Elizabeth Debicki Talks About Being Supported by Other Women in Hollywood
By Angelique Jackson
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Elizabeth Debicki is looking to the future — which makes sense, since she was named Women in Film and Max Mara’s “Face of the Future” for 2019.
“No pressure,” Debicki laughed when Variety asked the actress about the honor on the red carpet. “It means a great deal. I have always deeply respected the work that they do. I think they’ve always been incredibly progressive and really ahead of the curve in terms of pushing for female equality and they’re amazing women. These are really women who are making change in the industry.”
Hosted by Maria Giulia Maramotti, Vice President of US Retail and Global Brand Ambassador, and InStyle Editor-In-Chief Laura Brown, the women of Hollywood gathered at Chateau Marmont on Tuesday night to celebrate the young star and laugh and toast over champagne and sliders. The garden party was a preview of the annual gala, where Debicki will be feted alongside fellow honorees Amy Poehler, Issa Rae and outgoing WIF board president Cathy Schulman.
The fashion-forward guest list included Jamie King,
Minnie Driver, Rachel Bilson, Lake Bell, “Riverdale” stars Madelaine Petsch and Camila Mendes, and Elizabeth Chambers, as well as a group of women making their mark on the industry as directors – including Olivia Wilde (“Booksmart”), Zoe-Lister Jones (“The Craft” remake), Kay Cannon (the upcoming “Cinderella” remake, starring Camilla Cabello) and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (“Someone Great”).
Kaytin Robinson reflected on the way social media has helped women (like Wilde and “Late Night” writer-star Mindy Kaling) support each other’s budding careers. “We are crusading for each other’s films, because when one of us does well, we all do well. And I think that it is so beautiful to see – you know my movie comes out and people talk about that, and then ‘Booksmart’ comes out and we tweet about that, and we’re all just rallying around each other,” she explained, still marveling over the fact that Taylor Swift gave her a shout-out on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
“When They See Us” and “Euphoria” star Storm Reid shared a similar viewpoint. “The impact women can make on other women by like just supporting them, re-tweeting their photo or commenting and just saying I’m proud of you,” Reid said, noting that she’s garnered a lot of support from her “A Wrinkle in Time” family. “Miss Ava [DuVernay] is super impactful in my life, Miss Reese [Witherspoon], Miss Oprah [Winfrey]. I have a lot of wise women in this industry to help guide me.”
As for ways that women in the industry have supported her, Debicki confessed: “It’s mainly just people being kind and being there when you need them personally or being there to just give you a little booster or tell you the truth — tell you that you are worthy and you are good.”
So what is in the future for the 28-year-old honoree? Debicki’s slate is pretty busy at the moment, with the actress taking on a role in Christopher Nolan’s secretive project “Tenet,” with John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, and “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3” on the horizon.
“I have a few stories I would like to produce,” she shared excitedly. “[As an actor] I just want to keep working with people who really challenge me.”
