Gretchen Carlson is 'frustrated' she can't participate in 'Bombshell' film about Fox News
Gretchen Carlson, one of the driving force behind the ousting of Roger Ailes, is upset that she isn't able to participate in "Bombshell," Jay Roach's film about the sexual misconduct allegations against the former Fox News executive.
"It’s a strange and frustrating reality that I can’t partake in any of these projects based on my settlement," the former Fox News host told Entertainment Weekly. "Which is why I’m working so hard on Capitol Hill so that nobody else has to be handcuffed anymore."
Carlson said she's been lobbying Congress to pass a bill that would prevent forced arbitration in sexual harassment cases in the workplace. She noted that arbitration silences women and their stories.
"I'm glad she's been given her due," Nicole Kidman, who plays Carlson in "Bombshell" (out Dec. 20), said at a Los Angeles screening of the film Sunday night.
Nicole Kidman says she asked Meryl Streep on the set of BLL if she should play Gretchen Carlson. “And she said, ‘absolutely.’”
— Andrea Mandell (@AndreaMandell) October 14, 2019
Carlson was also prevented from speaking out about "The Loudest Voice," Showtime's mini series about Ailes, which had Naomi Watts playing her.
"It’s frustrating cause I can say, 'Hey wait a minute, you know, that was my life!' " Carlson said. "But the trailer got a tremendous amount of attention and for me, that’s what this is all about."
Despite her frustrations at having to stay silenced on projects about Ailes, Carlson is happy that people are finally talking about it.
"Most importantly, if it gives courage to men and women who are facing these kinds of situations to come forward, then that’s the extra bonus,"Carlson said. "I really feel like nobody would have done these movies three years ago when I jumped off the cliff all by myself in July of 2016."
Carlson hailed both "Bombshell" and "Voice" as "great because they are keeping the dialogue going in a big, huge way." She added: "The visual medium can be so much more powerful, especially with this topic, because there are so many myths and misunderstandings.
"If I had told you three years ago that Showtime was going to do a miniseries about me and that (director) Jay Roach was going to do a potential blockbuster movie on this topic, you would have laughed at me," she continued. "Let me also say, the idea that Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman are playing me – that’s surreal on its face."
Contributing: Erin Jensen, Andrea Mandell
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gretchen Carlson is frustrated she can't participate in 'Bombshell'
