Connie Nielsen is tired of being the "token woman" in her films.
Connie Nielsen
The 55-year-old actress is irked by male-dominated casts and welcomed the opportunity to star as Queen Hippolyta in the two 'Wonder Woman' blockbusters as it was "empowering" to see a female-led cast.
Connie – who has played supporting roles in movies such as 'Mission to Mars' and 'Basic' – said: "I've been the token woman in so many films! I mean, it's the absolute truth, and it annoys the s*** outta me.
"My experience of walking onto the set of the first 'Wonder Woman' and being there with 50 Amazonians? It was absolutely empowering, and that feeling was transported to the men and women watching it, too."
Connie - who also played the character in DC Extended Universe film 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' - recalled how her son Bryce, 13, and his friends "flipped" when they saw Gal Gadot's performance as the titular superhero in the first 'Wonder Woman' movie.
In an interview with Independent.co.uk, she said: "They just flipped! And it was like how they would if it was Superman or Batman... except I think Gal Gadot might have been just a little cooler."
Connie explained that she struggled to come to terms with the "patriarchal" dominance in Hollywood.
The 'Gladiator' star said: "It's dominated movies since the early '50s. Before that, we actually had some pretty darn amazing female characters, and stories that revolved around 'dames'. They were psychologically complex, too. Since then we've been dealing with so much patriarchal storytelling."
The Danish actress continued: "I remember in acting school, my teacher would say to me, 'You know, the director is God and you are there to serve his art.'
"And it was definitely his art. I always had a little bit of a problem with that. It felt paternalistic and patriarchal from the beginning. But you can't blame people for believing it and then saying, 'I am God', and (treating) other people as if they are their servants, or mistreating them."
Tagged in Wonder Woman Connie Nielsen Gal Gadot