Léa Seydoux claims Hollywood is “harsh on women”
French actor Léa Seydoux has discussed the differences between working in Europe and abroad, claiming that her roles on the continent are “easier” than in Hollywood.
When comparing working in Europe versus in America, Seydoux said she finds acting in America a lot more difficult but through no fault on her skill or talent. Instead, the star chalks it up to Hollywood’s treatment of women.
“The industry in America… I find it harsh on women,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. “It’s hard for women to age. I don’t want to be afraid not to be desirable or to lose my contract.”
Maggie Gyllenhaal previously discussed Hollywood’s problem with age in 2015, stating, “I’m 37 and I was told recently I was too old to play the lover of a man who was 55. It was astonishing to me.”
Typically, romantic leads in Hollywood films are under the age of 30, and it can be a struggle actors above a certain age struggling to break past agist prejudice.
Seydoux also said of Hollywood: “In America it’s economic, and when it becomes a matter of making money, you lose your freedom. I don’t feel comfortable with the fact that you have to tick all the boxes.”
As her career has spanned both European productions, arthouse flicks and major Hollywood blockbusters like the James Bond franchise, Seydoux has seen all sides of the industry. On it she concludes, “Being a woman on screen is easier in Europe.”
Beyond age, Seydoux also battles against her nationality when it comes to landing roles. “It’s tough for someone who’s not totally American to lead a Hollywood film,” she said.
However, she’s not annoyed or upset by her career. Instead, Seydoux shares that she feels “really satisfied” with the roles she’s taken on. “I’m not trying to be popular, I’m just trying to enjoy myself,” she added.
While aware of the different things America might expect from its female actors in comparison to Europe, she’s refusing to alter herself to fit. “In America, you have to conform,” she said, before concluding, “I don’t want to adapt myself to the system, I want the system to adapt to me!”
Seydoux recently appeared in Dune: Part Two. In a four-and-a-half-star review, Far Out wrote: “Dune simply has to be seen on the big screen to be truly experienced; any lesser viewing negates its Lawrence of Arabia-indebted cinematography, captivating action sequences and a score of a stultifying, almost deafening quality.”
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