Meryl Streep has defended herself over a direct criticism from Rose McGowan over the proposed idea for female actresses to wear black at the Golden Globes to protest against sexual harassment in the Hollywood industry. The problem is, there seems to have been a major misunderstanding.

Meryl Streep at Women in Film Pre-Oscar PartyMeryl Streep at Women in Film Pre-Oscar Party

Rose McGowan has been one of the most vocal celebrities out there on the subject of sexual misconduct in the film industry, completely unafraid of naming and shaming the predators and the people who have kept silent on the issue. Since she heard that women like Meryl Streep were planning a silent protest of wearing black at the Golden Globes, she has voiced her opinion once more.

'Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black at the Golden Globes in a silent protest', she wrote in a now deleted post on Twitter. 'YOUR SILENCE is THE problem. You'll accept a fake award breathlessly and affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy.'

Many people, including Meryl Streep herself, assumed that Rose was criticising the actresses who worked for Harvey Weinstein for keeping silent on his behaviour throughout their careers. Meryl has reached out to insist that she never knew what was going on on the casting couch.

'I wasn't deliberately silent. I didn't know. I don't tacitly approve of rape. I didn't know. I don't like young women being assaulted. I didn't know this was happening', Meryl told HuffPost. 'Rose assumed and broadcast something untrue about me, and I wanted to let her know the truth. I am truly sorry she sees me as an adversary, because we are both, together will all the women in our business, standing in defiance of the same implacable foe.'

More: Matt Damon attacked by Minnie Driver for sexual harassment comments

However, what Rose actually meant was that she did not approve of wearing black as a 'silent' protest, because the kind of protest we need in this situation is a very loud and very outspoken one. Symbolism is all well and good, but the only thing that's going to solve the problem is speaking out - so perhaps this year the Golden Globes should be more about the victims of sexual harassment rather than who gets Best Actress.