correct things. At the time there were just so may lies. It was stupid stuff, like “Eva’s pregnant, Eva’s pregnant, Eva’s pregnant.” I’m like, “Guys, I ate a burger. I’m not pregnant”… because my mom would call!”
