Brie Larson has her eyes set on the White House. The “Room” actress has signed on to play trailblazing women’s rights activist Victoria Woodhull, who made history as the first woman to run for president of the United States. She represented the Equal Rights Party. Variety reports that Larson will also produce the Amazon Studios film.
Penned by Ben Kopit, “Victoria Woodhull” will depict its titular character’s 1872 bid for office, which as the source points out, was more than 40 years before women had the right to vote. Since it’s 2017 and the nation still has yet to elect a woman leader to take charge of the White House — shudder — we unfortunately know the outcome of Woodhull’s campaign.
Born in rural Ohio, Woodhull was one of 10 children. She didn’t come from a privileged background. Her mother was illiterate and her father a con man who has been accused of sexually abusing Woodhull. She was married off to a 28-year-old when she was 14. The couple later divorced.
Woodhull advocated for women’s suffrage and equal rights. She and her sister, Tennessee Claflin, founded a newspaper. First published in 1870, Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly was among the first newspapers launched by women. That same year the sisters opened a brokerage firm on Wall Street, Claflin & Company.
Larson won an Oscar in 2016 for her depiction of young woman held in captivity in “Room.” The advocate for sexual assault survivors recently opened up about gender inequality in Hollywood. “I love that we’re seeing stronger women on the screen — but I don’t think that’s the end of this conversation,” she said. “I think that we’re more than just being strong or just being mothering. I think there’s a whole lot that goes on in between for us to explore.” Sounds like Woodhull is just the kind of role Larson is looking to play.
The “Trainwreck” actress also emphasized why it’s important to hire women to direct films. “We need more unique voices because what directing is, is saying: ‘This is how I view the world,’ and I think the way we can connect and learn more is seeing the world through other people’s eyes,” she observed.
While “Victoria Woodhull” doesn’t have a director attached yet — or at least one that’s announced — we’re really, really hoping that a woman gets a gig. Given the film’s subject matter, and the fact that women are so underrepresented behind the camera, this seems like common sense, but we’ll have to wait to see who is hired.
Larson can currently be seen in “Kong: Skull Island,” in theaters now. Next up for her is “Free Fire,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. The action comedy opens April 21. Larson’s upcoming projects include starring in an adaptation of Jeannette Walls’ “The Glass Castle” and kicking ass in “Captain Marvel.” She’s also set to make her directorial debut with “Unicorn Store,” an indie comedy.
