Your favorite superhero is adding some amazing allies to her team. “Marvel’s Jessica Jones” executive producer and showrunner Melissa Rosenberg has revealed that Season 2 of the hit Netflix series starring Krysten Ritter will be helmed entirely by women directors.
Rosenberg announced the news in a wonderfully appropriate environment: during her panel at Transforming Hollywood 7: Diversifying Entertainment, a conference focused on diversity and inclusion both in front of and behind the camera. Women and Hollywood founder-publisher Melissa Silverstein also participated in the event, held Friday, October 21 at University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Variety reports that Rosenberg explained that while she planned to increase the number of female directors in Season 2, “a goal that Marvel was completely on board with,” it was actually someone else involved in the production who suggested the idea that only women directors step behind the camera for “Jessica Jones’” 13-episode sophomore season. “Rosenberg was honest about the fact that she hadn’t contemplated that concept prior to that conversation, but she said she quickly jumped at the opportunity,” Variety writes.
Only two other series have featured seasons directed exclusively by women: Season 3 of Heidi Thomas’ “Call the Midwife” and Season 1 of Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey’s “Queen Sugar.” DuVernay told Women and Hollywood that the second season of the OWN family drama will also boast an all-women directing roster.
The number of women directors hired for Season 1 of “Jessica Jones” was well above average: four of 13 episodes were helmed by women, about 31 percent. Research from Dr. Martha Lauzen and The Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film revealed that in the 2015–6 TV season, women accounted for only eight percent of directors on cable and streaming programs.
Aside from the big news about the directors for Season 2 of “Jessica Jones,” Rosenberg also offered some insight into what she looks for when she’s hiring writers for the critically acclaimed series. She explained, “When I interview a writer, I’m less interested in what you’ve been doing professionally than I am in where you’re from, what your parents do, what’s your life experience, what are you bringing to the table personally?” She continued,“I don’t want a bunch of people who look and sound [like me] and have the experiences I have.”
Rosenberg’s own experience in the business hasn’t been all smooth sailing. “I think the only reason I’m sitting here is because of tenacity,” the “Twilight” screenwriter shared. “It’s a tough business. You really have to be able to take a hit,” she acknowledged. “I’ve gotten fired so many times, I can’t even count now.” Rosenberg emphasized that the business is “really hard,” and her “delusional optimism” kept her afloat. She also spoke about how the bar for women in the business is so much higher than for men.
Rosenberg’s TV writing credits include “Red Widow,” “Dexter,” and “The O.C.” “Jessica Jones” is the first Marvel show to win an Emmy. The series picked up a statuette for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music.
The second season of “Jessica Jones” doesn’t have a premiere date yet.
