Today, Rose McGowan is at the frontlines of the #MeToo movement, pushing for change and transparency. But getting to this point has been a two-decade long journey of planning and strategizing for the actress and activist. McGowan told Cheddar that ever since Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her in 1997, she “set about going after him.” “[In] a very David vs. Goliath sort of way, I took a TV show that was not my pace,” she said, referring to her role as Paige Matthews in the hit show “Charmed.” “But strategically...I knew if I could go into the show and hang on, when it was time to press the button so to speak, it would be newsworthy all over the world.” Her determination to bring down Weinstein and upend Hollywood’s male-dominated structure is also driven by her childhood experience as part of the cult “Children of God,” which she said has many parallels with Hollywood. “Anytime you have a power structure with a few people at the top [who] are benefiting, and you aren’t, and you’re all doing things collectively that make it better for them…that really is the definition of a cult,” she explained. Hollywood “is a pretty beastly place” that is “making the mirror for you to look in,” which puts it in a dangerously powerful position, she said. Still, McGowan said she’s “inherently optimistic” and hasn’t let her experiences harden her. She recounts her journey of dealing with sexual assault in her new book “Brave.” For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rose-mcgowan-on-the-hollywood-cult).

Share:
More In Culture
Female Influence in the Gaming Industry
Jordan Mauriello, CEO of MoreYellow, talks about the evolving landscape of female gamers and why brands see Influencers as more valuable than their male counterparts.
Apple Doubling Down on $100 Million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative From SXSW 2022
Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative is a $100 million program aimed at combating systemic racism while working to advance racial equity across the country. Alisha Johnson, director of the initiative, joined Cheddar at SXSW to discuss the work being done. "We focused on three critical areas. The first is education. The second is criminal justice reform, and the third is economic empowerment, really looking first in our own supply chain, how can we really increase our spend with Latinx, Hispanic, and indigenous-owned businesses," she said. "And then how can we go further to empower entrepreneurs who have been cut out of access to funding and capital and really help them to get the funding."
Need2Know: 'War Criminal,' HBCU Security & TikTok at Cannes
Biden calls Putin a "war criminal," HBCUs are getting grant money for security after dozens of bomb threats, and Cannes may hate red-carpet selfies, but this year they're partnering with TikTok. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Looking Ahead to Season 2 of 'Girls5Eva' From SXSW 2022
A Peacock streaming show about a '90s one-hit-wonder girl group getting another chance at musical success, "Girls5Eva" drops its second season on the platform on May 5. Cheddar's Michelle Castillo sat down with creator Meredith Scardino and actor Paula Pell from South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, to talk about what fans can expect from the series in Season 2. "They're going to create their first studio album, which is really exciting," Scardino said. "So we're going to follow that journey as they as they get back in the studio."
Load More