This year for the Women Who Kick Ass Panel, CW invited not one (Charlize Theron in 2017), but five female stars who shared their experiences and perspectives on what it means to kick ass. The panel featured:
– Shohreh Aghdashloo from The Expanse
– Betty Gilpin from GLOW
– Cobie Smulders from Stumptown
– Freema Agyenman from New Amsterdam
– Jeri Ryan from Star Trek: Picard

The women all have different role models, ranging from older sisters to a science-teaching nun to their own mothers and other people working in the industry. But one thing they all agreed on was that role models come from everywhere, and that there can be role models for different parts of your life.

They like how much has changed and improved in the last couple of years regarding female characters on screen and in the industry. Women finally have come more to the foreground, for example, because this is also happening in real life where more powerful female artists are showing up. But also the women working in the industry want to play characters that show the many different types of strengths that a woman can have but at the same time someone who is fully fleshed out and realistic.

Many different women fall under the category of ‘kicking ass’ and not all of these women look, act or feel alike. And having pristine makeup, hair and skin does not make a difference in this, and on-screen this doesn’t accurately reflect the way most women typically look. We need more powerful female artists and politicians in real life so the silver screen can reflect their activities.

But how much as improved, there is still a way to go. But the women were optimistic that the future for women on film and TV will be bright if no other reason because there is an audience out there wanting it.