Teyana Taylor is speaking out after some viewers criticized her role in "One Battle After Another," saying her character was shown in a way that felt too sexual.

The actress, who recently won a Golden Globe for the performance, says the backlash misses the point of who her character really is and why she behaves the way she does.

Taylor addressed the comments in a new interview with Vanity Fair, where she explained that her character, Perfidia Beverly Hills, uses sexuality as a tool, not as a weakness.

"I think we don't enjoy seeing the harsh reality, but this is what's happening," Taylor said, responding to the discussion around the film.

Some viewers labeled Perfidia as "overly horny," but Taylor pushed back strongly. She pointed to the opening moments of the movie to make her case, Deadline reported.

"Do you realize the first thing we see of Perfidia is her having a gun to a guy's head and he calls her 'sweet thing'?" she said. "Are we watching the same film?"

Teyana Taylor Says Perfidia Uses Power

According to Taylor, Perfidia's actions are about power and control in dangerous situations. She explained that the character flips the script on men who think they can take advantage of her.

"Oh, you think I'm hot? All right, bet," Taylor said, describing Perfidia's mindset. She added that her character uses what others expect of her so she can survive and keep moving forward.

Taylor also shared that Perfidia's choices are shaped by deep emotional struggles.

According to TheWrap, she said the character is dealing with postpartum depression while being expected to carry the weight of being seen as a "strong woman."

"A lot of her mistakes have come from her being in survival mode," Taylor explained. She added that strong Black women often do not receive the same compassion or grace as others, with people assuming they are always okay.

The conversation around Perfidia comes at a major moment in Taylor's career. Last weekend, she won her first Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for the role.

During her acceptance speech, she spoke directly to women who may see themselves in her journey. She dedicated the award to "brown sisters and brown girls watching."

"Our softness is not a liability, our depth is not too much," Taylor said onstage. "Our light does not need permission to shine."

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