Rising star Maggie Gyllenhaal enjoyed taking on the role of submissive LEE HOLLOWAY in the movie SECRETARY - because it challenged traditional views of gender equality.

In the film, Holloway is a troubled girl who finds personal liberation in a sadomasochistic relationship with her boss, played by James Spader.

And Gyllenhaal loved the idea of challenging post-feminist ideas of female empowerment through the film.

She says, "I thought, this'll be so fun, I'm going to get to fight against all those old-school feminists. I began to think that my entire college education was preparing me to defend the politics of this movie, but I never had to.

"It was very disappointing."

19/05/2003 21:08