Brie Larson Discusses Diversity In Variety Interview
"I think movies are a fantastic way for us to see the world."
Room is getting some wonderful reviews, winning TIFF’s People Choice Award. Brie Larson recently spoke to Variety about her role in Room and her friendship with Jacob Tremblay. There are some spoilers, but it’s a good read if you’re curious about how the film went behind the scenes.
When asked about the kind of material she’s interested in chasing, Larson talks about her interest in old stories and myths, as well as the power of diversity:
Oh, gosh. You know, everything for me comes back to the old stories of mythology and folklore. So basically, since I’ve been in control of what I get to choose, kind of the backbone of my choices are these really old stories. I think that’s where we get a deep, visceral connection. And I’m fascinated as to all the new ways that we can retell these stories. I mean that, to me, is our legacy. These are the things that we’ve grown up on that are so deeply within us that it reminds us where we came from. It reminds us of our universal nature.
I think a lot about my little sister. She’s going to college. She is pretty in touch with what’s going on with current events. But she is a white American girl and she watches white American movies. I would love to create more space for her complication, for stepping outside of clichés and showing women and other races and other sexualities — all the complexities instead of just focusing so much on the surface issues. Because I think movies are a fantastic way for us to see the world. My sister’s looking at movies and going, “Wow, this is what the world’s like.” And I wonder what that image is that we’re showing them and if there isn’t a better way that we can show them.
It’s great to see Larson’s voice among others calling for more diverse representations. What do you think?
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