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My 2008 women-in-entertainment resolutionsA couple of nights ago at midnight, I watched fireworks from a friend's roof, kissed my girlfriend and thought about the career and personal changes I could make in the new year. Then I decided self-improvement was overrated, and it would be more fun and less work to make resolutions for others. I suspected that my girlfriend wouldn't let me make them for her, so I turned my attention to the powers-that-be in Hollywood and on Broadway. Here's what I resolve they do for women in entertainment in 2008. Movies I resolve that the Academy Awards will be less of a celebration of male accomplishment, and more of a recognition of the breadth of accomplishment in Hollywood. Last year, it was great that Ellen DeGeneres hosted the show, but the dearth of female nominees in the directing, writing and producing categories was a wee bit depressing. So I resolve that the Academy nominate at least two women for Best Director. If they need my help, I'll make suggestions: Kasi Lemmons (Talk to Me)
and Sarah Polley (Away From Her).
And Kasi Lemmons should win because Talk to Me was amazing. Although directors are valued much more highly than writers in Hollywood, I resolve that women also get better representation in the writing categories. At the very least, I want to see Diablo Cody get a nod — and probably a win — for Juno.
And speaking of Juno, Ellen Page deserves a Best Actress nod, and Jennifer Garner arguably deserves a Best Supporting Actress nod for her wonderfully controlled performance.
The Golden Globe nominations (which are often seen as a predictor of Academy Award nominations) provide a little hope on the writing front. But they also suggest that, once again, only male directors will be recognized. Alas. But I'm keeping the faith. And, of course, my projected resolutions are not limited to recognition for last year's work. In 2008, I resolve that movie executives will greenlight a good dozen movies written or scheduled to be directed by talented women. Television I resolve that there will be more lesbians. And not just on The L Word.
(And I resolve that The L Word will not be unduly stupid. I realize it's too much to ask to expect Jenny to disappear, but I'm vehemently resolving that she won't kill any dogs this season.) But back to regular television ... I don't think it's too much to ask to want to see at least one regularly appearing lesbian or bisexual character on a primetime network show. And Cashmere Mafia has the potential to be a good start but, frankly, I don't want to settle for one. I resolve that there will be four. (Of course, the appearance of any new lesbian characters depends on the eventual end of the WGA strike. For good measure, I resolve that the writers will soon get a good contract.) Additionally, I resolve that the trend of “over 40 and fabulous” women on television will continue and expand.
Theater Finally, there's theater. First, I resolve that some good, new, funny musicals that are neither self-referential nor based on an '80s or '90s movie will be produced. (Both trends are getting old.) And some of these musicals will focus on women — but not necessarily tweens.
I resolve that women will make their presence felt more on the creative front. The writer-director power balance is a little different on Broadway than it is in Hollywood. (There's a classic joke about the Hollywood casting couch that I'll share in Match Game format: Dumb Dora was so dumb ["How dumb was she?"], she BLANKED the writer.) On Broadway, however, the writer matters. (On the Internet Movie Database site, the director gets the top credit. On the Internet Broadway Database site, director shows up somewhere below the writers.) This is not to underestimate the importance of the director, but think about The Producers. It's associated completely with Mel Brooks, who wrote the book and lyrics and composed the music. Non-theater-geeks generally don't know that Susan Stroman directed it. Stroman, along with Julie Taymor and Kathleen Marshall, are three of the most bankable directors (and choreographers) in musical theater, and I don't mean to minimize their accomplishments.
But I want to see more women getting the top creative credits. Therefore, I resolve that in 2008, there will be a breakout female music-lyrics team that's as talented, clever and funny as Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman. (The only female lyricist I can name off the top of my head is Lynn Ahrens. And I cannot name a female composer — although I know they exist.) So there you have it. This is what I want to see happen with women in entertainment in 2008. Oh, and more generally, I resolve that young women will get famous for their talent, rather than for publicly humiliating themselves. Or for going to prison. Or for making a sex tape. Or for getting pregnant. And I resolve that women with normal body sizes will not get called fat publicly. And I resolve that women will make as much money as men for doing the same work. And I resolve that globally influential women will not get assassinated. But I digress. What did I miss? What would you resolve? Submitted by on January 2, 2008 - 10:00am. |
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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
Be It Resolved
If the Academy's looking for help in finding deserving female nominees, might I suggest the late, great Adrienne Shelly deserves some recognition for her triple threat performance in Waitress...writing, directing and acting.
And maybe it's my undying bias for The West Wing coming out, but I'd recommend Allison Janney for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Juno.
Adrienne Shelly
Excellent point about Adrienne Shelly. I wouldn't be surprised if she were nominated in at least one of those categories. I loved the movie and thought her performance was excellent.
Re: Juno, I almost picked Allison Janney over Jennifer Garner. I think Allison Janney can do no wrong and I'd be thrilled to see her get nominated and to win. I was struck by Jennifer Garner, however, because I'm not usually that impressed by her.
Jenny is awesome
Resolutions
Oscar & Golden Globe for Writing-definitely Diablo Cody. She's my new hero. While I don't have the same writing style as her, look what she's done with what she came from. She's an inspiration.
Supporting Actress in a movie-you're absolutely right. Allison Janney can do no wrong. Ok, so I haven't actually seen Juno yet, but I don't need to see it to know that she is amazing. Why she hasn't been in more since The West Wing ended is beyond me.
Supporting actress in a mini-series- JANET MCTEER for The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard! Americans need to fucking get with the program! This woman can do anything and do it better than anyone else! They say the British are snobs. No, it's us! She was also in the HBO mini-series Five Days, but I think her part was better in Pritchard. There's actually talk of a SAG nom for her for Five Days.
As for Broadway-How about bringing London's 2005 production of Mary Stuart over here? There was talk of it happening back in March, but I haven't heard anything since. With Harriet Walter and Janet McTeer reprising their leads. It would blow the roof off the place. I think it would also bring Phyllida LLoyd back as well.
Speaking of Phyllida Lloyd, don't forget about Mama Mia! this year...
Yay Dolly!
In terms of female composers, there is at least one on the horizon. And even though it's based on an 80's movie, I have high hopes.
"9 to 5" is being made into a musical and Dolly Parton is writing the music and lyrics. So even though it's not a duo, it's a woman composing a new musical. And it also stars Allison Janney who, as Pecola mentioned earlier, can do no wrong.
your resolves are true but...
... they've existed for the last 10-20 years with sadly no changes on the horizon.
here's to the 2007-2008 season making an upward shift.
and just to clarify a misleading thought in your post Ace14.
in film - directors are queen (except for final studio decisions)
but in television - writers are queen (except for final network/showrunner power)
(or king as they case seems to always be)
I resolve that there will be
I Resolve...
That all of your resolutions should find their way to becoming true, though I'm not holding my breath. I resolve that there be a single portrayal of a female character I can find myself in that doesn't get killed or go crazy after an episode or two.
I also resolve that every able-bodied woman find a way to make a pilgrimage to New Orleans on April 11 & 12 to see V to the Tenth. The spotlight for the VDay campaign this yeas is New Orleans' Katrina Warriors. As far as mega-estrogen-star power goes, this looks like a great event, and the city really could use all the help it can get from those willing to spend their cash there.
" 'V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, spawned by Eve Ensler's incredibly successful play "The Vagina Monologues, " will celebrate its 10th anniversary with thousands of V-Day activities in February and March, culminating in a two-day "event of the decade, " April 11 and 12 at the New Orleans Arena and the Louisiana Superdome.
April 12 will feature international performances of "The Vagina Monologues, " and V-Day activists and speakers from across the globe. Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Ellen DeGeneres, Glenn Close, Rosario Dawson, Selma Hayek, Jennifer Hudson, Ashley Judd, Calpernia Addams, Julia Stiles, Marisa Tomei, and musicians Peter Buffett, Toni Childs, Common, Eve and Joss Stone have already signed on. " --New Orleans Times-Picayune
I find that the portrayal of New Orleans in the media is not dissimilar to the portrayal of lesbians and bisexuals. They both tend to be over-simplified, stereotyped, oversexed, and somehow perpetually connected to crime. it should also be noted that a lot of the movies that have been turning out these last couple of years have been shot in and around the city, which has been dubbed "Hollywood South" because of the tax-incentive contract the state has made with the film companies out in California.
Okay, so maybe I just would like to see a huge gather of gay ladies in my city for a few days. That last time I remember seeing such an event was a couple years ago when the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four was at the Superdome.
All those UT fans and their orange cowgirl hats...
Female Composers
You're right on that musical theater writing remains a sort of old (gay) boys' club and that needs to change. I have friends who have attended NYU's Musical Theater Writing MFA program and they have said it is still mostly male. The two most prominent female broadway composers I can think of off the top of my head are Lucy Simon (older sister of Carly Simon) who wrote one of my favorite shows, "The Secret Garden," as well as "A My Name is Alice" which is an all-female ensemble show that was only performed off-broadway.
The other is Mary Rodgers, daughter of Richard Rodgers, who is best known for "Once Upon A Mattress." She is also incidently the mother of composer Adam Guttel who recently won a Tony for "The Light in the Piazza."