0Actress Saoirse Ronan leaving a press conference (Siebbi via Wikimedia Commons)
Saoirse Ronan went viral recently due to her powerful statement on The Graham Norton Show, where she spoke out about violence against women. While actors such as Eddie Redmayne and Paul Mescal light-heartedly discussed how they would defend themselves if attacked on the street, Ronan spoke up stating: “That’s what girls have to think about all the time. Am I right ladies?”. This was an iconic moment in recent pop culture highlighting the problems women face every day.
Seeing Ronan so vocal about violence against women on live TV shines a light on how there is a notable absence of such honesty in the current entertainment industry, and questions the balance between the reality of current affairs and the light-heartedness of popular culture.
In recent years there have been some major fails in this department; The Kendall Jenner Pepsi Max commercial springs to mind. This advertisement was hit with tremendous backlash, as people claimed the company were making light of the serious issue of police brutality and social injustice. Pepsi really missed the mark with this one.
“…there is a notable absence of such honesty in the current entertainment industry.”
Thinking about the COVID pandemic, films and TV shows have either opted to completely omit the virus from their universe or to incorporate it, to a greater or lesser extent, into their respective stories. This raises questions about escapism: do people who have lived through a pandemic really want to watch it on their screens too? Perhaps it is important to show how different people managed through this global event and how it affected us all in different ways; shining a serious light on something that will always be a part of our history. The pandemic is not something that can just be erased for people who suffered through it.
After the devastating results of the 2024 US election, the pain stings more knowing how many celebrities used their platform to promote the importance of voting, specifically for Harris and the rights of women. Celebrities used their influence in numerous ways to spread the democratic message and the facts pertinent to the election, such as polling station locations. Furthermore, SNL, with an average of 5.3 million viewers, had Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on the show in the lead up to the election in early November. This is the perfect example of current affairs and pop culture marrying together to promote something important and good to the world. Although perhaps celebrities overestimated their influence, as Trump still won.
“Social media can offer a platform for people with influence to spread the right message and fight the good fight.”
To circle back to the Ronan moment on The Graham Norton Show, it is also important to highlight how other celebrities have advocated for women’s rights. One of the most poignant ways this has been done is through speaking out about their own experiences with domestic abuse and violence. The ‘Me Too’ movement had celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Reese Witherspoon reflecting on their personal struggles with abuse. It is moments of honesty like this that show women they are not alone.
With social media being such a dominant factor in so many peoples’ lives, it can be easy to get lost in the endless posts and ideas of both celebrities and the Everyman. Social media can offer a platform for people with influence to spread the right message and fight the good fight. As illustrated with the praise received for Ronan’s comment, this is what people want to see more of. The voice is a powerful tool that social media and pop culture can amplify, and when used for good can bring about significant change.
As Print Screen Editor, Pollyanna Roberts has written numerous articles for Exeposé, with a focus on cinema. She stays updated with new releases, but also delves into film history and explores how cinema has evolved and the important topics it can discuss. Pollyanna has loved film for so many years now and cannot wait to keep writing about it and get readers thinking about difficult but intriguing questions they never knew they had about cinema.
Speaking truth to power: a cultural wake-up call?
Saoirse Ronan went viral recently due to her powerful statement on The Graham Norton Show, where she spoke out about violence against women. While actors such as Eddie Redmayne and Paul Mescal light-heartedly discussed how they would defend themselves if attacked on the street, Ronan spoke up stating: “That’s what girls have to think about all the time. Am I right ladies?”. This was an iconic moment in recent pop culture highlighting the problems women face every day.
Seeing Ronan so vocal about violence against women on live TV shines a light on how there is a notable absence of such honesty in the current entertainment industry, and questions the balance between the reality of current affairs and the light-heartedness of popular culture.
In recent years there have been some major fails in this department; The Kendall Jenner Pepsi Max commercial springs to mind. This advertisement was hit with tremendous backlash, as people claimed the company were making light of the serious issue of police brutality and social injustice. Pepsi really missed the mark with this one.
Thinking about the COVID pandemic, films and TV shows have either opted to completely omit the virus from their universe or to incorporate it, to a greater or lesser extent, into their respective stories. This raises questions about escapism: do people who have lived through a pandemic really want to watch it on their screens too? Perhaps it is important to show how different people managed through this global event and how it affected us all in different ways; shining a serious light on something that will always be a part of our history. The pandemic is not something that can just be erased for people who suffered through it.
After the devastating results of the 2024 US election, the pain stings more knowing how many celebrities used their platform to promote the importance of voting, specifically for Harris and the rights of women. Celebrities used their influence in numerous ways to spread the democratic message and the facts pertinent to the election, such as polling station locations. Furthermore, SNL, with an average of 5.3 million viewers, had Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on the show in the lead up to the election in early November. This is the perfect example of current affairs and pop culture marrying together to promote something important and good to the world. Although perhaps celebrities overestimated their influence, as Trump still won.
To circle back to the Ronan moment on The Graham Norton Show, it is also important to highlight how other celebrities have advocated for women’s rights. One of the most poignant ways this has been done is through speaking out about their own experiences with domestic abuse and violence. The ‘Me Too’ movement had celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Reese Witherspoon reflecting on their personal struggles with abuse. It is moments of honesty like this that show women they are not alone.
With social media being such a dominant factor in so many peoples’ lives, it can be easy to get lost in the endless posts and ideas of both celebrities and the Everyman. Social media can offer a platform for people with influence to spread the right message and fight the good fight. As illustrated with the praise received for Ronan’s comment, this is what people want to see more of. The voice is a powerful tool that social media and pop culture can amplify, and when used for good can bring about significant change.
Pollyanna Roberts
As Print Screen Editor, Pollyanna Roberts has written numerous articles for Exeposé, with a focus on cinema. She stays updated with new releases, but also delves into film history and explores how cinema has evolved and the important topics it can discuss. Pollyanna has loved film for so many years now and cannot wait to keep writing about it and get readers thinking about difficult but intriguing questions they never knew they had about cinema.
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