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Star Wars new female character 'extremely significant', says producer Star Wars new female character 'extremely significant', says producer
(about 9 hours later)
Kathleen Kennedy, one of the US film industry’s most senior women and the producer of the next instalment of the Star Wars franchise, has said that a new female character will be “extremely significant” to its plot in an interview in which she called on the industry to do more to promote women.Kathleen Kennedy, one of the US film industry’s most senior women and the producer of the next instalment of the Star Wars franchise, has said that a new female character will be “extremely significant” to its plot in an interview in which she called on the industry to do more to promote women.
The comments by the president of Lucasfilm are likely to fuel speculation that Rey, played by English actor Daisy Ridley, is a scion of the Skywalker family and therefore a key character in the forthcoming films.The comments by the president of Lucasfilm are likely to fuel speculation that Rey, played by English actor Daisy Ridley, is a scion of the Skywalker family and therefore a key character in the forthcoming films.
Fans of the movie have already speculated that Rey is the child of either Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia. The character’s ancestry has been called “one of the biggest mysteries” surrounding Star Wars: The force Awakens, which opens in December. Fans of the movie have already speculated that Rey is the child of either Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia. The character’s ancestry has been called “one of the biggest mysteries” surrounding Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which opens in December.
Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, Kennedy told the Guardian that Rey would be “extremely significant” but refused to reveal more details, insisting: “I don’t want to spoil the story.”Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, Kennedy told the Guardian that Rey would be “extremely significant” but refused to reveal more details, insisting: “I don’t want to spoil the story.”
Kennedy, one of the most successful executives in the movie business, also revealed that six out of eight of the people involved in developing the film were women and that 50% of her executive team were female.Kennedy, one of the most successful executives in the movie business, also revealed that six out of eight of the people involved in developing the film were women and that 50% of her executive team were female.
“Having a balance of men and women in the room changes the story,” she said. “The dialogue, the point of view.”“Having a balance of men and women in the room changes the story,” she said. “The dialogue, the point of view.”
The producer of some of the best-known films of the past 40 years, from ET to Schindler’s List and Indiana Jones via Jurassic Park, and a frequent collaborator with Steven Spielberg, Kennedy said that the number of women in positions of power in the film industry appeared to be declining.The producer of some of the best-known films of the past 40 years, from ET to Schindler’s List and Indiana Jones via Jurassic Park, and a frequent collaborator with Steven Spielberg, Kennedy said that the number of women in positions of power in the film industry appeared to be declining.
“In a weird way, a few years ago there were more,” she said. “The numbers never climb significantly but more women were running studios than there are today.”“In a weird way, a few years ago there were more,” she said. “The numbers never climb significantly but more women were running studios than there are today.”
While the reasons why were “complicated”, Kennedy said that the movie industry bore a responsibility to do something about making sure more women came through the pipeline.While the reasons why were “complicated”, Kennedy said that the movie industry bore a responsibility to do something about making sure more women came through the pipeline.
“It’s a lot to do with opportunity and there has to be a concerted effort to create the opportunity,” she said. “Part of our job is to nurture talent. We need to not go to a filmmaker who’s done one movie and expect them to come in and do something the size of Star Wars without having an opportunity to find other movies they can do along the way.”“It’s a lot to do with opportunity and there has to be a concerted effort to create the opportunity,” she said. “Part of our job is to nurture talent. We need to not go to a filmmaker who’s done one movie and expect them to come in and do something the size of Star Wars without having an opportunity to find other movies they can do along the way.”
With the directors of the new yet-to-be released Star Wars films all men – JJ Abrams, Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow – Kennedy said she would love to appoint a female director for one of the spin-off movies also set to hit cinemas over the coming years. “There’s nothing we’d like more than to find a female director for Star Wars,” she said.With the directors of the new yet-to-be released Star Wars films all men – JJ Abrams, Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow – Kennedy said she would love to appoint a female director for one of the spin-off movies also set to hit cinemas over the coming years. “There’s nothing we’d like more than to find a female director for Star Wars,” she said.
The films have always had female fans, she said, but it tended to be men who approached her about working on the next set of films. “There is an assumption made that the people involved should predominantly be men. There are women who are Star Wars fans. That’s what’s so insane.” A range of girls’ T-shirts had done “unbelievably well”, she said.The films have always had female fans, she said, but it tended to be men who approached her about working on the next set of films. “There is an assumption made that the people involved should predominantly be men. There are women who are Star Wars fans. That’s what’s so insane.” A range of girls’ T-shirts had done “unbelievably well”, she said.
After she spoke to the Guardian, a woman asked Kennedy for an autograph for her eight-year-old daughter, who loved the films.After she spoke to the Guardian, a woman asked Kennedy for an autograph for her eight-year-old daughter, who loved the films.
She praised the film’s creator, George Lucas, for creating Princess Leia – “a pretty revolutionary character at the time”. Disney, who bought Lucasfilm from its founder after he had handpicked Kennedy, had also been hugely supportive. “We could have been pushing a giant boulder uphill if Disney didn’t support us,” she said.She praised the film’s creator, George Lucas, for creating Princess Leia – “a pretty revolutionary character at the time”. Disney, who bought Lucasfilm from its founder after he had handpicked Kennedy, had also been hugely supportive. “We could have been pushing a giant boulder uphill if Disney didn’t support us,” she said.
Kennedy’s call for action echoes that of other industry figures, such as the actor Geena Davis. Research from Davis’s gender in media institute found that the ratio of female characters in film had not changed since 1946. Kennedy’s call for action echoes that of other industry figures, such as the actor Geena Davis. Research from Davis’s Gender in Media Institute found that the ratio of female characters in film had not changed since 1946.
Crediting her big break to a lawsuit which encouraged her local San Diego TV station to appoint women to technical jobs, Kennedy said she was open to the idea of quotas.Crediting her big break to a lawsuit which encouraged her local San Diego TV station to appoint women to technical jobs, Kennedy said she was open to the idea of quotas.
“There’s a lot of controversy around quotas but, after a while, if things aren’t going to change my feeling is that you’ve got to do something to shake up the system in order to see if it’s going to work.“There’s a lot of controversy around quotas but, after a while, if things aren’t going to change my feeling is that you’ve got to do something to shake up the system in order to see if it’s going to work.
“I wouldn’t say across the board that the quota system is the answer for this but it certainly was for me,” she said. “It was my first big break.”“I wouldn’t say across the board that the quota system is the answer for this but it certainly was for me,” she said. “It was my first big break.”