Hollywood’s top players are speaking out in droves on the issue of Hollywood ageism and sexism, a topic fueled even further this week by actress Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s stunning revelations in an interview with TheWrap on Wednesday. Brian Grazer is the latest to voice his opinion during a visit to TheWrap’s offices Thursday for the first of our Summer Speaker Series.
As a prolific film and television producer with such hits as Oscar Best Picture winner “Beautiful Mind,” “8 Mile” and Fox’s latest TV phenomenon “Empire,” Grazer recognizes that roles can be reworked to benefit certain stars regardless of age or gender as he did for Jodie Foster in Disney’s thriller”Flightplan” from 2005.
“This feels like an unfair, illogical and prejudicial thing to do,” he told Wrap CEO/Editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman. “A 40-year-old woman, a 50-year-old woman… Meryl Streep today… they [all have] sex appeal. It’s just about chemistry of the couple.”
Grazer’s portfolio includes films like “Splash” and “J. Edgar.” He also worked on a number of television shows including “Friday Night Lights,” “Arrested Development” and FOX’s hit “Empire.”
Watch his interview.