Gemma Arterton has said she feels more empowered to speak out on film sets now she is not “just the young girl turning up”.
The actress, 33, appeared in several blockbuster films, such as Clash Of The Titans and Prince of Persia: The Sands Of Time, after her breakthrough role as Bond girl Strawberry Fields in 2007’s Quantum Of Solace with Daniel Craig.
Last year she rewrote her Bond character’s storyline in the wake of the #MeToo movement. In the film, her character — an MI6 agent — sleeps with 007 and ends up being killed, covered in crude oil.
Now the star has told Harper’s Bazaar magazine that her experience in Hollywood emboldened her.
“Back in the day, I wasn’t as vocal about how I felt, or instead of vocalising the feeling I’d internalise it and it would come out as outbursts,” she said. “Now, I’ll say something then and there. I think I’m in a different place — I’m not just the young girl turning up.
"People know if they’re employing me that I’m going to go in there and ask.”
Arterton is a prominent supporter of the Time’s Up movement, which was founded two years ago following the Harvey Weinstein scandal and aims to combat sexual harassment in the workplace.
She believes Hollywood has improved since then.
“I think the film industry has definitely changed for the better — it’s generally very supportive,” she said.
“The only reason women are pitted against each other is because they have fewer opportunities, so they feel threatened. There’s more opportunity today, and in my experience when there are lots of women together in a crew or cast, it’s great.”
The January issue of Harper’s Bazaar is on sale from December 5.
