Sandra Bullock Credits Netflix for Changing the Game for Aging Actresses and International Content
In a candid interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Sandra Bullock spoke about the recent success of her Netflix film, "The Unforgivable," and her thoughts on how the streaming giant has changed the game in Hollywood for aging actresses and international content.
In her interview, Bullock was honest in praising Netflix's inclusivity when it came to the hiring actresses and the stories the streaming service is willing to highlight. Bullock's own film "The Unforgivable" centers on a protagonist whose actress is beyond the age traditionally employed by studios as the female lead. And yet, Netflix has confirmed that "The Unforgivable" has been streamed enough times to be considered one of the top 10 most watched titles in the streaming service's history.
Concerning the employment of aging actresses, Bullock said of Netflix, "They're good to artists. They're good to filmmakers. If it wasn't for Netflix, a lot of people wouldn't be working. Their stories wouldn't be told. Who would think that me, as a woman, would still be working at this point? I would have been out in the cow pasture. It's true."
Additionally, Bullock noted Netflix's influence on the proliferation of international content in America's pop culture consciousness. The streaming service famously brought "Squid Game" to the forefront of their global streaming audience's minds - it was all anyone anywhere was talking about ever since it's debut on Netflix in September 2021. Other international shows also became massive hits, including Spain's "Money Heist" and France's "Lupin," often outshining American releases out at the same time.
Regarding the overwhelming success of "Squid Game," Bullock remarks, "That's one of the bigger ones, but I've seen more work from other countries told by other nationalities, and we never would have had that 10 years ago, ever. It brings people together in a way that really, you know, we're getting more and more divided and yet, we have the streamers that are able to blend our stories together and go, look, same story, just different."
We can't help but agree with Bullock! By making international content more accessible and investing in stories that feature non-traditional leads, Netflix is making great strides in increasing the diversity and inclusivity of what we see on screen. If Netflix continues with this method of sourcing content, the streaming giant will be well on its way to influencing generations of storytellers of what is possible to put on TV, as well as shaping its global viewership to become more connected and accepting of people who may not look like or do things the way they do.
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