A-Listers on Nudity, Network Fights and the 'Diva' Label

Seven of TV’s top drama actresses pull back the curtain — along with the punches — on Hollywood’s narrow parameters, nudity ‘reparations’ and ‘how much more well-behaved we have to be than men’

- Lacey Rose

JENNIFER LOPEZ HAS BEEN SADDLED WITH THE REPUTATION OF A DIVA FOR much of her career. Sarah Paulson has yet to land a leading-lady role without being asked to dye her naturally brown hair blond. And Julianna Margulies likely still would be fighting for acceptance into the Producers Guild had her seven-season drama, The Good Wife, not already concluded its run. Such is the plight of today’s working actresses, even those at the top of their game.

In late March, THR gathered seven such women — Margulies, 49; Lopez, 46 (NBC’s Shades of Blue); Paulson, 41 (FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, American Horror Story: Hotel); Kirsten Dunst, 34 (FX’s Fargo); Regina King, 45 (ABC’s American Crime, HBO’s The Leftovers); Kerry Washington, 39 (ABC’s Scandal, HBO’s Confirmation); and Constance Zimmer, 45 (Lifetime’s UnREAL) — for a candid conversation about the roles they will (and won’t) strip down for, the scenes that required them to call their lawyers and the need to love their characters, even if their audience does not.

On The People v. O.J. Simpson, Sarah plays Marcia Clark, who became a victim of rather grotesque sexism. She’s told she has to change her look, dress in more feminine style, smile more, change her hair. As actresses, what have been the most overtly sexist things you’ve experienced in your careers?

KERRY WASHINGTON I’m in this very surreal environment right now having Shonda Rhimes as my boss, where it’s almost the opposite. It is specified in scripts that guys take their shirts off all the time.

JULIANNA MARGULIES Is it really?