Only a few days ago, history was made when the first ever woman receive the Democratic presidential nomination. However, as great of a moment as that was, it doesn't change the fact that gender-based discrimination still exists. That's a topic that Anna Gunn's upcoming film Equity intends to tackle head on. It's a tough subject, but it's somewhat her role in AMC's Breaking Bad helped her prepare for.
During a recent THR panel to promote her upcoming film, Equity, Anna Gunn spoke out about how the public reaction to her character on Breaking Bad prepared her to take on the role in this film. She explained:
I thought, 'You know what, bring it on,' because I had gone through that ring of fire and learned something that was very valuable, which is that I'm going to continue to take it on, and I was lucky enough to get this role and embody this struggle that is very common to so many women.
She's not even remotely kidding. Anna Gunn had to contend with a serious amount of Internet vitriol during her time as Skyler White on the legendary AMC series Breaking Bad. Although her character technically maintained the complete moral high ground over her husband for the majority of the series, many people constantly complained about her character and would level misogynistic insults at her in order to cope with their distaste for her.
In Equity, Anna Gunn found a way to channel that hatred and scorn into her new role. The thriller sees her taking on the role of a shrewd investment banker fighting her way up the corporate ladder as she contends with hatred from both her male and female colleagues. It's not quite the same as playing the wife of a middle class meth cook, but the experience proved useful for prepping Gunn to go up against sexism and hatred while in character.
Check out a trailer for Equity below. It's plain to see how Anna Gunn's real life experiences Skyler White informed this new role:
I'll fully admit it, even I found myself actively rooting against Skyler White several times throughout the course of Breaking Bad's run, However, it's one thing to get angry because a character presents an obstacle protagonist; it's an entirely different thing to insult the character, as well as the actress who plays the character, for her gender and her role as the matriarch in a family unit. In the endm Skyler White ultimately ended the series on a positive note, and looking back, it's somewhat ridiculous to fathom that Anna Gunn ever had to endure such hatred based solely on a fictional character.
What are your thoughts on Anna Gunn's intense acting method? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. Equity will hit theaters this weekend on July 29.
