I can’t do justice to Evan Rachel Wood’s full quite in our title format, which needs to be shorter than you might think. She actually said “I’m privileged, however quarantining with a small child evens the playing field a little bit.” I’m specifying that in the opener to this story because I’ve had this job long enough to know that a lot of people don’t read the post before commenting. I know you don’t do that though. Her full quote is actually pretty balanced and she’s not complaining.
Anyway Rachel has a new movie out by director Miranda July (Me and You and Everyone We Know) called Kajillionaire. She did an interview with Variety to promote it, which I found when I briefly considered going to a movie theater to see it. I’m not going to the movies until we get a vaccine, but I can fantasize! She plays a con artist raised by con artist parents, and it also stars Debra Winger, Richard Jenkins and Gina Rodriguez (another reason not to see it). She talked about her role, how she’s doing in quarantine (without complaining!) and her character in Kajillionaire’s queer romance, which is apparently presented very matter-of-fact and not like a curiosity. Rachel came out as bisexual almost ten years ago and it’s meaningful to her to play this character. She also talks about her advocacy for victims of domestic abuse, a cause which is personal to her.
On acting being therapeutic and helping her overcome awkwardness
I can be very socially awkward at times. But when there’s a script and the words are there, and you know where the conversation is going to go, it gives me such freedom to feel and to let my emotions out in a safe way. I can’t say the wrong thing. My whole life — I mean, God, I’ve been doing this since I was 5, Jesus — so my whole life it’s been this really therapeutic thing.On advocating for domestic abuse victims
I do feel like if I’m going to be speaking and representing something, it’s best that I know what I’m talking about.On quitting Twitter after getting headlines for her tweets
It would be, like, ‘Evan Rachel Wood goes on a rant!’ or ‘Evan Rachel Wood attacks this person!’Honestly, I think it’s one of the best decisions I ever made! Really.
On her character’s queer storyline in Kajillionaire
I think gender is everything and nothing in this movie,” she says. “It’s never spoken about, and none of the characters are necessarily thinking about it.”As for the romance itself, Wood continues, “It’s never talked about; it simply is. And that in itself meant so much to me as a queer woman.”
On how she’s doing in lockdown
I’m privileged, so I’m fine. However, quarantining with a small child evens the playing field a little bit.It’s been a wonderful mixture of chaos and precious moments.
There are some spoilers for Westworld season three in that article so proceed with caution. I stopped watching after the season one finale left me baffled. SO many actors on that show have said that even they don’t understand it, so I feel justified in my decision to give it up. Of her Westworld character, Rachel said “I’ve been on such a journey with her. And it’s influenced my own life, and changed me as a person.” I think that’s a nice way of complimenting the show without admitting how hard it is to follow. If you watch it and love it I’m sorry! I know we all have different tastes and some of the acting is incredible (and the scenes between Rodrigo Santoro and Thandie Newton my God).
As for her thoughts on lockdown, I get it. Her son, Jack, is seven and it’s got to be a lot to have a little kid at this point in history, even if you’re not working a standard job. Her son’s father, Jamie Bell, lives in LA with his second wife, Kate Mara, and their one and a half-year-old daughter. I think EWR is quarantined in her home in North Carolina, so she must not be getting a lot of help. It’s got to be hard for Jamie to be apart from his son too, although I don’t know what kind of arrangements they have.
Oh and she may have quit Twitter, but she’s still posting somewhat controversial opinions on Instagram, she’s just turning off the comments. She just doesn’t want people yelling at her, which is understandable.
I had no idea the extent of the abuse she suffered from marilyn manson until recently I saw something on twitter about it. I was really shocked! She’s been through a lot I’m really rooting for her.
And yes, the title is a little inflammatory if you only read the title, the “little bit” is the key part of her sentence but the first paragraph of this post clears that up nicely.
I edited it. I’m really sick of people who comment without reading a single word of what we write.
I have admired her since she sang on that old drama “Once and Again” – I think she was a young teen at that time. Shocked when she was with MM, glad to see she got out of it. She seems so lovely, thoughtful, and intelligent. That’s all I got.
Good for her for acknowledging her privilege but also being honest about lockdown, lol. She doesn’t have to worry about working in the middle of a pandemic if she doesn’t want to or affording childcare, but I have no doubt being in lockdown as a single mom with a 7-year-old is challenging.
I really feel for all of the divorced parents and their kiddos through all of this. It must be hard on everyone — the primary caregiver for never getting a break and going it alone, the kids for missing their other parent, and the other parent not being able to easily spend time with their child. Sucks all around.
I didn’t realize she’d moved to North Carolina. That’s kind of great, though must be tougher for Jamie with their son.
So smart to turn off the comments. I can’t understand why any celebrity allows comments or reads them. I occasionally check Kate Beckinsale’s instagram because I love her cats, and some of the stuff people say to her…
I’ll have to check out Evan’s music, she has a very nice voice. And someday I’ll try to watch Westworld again.
Agreed on the comments! I see a lot of celebrities and bloggers who argue with trolls or complain about people criticizing them (sometimes rightfully so), and I can’t help but think geez, if I were in that position I’d either not read the comments or turn them off altogether. Commenters aren’t worth wasting that much energy on.
Exactly, how would you feel good about yourself reading comments on a public post as a celeb?
I’d just turn the comments off or have an assistant actually have access to the instagram account and not me so I can’t read the comments
Even my stay at home parent friends are struggling!
The thing I’m struggling with the most is my almost 15-year-old freakazoid’s fully virtual freshman year of high school. At one point, his teacher emailed me because he was signed in on zoom but she couldn’t see him. He was frakking asleep. I swear to God, I’m putting a nanny cam in there.
The nanny cam comment gave me a much needed giggle. I have a 4 year old doing online pre-K and he’s doing really well (which was a massive shock to me). My son apparently did not inherit my raging ADHD. I don’t know what I would do if he were older. I feel for all the parents of kids in school right now.
Just so ya know she hates and is weirded out when people call her Rachel, presumably b/c they don’t feel comfortable calling her a “boy” name? Her name is Evan and she’s not ashamed of that.