Tessa Thompson makes films to bring people close to their opposites.
The ‘Men in Black: International’ star has revealed why she decided to go into acting, and thinks her role in the recent movie shows that perfectly.
Speaking specifically about her character in the action movie, she said: "As a young woman, you’re so used to going into movies where the hero is a male protagonist and you relate to it because that’s what the movie wants you to do. I love the idea of young boys relating to this character, even though she’s a woman. I think there’s an opportunity to come close to what you consider the other in cinema. That’s why I make films."
Tessa previously confessed she was inspired by the Time’s Up movement to ask for better pay for starring in the movie alongside Chris Hemsworth.
She said: "Time’s Up allowed me to say things I’m not sure I would have said a year ago. The truth is, the system where you assess international value is inherently sexist and racist because we haven’t had those opportunities. The only way to disrupt that is to create new models … When we were having the conversation around how we structure our deals, I said, ‘I understand who Chris Hemsworth is and who I am not relative to him, globally and otherwise.’ But in the success of the film, that changes. In success, I want equity. Because then you can’t make the same argument."
Both the 35-year-old actress and Dame Emma Thompson hope their starring roles in ‘Men in Black: International’ pave the way for equality and will have an impact on women in films of the future.
She explained: "Emma and I … Wow, I can’t believe I said that … I mean, Dame Thompson and I had an interesting conversation about women in film. This franchise is ‘Men in Black’ and, of course, we’re women. But if we’re making a movie set in the future, then I hope women can do anything. That will be the true sign of equality. And hopefully movies like this get us there."
Tessa Thompson on why she makes movies
