ES MAGAZINE – Gemma Arterton wasn’t among the estimated 100,000 people who took to the streets of London for the Women’s March in January, protesting the inauguration of Donald Trump. Instead the self-described ‘staunch feminist’ was stalking the stage that afternoon as the 15th-century warrior, martyr and feminist icon, Joan of Arc, at the Donmar Warehouse. ‘I did think, “the matinee isn’t until 1.30pm, so I could just go along early in my costume”. How f***ing cool would that have been?’ grins the 31 year-old, who won rave reviews for her performance in George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan. ‘But my first costume was ‘normal Joan’, before she cuts her hair off, before she’s in the armour — and I really wanted to go in my armour.’

We’re sitting in a French café in Brooklyn at the end of a week-long US trip for Arterton. I almost didn’t recognise the Gravesend-born former Bond girl when she first arrived — she chopped off her hair to play Joan, and is sporting a chic pixie crop. ‘I still catch myself in the mirror and go, “oh yeah, I’ve got short hair”,’ she says, giving it a tousle. ‘But when I wear a dress now, I look cool, rather than… pretty.’

The previous night she pulled off both with aplomb in a floor-length paisley number at the New York premiere of her latest film, Their Finest, which opens in the UK this week. Arterton plays Catrin Cole, a softly spoken secretary from Ebbw Vale hired by the Ministry of Information to script propaganda films during the Second World War. Based on a novel by Lissa Evans and directed by Lone Sherfig (who also directed the Oscar-nominated An Education) it has an undeniably feminist flavour. Catrin’s role is writing ‘the slop’ — women’s dialogue — for which, she’s told, she’ll get ‘no screen credit’, and won’t be paid as much as ‘the chaps’. She is based on a real-life Welsh screenwriter, Diana Morgan.

It’s not difficult to draw parallels between wartime propaganda film-making and latter-day Hollywood. While the language on set may be studiously PC now, Arterton has talked in the past about being the lone woman on a film, employed as ‘just the totty’ and ‘a piece of ass’, in big-budget blockbusters such as Prince of Persia and Clash of the Titans. In response, she set up her own production company, Rebel Park, in 2014 ‘to create more opportunities for female directors and female writers.’ In development are currently ‘one comedy, one really mad f***ed-up film, and a TV series’.

(Read the rest of the interview at the source)

Together with the interview, a beautiful new photoshoot of Gemma has been released! She looked ever so great. Check it in our gallery :)

Updated our gallery adding the most recent release of promotional posters, production stills and behind the scenes photos from Gemma’s new movie Their Finest – which has now an official site as well TheirFinestMovie.co.uk!

Also be sure to follow the site’s twitter @GArtertonOnline and our partner site on Gemma’s co-star Sam Claflin @ The Claflin Place!

THE EVENING STANDARD – She set up her own film company after being treated as a “piece of ass” — and Gemma Arterton says producing has given her even greater insight into the way the industry views women.

The actress, who launched her firm Rebel Park in 2014, told ES Magazine: “When you make films about women, you can’t get financing in the same way you would if it was a film about men.”

Referring to the fabled List, which ranks stars according to their bankability in Hollywood, from A+ for the likes of Jennifer Lawrence downwards, she said: “It really exists. I’m like, a C. I know, because I am sitting in the meetings trying to get financing for films that I’m in. And they’re like, ‘We love you, but could you also get… [insert category A actress]?’”

She is now starring in Second World War comedy Their Finest as a copywriter drafted in by the British government to make propaganda films.

Her character, based on Ealing Studios screenwriter Diana Morgan, is dismissed by her male counterparts.

At the first UK screening of the film in London, Arterton said: “It still is the case that the majority of women on a set are confined to be the make-up artists, costume mistress and script supervisor, but it’s changing.”

The actress, who was born in Kent, made her name as a Bond girl in 2008’s Quantum Of Solace.

She said: “For the first seven or eight years of my career, I was doing stuff because I thought I should, or I thought I was lucky to get that part. And I am grateful — it set me up. But it sits really badly with me when I make something I’m not proud of, or doesn’t say what I want to say.”

Of Quantum of Solace, she said: “I really enjoyed it — I was 21, and it was a trip. But would I do it now? No.”

Her next movie is Vita & Virginia, about the relationship between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Arterton said: “A film about two women, can you believe it?” (source)

On Thursday night (March 30), Gemma attended Brave New Works: The Almeida Fundraising Gala, held at the Almeida Theatre in London.

Some photos from the event have now been added to the gallery, with big thanks to my friend Emily from Becoming Lili for donating them! Enjoy :)

Back on Wednesday, March 29, Gemma attended a Q&A after a special HeForShe screening of Their Finest.

Looking great and discussing the movie for UN Women UK, Gemma wore a Stella McCartney Pre-Fall 2017 Separates with Christian Louboutin shoes. Some photos from the event have now been added to the gallery, enjoy!

Back on Monday, March 27, Gemma was in Paris to promote her movie Orpheline. While there, she guested during the french talk show C à vous. Below you can watch her interview. John Legend was a guest together with Gemma! Enjoy :)

Gemma is featured in the latest issue of Grazia France (March 24-30) with a brand new editorial. HD Digital Scans from the magazine have now been added to the gallery, together with some outtakes from the amazing new photoshoot! Check the gallery and enjoy! :)