Natalie Portman Calls Attention To Hollywood's Gender Inequality With Embroided Oscars Outfit

Feb 10, 2020 by apost team

Natalie Portman’s red carpet outfits are never not in the spotlight.

For the 2020 Oscars, she decided to use her style to raise awareness about the state of Hollywood. At the event, she was dressed in a Maria Grazia Chiuri gown, with the names of the female directors of some 2020’s best films embroidered on the lapel of a custom Dior cloak. All in stunning black and gold.

The gown featured the names of directors Lorene Scafaria (Hustlers), Lulu Wang (The Farewell), Greta Gerwig (Little Women), Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim), Alma Har’el (Honey Boy), Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), and Mati Diop (Atlantics).

These women were overlooked by the Academy for their work in the past year as every nominee in the directing category were men, for the second year in a row. This has prompted backlash on social media about the lack of inclusivity and diversity at major awards shows such as the Oscars.

apost.com

The awards show this year also marks a decade since Kathryn Bigelow’s milestone win for ‘Best Director’, yet the event had failed to pay tribute to any of the women who shaped the year’s film landscape. In the history of the Academy Awards, only five women have ever been nominated for best director, they are Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Lina Wertmüller (Seven Beauties), Jane Campion (The Piano), Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) and Gerwig (Lady Bird). Bigelow ended up being the only female director winner in 2010.

As a director herself, Natalie is well aware of the struggles women face within the film industry, and has been known to point out gender inequality at previous awards shows. When she presented the best director category at the 2018 Golden Globes, she said, “And here are the all-male nominees.”

Natalie Portman’s fashion statement is an urgent reminder to Hollywood that female directors do exist, and they are brilliant. Why do you think women directors are overlooked in the film industry?