Despite Success, Debra Messing Says Hollywood Still Sexist
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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Overture Films(NEW YORK) — You would never think Debra Messing would have trouble finding a great role, but the Will & Grace star, 45, said there are still “inequities” in Hollywood when it comes to men and women.
“It’s well-known that it’s not equally represented for women. It’s just a struggle we are going to try and continue and rectify,” she told ABC News. “Whether or not it’s above the title, executive producing or directing, or even writer categories.”
She added that even “the best roles” and “stories written” are usually skewed towards men. But Messing is not complaining and having great opportunities in Will & Grace, Smash and now her new show The Mysteries of Laura, is something she is very thankful for.
“Having said that there’s so much talent out there and I’m always looking for the thing that’s going to move me,” she added. “There have been obvious disappointments along the road, whether it has been a coveted role, where I’m one of a thousand women who want that role and it’s not going to go my way. And you sort of sit back and say, ‘Why aren’t’ there 50 roles like that, that are available right now.'”
She continued, “[But] on the whole I feel incredibly blessed. There have been roles along the way that have spoken to me or moved me and I feel like The Mysteries of Laura is one of those special, special roles!”
In the new show that just filmed its pilot, Messing plays Detective Laura Diamond, who is also a mother when she is off-duty, something the actress can relate to. Messing is busy on Broadway and filming this pilot, but still finds time to spend with her 10-year-old son Roman.
“I don’t think there are many tricks,” she said of finding time to be with her son. “When you are not working, you have tons of time for your personal life and the people in your life and you can make that time special. Obviously when you work, it’s intense.”
But even when she is working, she and her son adapt.
“We just work together,” she added. “When I did the Broadway play, it was three months, so we knew I was only going to be working at night. We just made our time in the morning and our time before I went to the theater.”
“You just have to be flexible,” she said of helping Roman with his homework, watching TV or even eating together. “It’s not always easy and not always ideal. But it’s all for the right reasons — to be a consistent a parent as possible.”
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio