On September 5th, Glamour Magazine published an article written by Reese Witherspoon concerning the ambition of women, and their lack of positions in the Hollywood film industry. Currently, Witherspoon is a part of the seventeen percent of women occupying positions in the film industry as the leader of her self-founded production business, Hello Sunshine. Sick of the stereotypes and unequal opportunities, she explained the challenges she felt that women faced not only in the industry, but also in their regular pursuits.

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“We have to do our part to change the idea that a woman with passion and ambition is out only for herself,” Witherspoon wrote. In a recent study that she touched on in her article, Harvard University states that women in the M.B.A. program usually downplay their ambitions because they expect other male students to be uninterested in them if they play on their strengths. Witherspoon details her thoughts on the matter, including that pursuing one’s goals is a positive endeavour that has been deemed negative when applied to women. She’s fighting to rectify that notion, telling parents to encourage their daughters when they share their ambitions.

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Back in the film industry, Witherspoon is trying to rectify that same idea. She stated that, “Women made up just 29 percent of protagonists in last year’s highest-grossing films—that’s a new high, but come on…it’s not even a third.” Advocating female roles in film is a very delicate process when it really should not be, so Witherspoon has her work cut out for her. Many producers have simply implied that they are not interested in women-driven works, or are not really tickled by the idea of hiring a female actor to play a main part. Still, Witherspoon persists in her support of women in film, and has said that she will be starring in an upcoming movie with Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling.

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“Instead of punching, blasting, and shooting bad guys, we guide with wisdom and love and a healthy dose of magic,” she detailed, explaining what to expect from the movie. “I got to go to work every day and sit for three hours in the hair and makeup trailer with Oprah and Mindy, whom I admire so much, and talk to them about everything from running a business to writing a novel to finding the perfect English muffins.” The kind of relationship Witherspoon has with her associate actresses is one that she hopes will become more prominent in the film industry with the growing number of lead female roles.

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In addition to encouraging members of the acting business, though, Witherspoon also wants more women to be respected as directors and producers. She mentions the struggles women have in those specific fields, as many women have to write their own parts and are unable to get through executives of other producing companies. When Reese Witherspoon described what it was like being a female producer, she stated, “I have to read faster, and I respond quicker than other producers. I have to call and call and call executives until they say yes to my projects.”

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Being a woman in the film industry is still possible. Even though female actors, directors, and producers have their work cut out for them, as long as they work hard in their endeavours many should be able to convince executives that they are an adequate addition to Hollywood businesses. The problem is that women have to convince people in the first place.

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“Shouldn’t female filmmakers get as many shots as men do?” Witherspoon questioned in her statement. “Or how about a shot, period? Women directors, writers, and producers still face considerable challenges just getting hired in the first place.”

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Reese Witherspoon is just uncovering the precipice of advancement for women, and is helping to encourage the shattering of glass ceilings. Through her production company, Hello Sunshine, Witherspoon has created 23 productions with lead female roles in the hopes of evening out the playing field in filmmaking around the world. Gone are the days when she found herself surrounded by a majority of men; there is now a future for women-run production companies, and Witherspoon is going to make that future a reality.