In interviews with AFP at the Berlin film festival, the first major European cinema showcase since the abuse revelations against Harvey Weinstein, the actors said the time had come for an honest reckoning with sexual misconduct in their industry and beyond.
“I look at it as a great thing that the pillars of misogyny are falling,” Cranston, along with Goldblum and Murray voiced characters in Wes Anderson’s animated feature “Isle of Dogs”, which opened the festival.
The “Breaking Bad” star, 61, expressed shock at the “abhorrent behaviour” that had come to light since the Weinstein story broke in October, with more than 100 women accusing him of sexual harassment, assault and rape.
“And so with every person who is exposed to be an abuser, I think that’s good — one more pillar falling and pretty soon the weight of misogyny won’t be able to stand up and we may have the beginnings of a brand new society that we haven’t seen in our lifetimes.”
Goldblum, 65, said he felt the wave of victims coming forward was “something very powerful”.
“I can only hope that pages are being turned and chapters are being newly conceived where respect of women and fair treatment and equal treatment and empowerment of women and respect for all creatures in every situation is the order of the day without exception,” he said.
– ‘Terrifying thing to do’ –
Asked whether the #MeToo movement had changed his view of the industry he’s worked in for nearly half a century, Murray, 67, insisted the problem went beyond Hollywood.
Jeff Goldblum called for the empowerment of women and fair treatment
“It’s not just a show business thing. If you walk down the street in New York City behind a woman, you see men walking at them and just devouring them with their eyes,” he said.
“I think we all feel it in our own baby celebrity kind of thing where you see people stare at you. But to be a woman is to be sized up at all times, often — it’s animal. And I don’t know if I would enjoy it, I think I would stay inside a lot more if I were a woman.”
Their co-star Bob Balaban, 72, a fixture of Wes Anderson movies and TV’s “Seinfeld”, said the attention given to the issue made him hopeful for more accountability for abusers.
“I think it’s wonderful that something that has existed since men and women started walking around is finally being exposed, explored, becoming a part of a conversation, in every conversation,” he said.
“Hopefully it will continue and settle down to the world at large — not only celebrities and billionaires.
Bill Murray said women were ogled all the time
“Congratulations to the brave women who came out and talked about this, which is a very terrifying thing to do,” Balaban added.
The 11-day Berlinale, as the festival is known, is showing nearly 400 new movies from around the world.
Organisers of the 68th edition said they aim to spotlight the #MeToo movement this year both on- and off-screen.
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