Claire Foy dislikes 'strong women' term

21 October 2018

Claire Foy dislikes the term "strong women" - because she thinks it was designed to make women seem "more acceptable in a male world".

Claire Foy

The 34-year-old actress has insisted that all women should be viewed as "strong", and says she isn't interested in portraying roles in films that other people deem to be strong, because she thinks the term puts a divide between different kinds of women.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, she said: "I have absolutely no interest in portraying what other people think of as strong. It's a way of making women more acceptable in a male world.

"I am just not on board with that. I don't think women are crying out to see strong women. I think we know we are all strong but we're just crying out to see women on screen at all!"

Claire was seen as a "strong woman" earlier this year when she spoke candidly about how she felt "deeply hurt" by the gender pay gap she suffered when she starred in Netflix series 'The Crown' alongside Matt Smith.

The beauty held the lead role as Queen Elizabeth II, but was paid significantly less than her male co-star, who had a lesser role as the Queen's husband Prince Philip.

She said: "I was deeply hurt by it, because I'd been working on that show for two years. I loved everybody on it. And then I realised, there's been a big, fat, dirty secret that nobody's ever talked about. But then there was also that thing [of being] an inadvertent spokesperson. Why did it have to be me? I could have said nothing. And I think everyone would have preferred that. But I thought, if I do that, I will be cheating myself and all the other women I know."

Matt - who was said to be paid more because of his previous high profile role as the titular time lord in sci-fi show 'Doctor Who' - previously broke his silence on the issue to condemn the pay gap.

He said at the time: "Claire is one of my best friends, and I believe that we should be paid equally and fairly and there should be equality for all. I support her completely, and I'm pleased that it was resolved and they made amends for it, because that what's needed to happen. Going forward, I think we should all bear in mind that we need to strive to make this better and a more even playing field for everyone involved - but not just in our industry, in all industries."