(AP)—“Black Panther” star Danai Gurira says the hit movie is showing the world that women and men “can work shoulder to shoulder” and their abilities “are equally valued in a society.”
Gurira spoke at an event marking International Women’s Day on March 8 at U.N. headquarters in New York.
She says the movie has made “a massive splash” because such a representation of powerful women is rarely seen.
The Zimbabwean-American actress and Tony Award-winning playwright says she was thankful to be handed the role of Okoye, who had nobility and put the needs of her country and people first.
She says she wants Okoye to remind the world “that those women already exist.”
Also at the event, Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon said the Time’s Up campaign launched by women in Hollywood to combat sexual harassment raised $20 million in 10 days and has helped 1,500 women with harassment suits against their employers.
She says the response to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund is “incredible” and shows “how many more people are going to need these services.”
The “Big Little Lies” star, who told the audience that she was assaulted by a director when she was 16 years old, says that women deserve 50 percent of the representation and 50 percent of the salaries. She says women “will no longer continue to do work without being paid properly for it.”
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