Woodley is only the latest in a string of celebrities to endorse the empowerment cause.
Like a number of her fellow next gen Hollywood actresses, The Descendants star Shailene Woodley is conscious of the messages she sends to young people and young women in particular. Woodley is on the verge of superstardom, with teen novel adaptations Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars both due later this year. And since she’s all about empowerment for young women, you can bet that she has an opinion on other members of the genre.
Woodley thinks that movies should send a strong message of empowerment.
Speaking for TIME, Woodley took issue with one infamous piece of teen fiction in particular – Stephanie Meyer’s infamous Twilight books. Bella isn’t exactly known as the most looked-up to female protagonist and Woodley explains why: “Twilight, I’m sorry, is about a very unhealthy, toxic relationship. [The protagonist Bella] falls in love with this guy and the second he leaves her, her life is over and she’s going to kill herself! What message are we sending to young people? That is not going to help this world evolve.”
The Divergent star thinks Twilight doesn't fit the description.
In comparison, franchises like The Hunger Games and Veronica Roth’s Divergent, in which Woodley stars as Beatrice “Tris” Prior, have been hailed for their strong messages of empowerment. Woodley’s own character is a teenager, who rejects the conventions of her old life and eventually goes on to lead a rebellion and change the life of her entire city, amid a futuristic dystopian landscape. She might be distressed, but she’s certainly no damsel. Divergent is out on March 21.
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