Maya Rudolph And Natasha Lyonne Done With Phrase ‘Female Comedy’
More and more celebrities lately are becoming outspoken about feminist issues and their thoughts on the entertainment industry. Sometimes, the focus is on very serious issues, but other times, it’s just about specific language that needs to be examined. The way things are phrased may seem like a minor thing, but the way something is spoken about can often communicate a lot about deeper issues. That’s exactly what Natasha Lyonne and Maya Rudolph thought when they expressed their annoyance with the phrase “female comedy” in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Lyonne and Rudolph, who are both veterans in the industry with a lot of experience, recently joined forces to create Animal Pictures, a production company. They both have experience in the realm of comedy, but you won’t see them calling any of their projects “female comedies.” Rudolph shared about some of her experiences in the comedy and improv world in particular.
“I’m definitely one of those people that is looked at as part of this group of women in comedy, which is a drag. It doesn’t surprise me, but I never really expected to be categorized in comedy. I think if it’s funny, it’s funny… it’s an unfortunate reminder of how women continue to be categorized in all facets of life… I don’t spend a lot of time categorizing what’s female and what’s male funny. If it’s not funny, it doesn’t work. And that’s really all that matters.”
The production company that Lyonne and Rudolph started signed a first-look deal with Amazon Studios last year, and you’ll likely be seeing more from them soon. Lyonne commented in the same interview that “the hope would be any modifiers for previously marginalized voices slowly being eradicated and just becoming the norm.”
Both seem passionate about putting out quality content and finding talents that can bring their visions to life on screen, regardless of what their background is or where they’re coming from.
Lyonne and Rudolph both have decades of experience in the industry under their belts, so taking that step to the other side of the camera is certainly a natural fit. They have both collaborated on projects with other incredibly talented women, and show no sign of giving up that method for making their mark in Hollywood. Lyonne spoke about how she and Rudolph were very aligned in what they want to present and how they want to present it, and fans will just have to see what Animal Pictures comes out with in the future.
