ALUMNI Women and Gender Bias in Post-#MeToo Hollywood LA event sparks discussion about women in media

By Megan Woolhouse The first panel said Watkins (CFA’94), who spoke at a forum of the daylong hosted by the BU Alumni Association on October Actor and comedian Michaela Watkins event featured 27, 2018, in Los Angeles. women in Women’s underrepresentation in •lm was a recalls the day a prospective showrunner Hollywood’s matter-of-factly told her that shows entertainment key part of the discussion at BU Envisions the industry—all BU Future: The Ideas, People, and Media That written, directed, and acted by women alums—and was Are Changing the World, a daylong event held simply don’t succeed commercially. moderated by at Paramount Studios. Seven panels gave par- He made the comment while interviewing for Jean Morrison, ticipants the chance to talk about Hollywood’s a job on the comedy Benched, which Watkins co- BU provost and reckoning in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein chief academic created for the USA Network, and the remark left scandal and rise of the #MeToo movement, as ocer (far left). a searing impression. well as malicious social media inžuencers, in- Can you imagine hiring someone who thinks it’s dustry buyouts, and branding in the streaming okay to say, “No one cares about you and your life”? era. They also had time to schmooze with fellow

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56-63_Alumni_Bostonia_WS19_final.indd 60 1/30/19 3:02 PM alums, including Nina Tassler (CFA’79, learn to accept failure. “So much in this were roommates at BU.) Its focus Hon.’16), a producer and former industry is predicated on failure, both is getting television creators to in- CBS Entertainment chair, Jim TV and ‘lm,” she said. “You have to crease the percentage of female Gianopulos (CAS’73), Paramount learn to look at it, embrace it, and not characters, and reduce gender CEO, and Bonnie Arnold (COM’78), let it destroy you.” stereotyping, in media targeting a producer and former copresident Tassler and Watkins were just two children age 11 and under. of DreamWorks Animation. of the BU alums on the panel, a group Davis has been outspoken on the There was much to discuss. On the that was also the subject of the 2014 issue for more than a decade, appear- ‘rst panel, It’s Not a Secret Anymore: Hollywood Reporter story “Boston ing in September 2018 at the Toronto A Conversation with BU Alumnae, University: Hollywood’s Secret Female Film Festival, where event organiz- Watkins and fellow panelists, all BU Training Ground.” ers had just agreed to sign a gender parity pledge. Watkins, the writer, actor, and Cultural biases can help perpetuate myths comedian who was told women’s about women and hold them back, much like stories didn’t matter, noted that her career has helped to turn the conven- the idea that women-driven shows and films tional wisdom about those women’s stories on its head. don’t attract viewers. She stars in the Hulu series Casual as Valerie, a newly divorced woman with a teenage daughter, who both alums, talked about how the #MeToo Actor Kim Raver (CGS’87, CFA’91), move in with Valerie’s bachelor broth- movement has increased opportuni- known for her roles in 24, Night at the er, Alex. The show is a comedy, but also ties for women in the entertainment Museum, and Third Watch, is produc- a poignant story about a woman trying industry. The panel was moderated by ing her ‘rst ‘lm, Tempting Fate, star- to reinvent herself—and her sex life— Jean Morrison, BU provost and chief ring Alyssa Milano. It’s also her directo- in middle age. academic ošcer. rial debut, and a leap of faith. Watkins said the directorial sta« is Cultural biases can help perpetuate As a young actor, Raver said she 82 percent female. Now in its fourth myths about women and hold them often worried that if she made too season, Casual was nominated for a back, much like the idea that women- much noise, she would be labeled in 2016 Golden Globe for best television driven shows and ‘lms don’t attract the industry as “the dišcult one” and series. A transformation is underway, viewers. Only 4 percent of the directors jobs would dry up. “This movement she said. “Myths have been busted.” of top-grossing ‘lms between 2007 is about ‘nding the mentors and 2016 were women, according to and the inspirers,” she said. ReFrame, a group of studio executives “There are opportunities— and industry leaders who advocate for take them.” gender parity. Former industry executive That helps explain why women are Madeline Di Nonno (CAS’82), much less visible than men in ‘lms. now CEO of the Geena Davis Women make up just 29 percent of Institute on Gender in Media, all the leading characters in the top- says the institute’s research grossing ‘lms, the group says, even has shown that women-driven though they make up 52 percent of ‘lms are on the rise, peak- all moviegoers. ing at 27 percent in 2018. But It’s a long-standing problem, one much work needs to be done. that actor Natalie Portman called out “We’re not at a tipping at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, not- point yet, but we see dra- ing the list of all-male nominees for matic change happening,” director of the year. Di Nonno said. Tassler, who left CBS in 2015, said The institute has been at she’s excited about her work as founder the forefront of gender parity of PatMa Productions. She gets to tell in TV and ‘lm since Academy stories with women at the center, such Award–winning actor Geena as Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation Davis (CFA’79, Hon.’99) of Israel, the company’s ‘rst project. founded the nonpro‘t in Tassler says mentoring and advocacy 2004. (Davis and Tassler are important, and her company is especially open to BU students. She Writer, producer, and actor Michaela Watkins (CFA’94) also advised new graduates with Hol- lywood ambitions to be resilient and

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