Emma Stone recalls 'totally rubbish' advice she received from a sexist studio executive about being a woman in Hollywood at the Palm Springs Film Festival

Entertainment
By William

Emma Stone reflected on some of the worst advice she received early in her career as she was honored at the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday night.

The 35-year-old star received the Desert Palm Achievement Award in honor of her latest critically acclaimed performance in Yorgos Lanthimos' science fantasy film Poor Things.

While giving her acceptance speech on stage, the Oscar winner recalled a particularly sexist conversation she had with an unnamed studio executive when she was just starting out and was still a teenager.

According to Stone, the director told her that female actors had a much more limited shelf life than male stars of comparable fame.

“When I first moved to LA, I went to one of those general meetings they sometimes send you to, and a director told me that for male actors it's a marathon, not a sprint,” she recalled via People.

Emma Stone, 35, recalls a meeting with a studio exec '20 years ago' in which he gave her some sexist advice via People. She shared the anecdote while receiving the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her new film Poor Things; Seen on Thursday

Emma Stone, 35, recalls a meeting with a studio exec '20 years ago' in which he gave her some sexist advice via People. She shared the anecdote while receiving the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her new film Poor Things; Seen on Thursday

The AGM is said to have taken place around 2003, when Stone was just 15, and four years before her breakthrough role in Superbad (pictured)

The AGM is said to have taken place around 2003, when Stone was just 15, and four years before her breakthrough role in Superbad (pictured)

The AGM is said to have taken place around 2003, when Stone was just 15, and four years before her breakthrough role in Superbad (pictured)

'In his eyes it was a sprint for women, not a marathon. And that was twenty years ago,” she continued, indicating that she would have been around fifteen years old at the time she was taught.

The director's advice didn't seem to take into account popular and well-reviewed actresses who continue to draw audiences and earn awards well into their 50s and beyond, including Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Viola Davis, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Aniston and many more more. .

'I realize that advice is complete nonsense, because the majority of women I look up to in this industry, many of whom are in this room, have proven that as time goes on, life and work only become more interesting and fulfilling . Steen added.

The award she seemed to prove was given the year prior to Cate Blanchett, 54, for her Oscar-nominated performance as an unscrupulous orchestra conductor in Tár.

She was joined at the film festival by her Poor Things costars Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe, who jointly presented her with the award.

“Emma Stone continues to make an impact as one of the most important actresses of this generation, whose performances are always exceptional, regardless of the role. In her latest film Poor Things, Emma delivers a searing intensity and character on the path to liberation,” Nachhattar Singh Chandi, chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, announced earlier in November. “There is no one better suited for this role.”

In her latest film, Stone plays a woman who is brought back to life shortly after her death, but a mad scientist (played by Dafoe) has a baby's brain transplanted into her skull.

After first learning the simple mechanics of her new adult body, her character is proposed to before moving on to lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Ruffalo), with whom she has a sexual awakening before developing a newfound independence that upsets the controlling lawyer.

“This role was unlike anything I had ever read or anyone I had ever read about,” Stone said of the unconventional part as she accepted her award at the festival. 'She is a woman immune to outside expectations and impervious to judgement, shame and play.'

She added: “Bella was a challenge because I had to try to unlearn those aspects in myself, and that also made her an absolute joy to play.”

The dark comedy marks Stone's second feature film collaboration with Lanthimos, who previously directed her alongside Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz in 2018's The Favorite, which earned Stone an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In between those films, she also starred in his 2022 short film Bleat.

“When I first moved to LA, I went to one of those general meetings they sometimes send you to, and a director told me that for male actors it's a marathon, not a sprint,” she recalls.

“When I first moved to LA, I went to one of those general meetings they sometimes send you to, and a director told me that for male actors it's a marathon, not a sprint,” she recalls.

“When I first moved to LA, I went to one of those general meetings they sometimes send you to, and a director told me that for male actors it's a marathon, not a sprint,” she recalls.

“In his eyes, for women it was a sprint, not a marathon,” she added. Stone currently stars in Yorgos Lanthimos' critically acclaimed science-fantasy film Poor Things

“In his eyes, for women it was a sprint, not a marathon,” she added. Stone currently stars in Yorgos Lanthimos' critically acclaimed science-fantasy film Poor Things

“In his eyes, for women it was a sprint, not a marathon,” she added. Stone currently stars in Yorgos Lanthimos' critically acclaimed science-fantasy film Poor Things

“I realize that advice is complete nonsense because the majority of women I look up to in this industry, many of whom are in this room, have proven that as time goes on, life and work only become more interesting and fulfilling.” ; seen with Olivia Colman in The Favorite

“I realize that advice is complete nonsense because the majority of women I look up to in this industry, many of whom are in this room, have proven that as time goes on, life and work only become more interesting and fulfilling.” ; seen with Olivia Colman in The Favorite

“I realize that advice is complete nonsense because the majority of women I look up to in this industry, many of whom are in this room, have proven that as time goes on, life and work only become more interesting and fulfilling.” ; seen with Olivia Colman in The Favorite

Colman has only increased her stature with age. In addition to winning an Oscar, she has made several films with Greek author Yorgos Lanthimos and stars in the well-reviewed Showtime series The Curse with co-creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie (pictured)

Colman has only increased her stature with age. In addition to winning an Oscar, she has made several films with Greek author Yorgos Lanthimos and stars in the well-reviewed Showtime series The Curse with co-creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie (pictured)

Colman has only increased her stature with age. In addition to winning an Oscar, she has made several films with Greek author Yorgos Lanthimos and stars in the well-reviewed Showtime series The Curse with co-creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie (pictured)

Stone has lately been more focused on critically acclaimed projects than chasing box office power.

She currently stars with co-creators Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie in the well-reviewed black comedy The Curse on Showtime, and will reunite with Lanthimos in the already-shot anthology film Kinds Of Kindness, which also stars Jesse Plemons, Dafoe, fellow Poor Things actress Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Hong Chau and Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer.

Stone has also established himself as producer on Jesse Eisenberg's directorial debut WHen You Finish Saving The World, Julio Torres' Problemista and the upcoming arthouse horror film I Saw The TV Glow.

Though she's still a spring chicken at 35, Stone has given no indication that she's slowing down and releasing critically acclaimed films more consistently than at any other point in her career.

Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards WINNERS

Vanguard Award: Killers Of The Flower Moon

Desert Palm Achievement Award: Emma Stone – Poor things

Emma Stone received one of the most coveted awards - Desert Palm Achievement Award - for her work in Poor Things

Emma Stone received one of the most coveted awards - Desert Palm Achievement Award - for her work in Poor Things

Emma Stone received one of the most coveted awards – Desert Palm Achievement Award – for her work in Poor Things

Desert Palm Achievement Award: Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer

Breakthrough Performance Award: Da'Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers

Director of the Year Award: Greta Gerwig – Barbie

Career Achievement Award: Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction

International Star Award: Carey Mulligan – Maestro

Spotlight Award: Colman Domingo – Rustin

Spotlight Award: Danielle Brooks – The color purple

Danielle Brooks was recognized when she received the Spotlight Award for her mesmerizing performance in The Color Purple

Danielle Brooks was recognized when she received the Spotlight Award for her mesmerizing performance in The Color Purple

Danielle Brooks was recognized when she received the Spotlight Award for her mesmerizing performance in The Color Purple

Chairman's Award: Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell – Barbie

Icon Award: Paul Giammati – The Holdovers

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