Looking simply stunning for the premiere of her new film, White Oleander, at the 27th Toronto International Film Festival this week, Michelle Pfeiffer has spoken out about the general lack of challenging roles for female leads.
“There aren´t enough good scripts to go around, that's for sure," said the perennially popular actress. "I think we haven´t really broken through the glass ceiling, but I think we´re getting closer. Women can just as easily open films as men do,” she added.
However, Michelle was happy to star alongside actresses like Renee Zellweger of Bridget Jones´s Diary fame, in White Oleander. The film, based on Janet Fitch´s debut novel, tells the story of an artistic mother serving life in prison after killing a lover and her relationship with her daughter, played by Alison Lohman, who is shuttled from one foster care home to the next. “It was one of the hardest parts to step into and I was excited to play such a complex character,” says Michelle.
The annual Canadian film festival began last week and runs until September 14. Stars from all over the world will flock to Toronto as it shows 69 world premieres. The programme includes films in many languages and to suit many tastes, from Bend it like Beckham to the latest independent world cinema.
