Actors Who Spoke Up About Sexism In Hollywood

Sarah Kester
joseph gordon levitt smiling
instagram | @hitrecordjoe

Women aren't the only champions in the fight against sexism in Hollywood.

Everyone from Ryan Gosling to Benedict Cumberbatch to Mark Ruffalo are all proud feminists, ready to stick up for women at a moment’s notice. 

They use their platforms to spread awareness about feminist issues, turn down jobs that don’t advocate for gender pay equality, and even defend their female co-stars from offensive interview questions.

It’s safe to say that we stan these men!

Mark Ruffalo

When the actor was promoting The Avengers with Scarlett Johansson, Cosmopolitan flipped the script by asking him the mundane questions female actresses usually get.

This was to prove the existence of sexism in the media, which Ruffalo was more than happy to play along with and "embrace his feminine side."

Regé-Jean Page

Regé-Jean Page in a suit
instagram | @regejean

The Bridgerton star knows all about being a gentleman. He came to Florence Pugh's defense after she was criticized for wearing a sheer dress to Paris Couture Fashion Week that exposed her nipples.

“I’ve lived in my body for a long time. I’m fully aware of my breast size and am not scared of it," she wrote online.

Page shared Pugh's post and encouraged men to “Take a look at yourself fellas."

Regé smiling
Giphy | NETFLIX

"Then take a look at your mates and step up when it’s time to step up,” the actor wrote on his Instagram Story at the time. “When the boys are out of line, have a word.”

Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road
Warner Bros | Warner Bros

When the Mad Max actor was asked about whether he had any issues with having so many women in a “man’s movie,” Hardy responded perfectly. He said, “no, not for one minute. I mean, that’s kind of obvious."

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

The Walking Dead actor let the world know where he stood after the Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to abortion. First, he wore a t-shirt that read “Pro Roe 1973."

Then, he tweeted out in defense of his wife who spoke about her fertility issues and a past abortion.

Jeffrey with his daughter
instagram | @jeffreydeanmorgan

“I got OPINIONS. You don’t like em? Piss off. Go follow someone else. I’m in a block n delete kinda mood today,” the Supernatural alum tweeted.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch smiling
Giphy

There have been many times where Benedict proved that he's a feminist, like when he spoke out against his fans calling themselves, Cumberbitches.

"I won't allow you to be my [expletive]," he explained to author, Caitlin Moran. "I think it sets feminism back so many notches. You are... Cumberpeople."

Another time, he told Radio Times that he wouldn’t take on a role where his female co-star wasn’t being paid the same rate.

Benedict Cumberbatch smiling
Giphy | BBC

“Equal pay and a place at the table are the central tenets of feminism,” he said. “Look at your quotas. Ask what women are being paid, and say: ‘If she’s not paid the same as the men, I’m not doing it.’”

Joshua Bassett

The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was rumored to be involved in a love triangle between himself, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. But instead of pitting the two women against each other, he stood up for women everywhere.

"[Everyone] is asking me about Sabrina and Olivia. Why don't we focus on these women for who they are?" he told 'GQ.'

Joshua in a pink shirt
instagram | @joshuabassett

"Let's focus on the art that they're making and how great they are instead of their relationship to a boy.”

Kelsey Grammar

Kelsey Grammar smiling
Giphy | Paramount+

The Fraiser star has declared himself to be a proud feminist. "I think that feminism includes just being proud and comfortable in your skin as a woman and a man being comfortable in his skin. That's where I live with it. I'm a huge supporter of women."

Jay Baruchel

The actor, writer, and producer has taken it upon himself to fix Hollywood's tendency to underwrite female characters.

"I do [prefer writing women characters], just because I'm a mama's boy. I was raised by my mom, I have a little sister, and I'm constantly annoyed [by] how terribly written most females are in most everything," he told Vulture.

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton with his wife
instagram | @aplusk

A lot of people may not know that the actor is a human rights activist. His nonprofit organization, Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children, has assisted law enforcement to help save over 6,000 victims of sex trafficking. That's incredible!

Joseph Gordan Levitt

Joseph making a hand sign
instagram | @hitrecordjoe

Thanks to his mom, the actor has been raised as a feminist.

"I do call myself a feminist," he said. "It's worth paying attention to the roles that are dictated to us and to realise that we don't have to fit into these roles. We can be anybody we want to be."

Prince Harry

Prince Harry waving
Giphy | BBC

After losing his mother at a young age, Prince Harry has become a staunch defender of women.

He did the same when it came to his wife, Meghan Markle, and the brutal treatment she received by the British media. In response, he moved his family to America.

The royal also spoke up for women in 2016 while visiting Nepal.

Prince Harry shaking hands
Giphy | euronews

There are way too many obstacles between girls and the opportunities they deserve. So many countries are ailing to protect the opportunities of young women and girls in the way they do for boys."

Harry Styles

In addition to being a style icon, the "As It Was" singer is a feminist icon, always willing to push for gender equality.

Even though he deserves praise, he explained in an interview with Rolling Stone that he doesn't want the credit. “I don’t want a lot of credit for being a feminist. It’s pretty simple. I think the ideals of feminism are pretty straightforward.”

Ryan Gosling

Place Beyond the Pines
Sidney Kimmel Entertainment | Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

As a man who's surrounded by women (he's a girl dad), the Canadian-born actor knows all about the power of women. “I think women are better than men. They are stronger, more evolved,” the La La Land actor told Evening Standard in June 2016.

“You can tell especially when you have daughters and you see their early stages, they are just leaps and bounds beyond boys immediately.”

Ryan Gosling saying "sweetheart, thank you"
Giphy | Golden Globes

He believe that it's "our time as men” to stand up for what is right and help the world achieve gender equality.