Actress Susan Sarandon says she believes women are less dependent on men for their power.
In an interview with The Big Issue magazine she said there were now many female entrepreneurs and women who can “green-light” projects.
The American actress spoke about producing a film about 1940s film star Hedy Lamarr who was as famous for her on-screen performances as she was for her personal life.
Lamarr was also responsible for a technological advancement that led to the creation of wifi and Bluetooth.
Speaking about Lamarr as being an inspirational story for women, Sarandon told The Big Issue: “As an actress, and as a woman, even more compelling in her story was the injustice of the idea that just because you’re beautiful you can’t have brilliant ideas.
“It felt like a very timely story to empower young girls now. They don’t need to choose one cliche over another.
“They can be a contradictory, multi-faceted person; beautiful, smart, with a man or without, with children or without. There are so many options now. Hedy fell into the traps and conventions of her time. But they don’t need to exist anymore.”
Sarandon added: “She tried to be a producer, at a time when all the producers were men. I think women are depending less and less now on men for their power.
“In my business there are so many female entrepreneurs and women who can green-light projects. So it doesn’t feel necessary any more for women to have to annihilate female competitors. That makes a big difference, when someone like me is going into a room full of female producers.
“You can have women as your allies. In fact, female allies make you stronger.”
The Big Issue, the magazine sold by vendors to lift themselves out of poverty, is on sale from Monday.