Dame Emma Thompson has long been a respected figure in both film and theatre, but her perspective on the film industry reveals a glaring issue.
The celebrated actress, with a career spanning decades, believes that women are unfairly held to higher standards and are given less opportunity to recover from failure compared to men.
Thompson, who first rose to fame in the late 1980s with roles in TV dramas like Tutti Frutti and Fortunes of War, has witnessed firsthand how women in film are expected to succeed without faltering.
“It would be great if the film industry would allow women to fail – that would be great, and to try again,” she shared.
“Men can fail time and again, yet they still get work. Women fail once and it’s like, ‘oh well, you don’t get to do this again.’”
A Strong Connection with ‘Mediha’
Currently, Thompson is promoting Mediha, a documentary that she executive-produced.
The film, directed by Hasan Oswald, follows the story of Mediha Ibrahim Alhamad, a 10-year-old girl who was kidnapped during the 2014 Sinjar massacre and sold into sexual slavery by ISIS.
The documentary focuses on Mediha’s struggles after being freed and relocated to a camp for internally displaced persons in Iraqi Kurdistan.
While Thompson has not met Mediha in person, she has developed a unique bond with the young girl.
“It mostly revolves around handbags,” Thompson explained. She felt that she could offer a sense of comfort through practical gifts, such as a backpack for school.
The exchange of these items, which has been ongoing for years, provides Mediha with a little stability.
Thompson’s dream is to eventually meet her and take her swimming—something that stood out to Thompson when she first saw the film: Mediha was unable to swim while her brothers could.
Upcoming Projects: A New Series
Thompson is also set to star in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Down Cemetery Road, based on Mick Herron’s first novel in a four-part series.
The show revolves around a house explosion in a quiet Oxford suburb and the disappearance of a young girl.
Sarah Tucker, played by Ruth Wilson, becomes obsessed with finding the girl and seeks the help of private investigator Zoë Boehm, portrayed by Thompson.
The series promises to dive into a complex conspiracy involving long-believed dead people and new deaths.
What’s Next?
The acclaimed documentary Mediha is currently showing in cinemas, and Thompson’s fans are eagerly awaiting her next roles, including her appearance in Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV+.
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