The 'Veep' actress confesses female didn't have an equal opportunity as the male cast on 'Saturday Night Live' back in the 80s.
- Apr 15, 2016
AceShowbiz - Julia Louis-Dreyfus gets candid when she recounts her years working on "Saturday Night Live". The "Veep" actress opens up that she had a rather unpleasant experience as a cast member on the show back in the 80s when she worked with the likes of Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal and Martin Short.
"I did not come out of SNL as any kind of name. I didn't do anything particularly great when I was there," she says in an interview with The New York Times. "But I learned a tremendous amount. It was a very sexist environment. Since I've gone back, I can tell you it's much more of an equal-opportunity environment."
"I was on [SNL] for three years, and when I left, I made this conscious decision that I would not take any jobs that didn't seem as if they would be really fun," she says. "That's very simplistic and Pollyannaish sounding, but really, I noted that. I'm not doing this unless I can have a deep sense of happiness while doing it. I've applied that, moving forward, and it's worked. So in that sense, I have SNL to thank."
"Opportunity for women in television has increased. It's because the landscape has widened. More women got on the playing field," she adds. "But opportunity for women in film has not increased. I just think it's that simple. By the way, I'm certain that there's more much more in television that can be done. And I'm trying to do it. But I've certainly seen it change in my lifetime."
"I see it all over the place. With all female officials. Be it [Nancy] Pelosi, be it Barbara Boxer. [Elizabeth] Warren. Be it Ruth Bader Ginsburg," the actress explains. "I watch these ladies with an eye - just thinking about this show. But not in a sense of parody. It's just interesting to watch behavior, people's reactions to women in power."
She adds, "A stern, decisive man is appealing. There are those who would say a stern, decisive woman is unappealing. Need you know any more than that?"
