The New Wonder Women

Now more than ever, women are making their voices heard in film and television, and Hollywood powerhouses Reese Witherspoon, Elizabeth Banks, Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington are leading the way.

- Jane Taylor, Jessica Young & Sandra Morris

There’s been a major cultural shift in Hollywood. The Time’s Up and #MeToo feminist movements have brought out of the shadows the widespread prevalance of sexual assault and harrassment, following the sexual misconduct allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein last October. In the few months since, a new force, generated by women who have found the courage and liberty to speak their mind, has emphatically arrived.

It’s a voice that’s further amplified by women-led projects and stories coming out of Hollywood. With the recent success of female driven shows and films directed by and starring women, including Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman, Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled and Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, women in showbiz are increasingly commanding the attention and respect they deserve.

Our four cover stars are industry stalwarts at the crux of this evolution. They know it is their time and they are leading the charge, using their influence – as actresses, directors, producers and social activists – for the good of their “sisters”, industry and society.

"It’s important to talk about women with greater complexity" - REESE WITHERSPOON

One should dream of having a career like Reese Witherspoon’s. She owns production company Hello Sunshine, clothing company Draper James, and co-produced one of 2017’s biggest TV series, Big Little Lies, with friend and co-star Nicole Kidman, which was a breakthrough TV series for women in the industry.