‘Sharp Objects’ actress Elizabeth Perkins gives her opinion on the types of roles that empower women
922 views · Published 25 December 2018 · 3:19 · Indexed 28 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · Entertainment
(20 Dec 2018) 'SHARP OBJECTS' ACTRESS ELIZABETH PERKINS GIVES HER OPINION ON THE TYPES OF ROLES THAT EMPOWER WOMEN Actress Elizabeth Perkins has taken a shift toward darker roles. Playing the mother in "Miracle on 34th Street" and the love interest in "Big" when she was younger, she now plays a brash and mysterious character harboring big secrets in TV show "Sharp Objects." "I was sort of that easily accessible girl next door kind of character," said Perkins. "And then once I was cast on 'Weeds,' the Showtime show, I was suddenly, 'Oh, you're the alcoholic crazy person who lives next door.'" Perkins portrayal of a frenzied mother with a drinking problem in "Weeds" landed her two Golden Globe and three Emmy nominations. Now, she says she looks for flawed characters in the roles she chooses. "What I always look for when I'm looking for a role is somebody who has some level of vulnerability, somebody who's flawed, somebody who has to gain something, has lost something and has to regain something, because otherwise you have nowhere to go," she said. "We as women tend to read things that are, 'Oh well she's a heroine or she's a good wife.' And what we're always looking for is somebody who's struggling with something because only through that struggle do you have any kind of triumph." Perkins believes that candy-coating female characters isn't the answer when it comes to empowering women. "And we hear a lot, you know, if you're pitching a project or something that is very female-centric there's like, 'Oh, well we don't want anybody who's flawed. We really want these roles that empower women.' And you want to say, 'You've got that wrong because everyone is flawed.' And what is empowering is showing people who are able to overcome those obstacles or who are able to sort of rise above that." And as to whether or not she enjoys watching herself play in these complex roles on the screen? "I hate watching my own work," she said, indicating that even seeing herself when flipping through channels is something she doesn't like. "I'm just grateful that, you know, I've been doing this for 35 years," she said. "And the fact that I have made a living doing only this for this long has been, the gratitude is unbelievable." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/8ec751b9306a6aa7313b52f5d7f16ae3
