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Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘Lilly': ‘Erin Brockovitch' Lite
PG-13 | 1h 33m | Biopic | 2025 In 'Lilly,' writer-director Rachel Feldman tells the story of trailblazer Lilly Ledbetter (Patricia Clarkson), a pioneer from humble beginnings who took her employer, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., to court on the basis of gendered pay discrimination. While the influential legacy of Lilly Ledbetter (whose contributions toward equal pay fight resulted in the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009) deserves celebration, this earnest and heavy-handed biopic is more focused on its message than on Lilly. Sadly, her legacy doesn't receive the polished and sophisticated biopic treatment it deserves. Unequal Pay Lilly spent two decades as an Alabama tire factory supervisor before discovering in 1999 the extent of her unequal pay compared to her male colleagues. After filing a lawsuit for discrimination, she became an underdog crusader for the issue, learning difficult lessons along the way about corporate manipulation of the justice system, and the influence of political lobbyists. Lilly Ledbetter (Patricia Clarkson) at work in the tire factory in "Lilly." Blue Harbor Entertainment Co-writer-director Rachel Feldman's biopic feels more a rushed docudrama. In it, everything is spelled out for the audience by both the characters within the story and one expert who exists outside of it—the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It's likely Ginsburg's writing on Ledbetter's case resulted in Congress passing new legislation to address inequality of pay. The late judge was obviously an expert on the case, an impassioned and wise advocate for gender equality, and a fine storyteller, but making her the narrator immediately makes one wonder if the filmmakers wouldn't have rather made a biopic about Ginsburg and not Lilly. Related Stories 12/23/2020 11/29/2020 Throughout, a few scenes communicate Lilly's personal life. There's her relationship with her husband, Charles (John Benjamin Hickey), who at first resents his wife's decision to start working to supplement their meager income, but who eventually becomes her constant advocate over the years. Also, there's her strained relationship with her wayward son (Will Pullen). Lilly loves to dance, that is, until a work 'accident' severely injures her leg. Clarkson ('The Station Agent') displays Lilly's feisty tenacity but is ultimately forgettable in this tonally confusing narrative. Lilly remains little more than a representation of the legal fight and activism that happened around her. There must have been much more to the real Ledbetter than this movie portrays, but it's ultimately sabotaged by the intrusive, edited archival material and curious stylistic choices. Although well-intentioned, the film overall lacks subtlety and surprise. Promotional poster for "Lilly." Blue Harbor Entertainment 'Lilly' Director: Rachel Feldman Starring: Patricia Clarkson, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Benjamin Hickey, Will Pullen MPAA rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Release Date: May 9, 2025 Rating: 2 1/2 st ars out of 5 Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at
Perth Now
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Patricia Clarkson warned she'd 'never work again' after 'ugly' Harvey Weinstein clash
Patricia Clarkson has claimed Harvey Weinstein warned her she'd "never work again". The 65-year-old actress crossed paths with the disgraced producer - who is currently in jail after being found guilty of sex crimes - when he wanted to submit her for a Best Supporting Actress Oscars nomination for her role in Miramax's 2003 film 'The Station Agent' and she disagreed because her part was the lead. She told Business Insider: 'I hate when actors put themselves in false categories. I think that's something that needs to be addressed by the Academy. Too often it happens. 'When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when you're the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in 'Station Agent', so I said, 'No, Harvey, I'm not going into supporting.'' Instead, she received a Supporting Actress nod that same year for her work in 'Pieces of April' and things "got ugly" with the producer. She added: 'I'm definitely supporting in that. Katie Holmes is clearly the lead of that film. 'So I went up against Harvey, and he told me I'd never work again. It got very ugly.' More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since 2017 so while Patricia acknowledged her experience was "difficult and terrible", she rarely addresses it because it wasn't as severe as other people's exchanges with the producer. She said: "This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it." But the veteran actress admitted her decision to play New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in 2022's 'She Said' - which chronicles the investigation into Weinstein's behaviour - was motivated by her own experience. She said: 'Of course it was a motivation."
Mint
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
'He told me Id never work again': Patricia Clarkson reflects on her 2003 dispute with Harvey Weinstein
Washington [US], May 8 (ANI): Oscar-nominated actress Patricia Clarkson has recently opened up about a troubling encounter she had with former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, recounting a moment in which he vowed she would "never work again" following a dispute over her Academy Award nomination in the early 2000s. Clarkson, who starred in the 2003 film 'The Station Agent' under Miramax's banner, explained that Weinstein attempted to categorise her performance as that of a Supporting Actress for the 76th Academy Awards, despite her role being that of a lead. The actress resisted Weinstein's push and refused to enter the supporting category. "I hate when actors put themselves in false categories. I think that's something that needs to be addressed by the Academy," Clarkson said in an interview, as per Deadline. "When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when you're the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in Station Agent, so I said, 'No, Harvey, I'm not going into supporting,'" she added. The actress continued, explaining that, at the same time, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the United Artists film Pieces of April, where Katie Holmes was the clear lead. Clarkson's stand against Weinstein led to an infamous confrontation in which the producer threatened her career. "So I went up against Harvey, and he told me I'd never work again," Clarkson revealed, adding, "It got very ugly." In the years following the incident, Harvey Weinstein's history of misconduct was revealed to the world, with over 80 women coming forward to accuse the producer of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. While Clarkson's experience was nowhere near as harrowing as that of many other women, she acknowledged the trauma of the encounter, which is why she rarely speaks about it. "This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it," she said, as quoted by Deadline. Patricia Clarkson's career trajectory took an interesting turn when she portrayed New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in the 2022 film 'She Said', a drama based on the investigation that uncovered Weinstein's decades of abuse. The actress admitted that her own experiences with the producer were a motivating factor in taking the role. "Of course it was a motivation," she said, acknowledging that her past with Weinstein fueled her decision to portray Corbett in the film. Clarkson's role was a crucial part of the investigation that eventually brought Weinstein's actions to light. In 2020, Weinstein was convicted of criminal sexual assault and rape in New York, receiving a sentence of 23 years in prison. However, his convictions were overturned in 2022 due to "egregious errors" made by the judge, and a retrial began in April 2023. Weinstein is currently incarcerated at Rikers Island. (ANI)
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Patricia Clarkson Recalls Harvey Weinstein Telling Her She'd 'Never Work Again'
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways More than 20 years later, Patricia Clarkson is recounting her unfortunate experience with Harvey Weinstein. The Oscar nominee explained that the disgraced producer tried to submit her at the 76th Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress, despite her lead role in Miramax's 2003 film The Station Agent. More from Deadline 'I hate when actors put themselves in false categories. I think that's something that needs to be addressed by the Academy. Too often it happens,' she told Business Insider. 'When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when you're the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in Station Agent, so I said, 'No, Harvey, I'm not going into supporting.'' That same year, she received a Supporting Actress nod for her performance in the United Artists film Pieces of April. 'I'm definitely supporting in that. Katie Holmes is clearly the lead of that film,' she explained. 'So I went up against Harvey, and he told me I'd never work again,' said Clarkson, adding: 'It got very ugly.' Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson and Bobby Cannavale in 'The Station Agent' (2003) (Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection) After more than 80 women have come forward with sexual harassment, assault or rape allegations against Weinstein since 2017, Clarkson acknowledged that her incident was far less severe, which is why she rarely addresses it. 'This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it,' she said. Clarkson portrayed New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in the 2022 drama She Said, about the investigation that exposed Weinstein's years of misconduct. 'Of course it was a motivation,' she said of their interaction inspiring her to take the role. In 2020, Weinstein was found guilty on one count each of criminal sexual assault in the first degree and rape in the third degree, sentenced to 23 years in prison. He was found guilty of three more charges in Los Angeles in 2022, receiving another 16 years. With his New York convictions overturned due to 'egregious errors' on behalf of the judge, his retrial kicked off on April 15. Weinstein is currently in custody at Rikers. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Business Insider
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Patricia Clarkson says a 'very ugly' interaction with Harvey Weinstein in the 2000s motivated her to star in the #MeToo drama 'She Said'
In the early 2000s, Patricia Clarkson's career was an embarrassment of riches. Three of her films premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, two of which, "The Station Agent" and "Pieces of April," would go on to find acclaim during award season. But Clarkson told Business Insider that acclaim would be accompanied by "threatening" from then-Miramax Film head Harvey Weinstein, who, after an argument with the actor, promised she would never work again. Leading up to the 2004 Academy Awards, Weinstein had been plotting an Oscar campaign for Clarkson's performance in "The Station Agent." The low-budget indie starred Clarkson opposite then-unknowns Peter Dinklage and Bobby Cannavale as a trio of outsiders who build a friendship at an abandoned New Jersey train station. Though Clarkson was clearly the movie's female lead, Clarkson said Weinstein wanted her to enter the easier-to-win best supporting actress category. Clarkson pushed back. "I hate when actors put themselves in false categories," Clarkson told BI when asked about sparring with Weinstein. "I think that's something that needs to be addressed by the Academy. Too often it happens. When you are supporting, you should be truly a supporting player, and when you're the lead, you have to step up and go into a harder category. I was the lead in 'Station Agent,' so I said, 'No, Harvey, I'm not going into supporting.'" There was added motivation for Clarkson to campaign in the lead category that year: She was already getting a best supporting actress Oscar campaign from United Artists for her other movie, "Pieces of April," in which she played a mother trying to reconnect with her estranged daughter, played by Katie Holmes. "I'm definitely supporting in that," Clarkson recalled. "Katie Holmes is clearly the lead of that film. So I went up against Harvey, and he told me I'd never work again." Clarkson said she stood her ground despite Weinstein threatening her. "It got very ugly," she added. An attempt to contact Weinstein, who is serving a 16-year sentence on sexual assault charges, was not successful. Weinstein's rep had no comment. Ultimately, Clarkson got an Oscar nomination for "Pieces of April" in the best supporting actress category — but she never forgot that encounter with Weinstein. It was one of the reasons she wanted to play New York Times editor Rebecca Corbett in the 2022 movie "She Said," which recounted The New York Times' 2017 investigation that exposed Weinstein's history of abuse and sexual misconduct against women. Clarkson told BI she doesn't talk about the incident with Weinstein often, adding that many women were emotionally and physically abused by him more severely. "This was patter to me, what I went through with Harvey. It was still difficult and terrible what he did to me, but compared to so many women who went through so much more, it was odd to talk about it," she said. Asked directly about if the incident motivated her to pursue "She Said," she replied emphatically. "Of course it was a motivation to do 'She Said.' Of course it was." A New York jury convicted Weinstein of sex crimes in 2020 and sentenced him to 23 years in prison. A retrial of his case is currently underway after New York's highest court overturned his conviction last year. He remains in jail serving a 16-year sentence, as his California conviction on three sexual assault charges still stands. In both cases, Weinstein pleaded not guilty and maintained that all sexual encounters were consensual.
