We talk about this issue on this site all the time, but I love it when a woman in Hollywood gets down and dirty about how Hollywood treats women.
I love it even more when that woman is Nia Vardalos the keeper of one of the highest grossing romantic comedy of all time — My Big Fat Greek Wedding. She is also in an elite club, her film was in the top 10 in 2002.
She has been everywhere pushing her return to Greece film My Life in Ruins. My Life in Ruins is a bit like Mamma Mia, light romantic comedy that stars women with gorgeous scenery and a vibrant star.
But, it’s not a big budget action flick with commercials everywhere and opened last weekend on just 1,164 screens compared with 3,269 for The Hangover and 3,521 for Land of the Lost which has already been declared a flop.
But it still managed to make the top ten bringing in over $3,233,ooo at the box office.
The thing that we have been discussing on this site was whether the success of Sex and the City and Mamma Mia would change how Hollywood thinks about women. The bad news from Nia is that these successes have done NOTHING to convince Hollywood that women are a market.
Here’s what she writes:
Lately, I’ve been in meetings regarding a new script idea I have. A studio executive asked me to change the female lead to a male, because… “women don’t go to movies.”
Really?
When I pointed out the box office successes of Sex and The City, Mamma Mia, and Obsessed, he called them “flukes.” He said “don’t quote me on this.” So, I’m telling everybody.
This is such blatant sexism and the only way its going to change is for people — women and men — to show that they want to see movies about women. (I have been trying to get the gender breakdown for 2008 in terms of ticket sales but the MPAA is skipping 2008 and will next release data at the end of 2009. I anyone has gender breakdown numbers, please send them my way.)
So give Nia your support and get off your ass out and see her flick. She’s standing up for you and we need to have her back.
“Women Don’t Go to Movies” — Huh? (Huffington Post)
Sitting down with Nia Vardalos (Variety)
Nia Vardalos Gets It Done … and Then Some (wowOwow)
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