PNO – “Ocean’s 8” (The Pirates of the Century: The Class of Ladies) released in June 2018 is a film with a strong feminist imprint, marking the return of actress Anne Hathaway after two years of absence to fulfill her role as a mother.

“Ocean’s 8” brings together a cast of famous stars such as Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter… 

film chose to change the gender of the main characters from the original 17 years ago. The bold idea creates a highlight for the film, challenging gender limits and stereotypes.

In its first week of release, “Ocean’s 8” broke the record for the “biggest” revenue: 41 million USD. Feminism is one of the important factors that create the flow of awareness of the times, and that is the reason “Ocean’s 8” is successful.

After a two-year hiatus from filmmaking to give birth, the Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning actress appears in a film with a message that is true to her chosen mission: pursuing and protecting women’s rights.

Anne Hathaway said she was once supported to take a one-hour break to… pump milk for her baby right on the set of “Ocean’s 8”. The entire crew happily waited. She proudly said: “That’s the spirit of feminism, there is sharing and understanding”.

Two years ago, Anne Hathaway felt a deep sense of distrust toward female directors, and it made her feel ashamed. Gender inequality had persisted for so long that she had mistaken it for normal. 

It was not until she became a mother and became a victim of hurtful thoughts and words about gender that Anne Hathaway realized many things that made her change.

I don’t need to be the perfect mother.

At the 2013 Oscars, Anne Hathaway was suddenly hated for winning the “Best Supporting Actress” award for her role as Fantine in “Les Misérables”. Many people commented online that they disliked her because her public performance was so perfect that it made them uncomfortable. They thought she was… fake, but she chose to stay silent.

It wasn’t until she gave birth, and after being the target of “mom-shaming” online and in real-life meetings, that Anne Hathaway seriously thought about the “forest” of prejudices against women.

A few weeks after giving birth, Anne Hathaway went to the gym to work out. She unexpectedly met a trainer who rudely suggested that she hire him for private lessons because he insisted that she quickly get back in shape and lose weight quickly.

Although she said she just wanted to get back in shape during her postpartum period, the trainer was so insensitive that he made comments that really hurt her. When he failed to convince her, he left and Anne Hathaway burst into tears. She felt insulted.

Sharing with the media, the actress calmly admitted that she does not want to become a perfect mother, because that requires recognition from the whole world, while motherhood is a sacred duty and has a private meaning in her life.

Anne Hathaway said: “Each of us is trying to find our own balance, everyone has certain difficulties. I don’t need to be a perfect mother. What I need to enjoy every moment of experiencing my life.”

Being the center of many insensitive gossips about childcare, staying in shape… made Anne Hathaway realize that what many people are doing is meaningless.

She shared: “There are still many meaningful things to pursue in this life, so let’s focus on solutions and opportunities instead of prying and judging too much about other people’s personal matters like the way we are behaving.”

The biggest concern for an actress like Anne Hathaway is the lack of rights for women in Hollywood during maternity leave. She decided to be the one to raise the issue, demanding change right now.

A year after giving birth, she excitedly began her new role as a Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women. In March 2017, she gave a memorable speech on International Women’s Day. Anne Hathaway emphasized:

“The stereotype and conventional wisdom that women should be the caregivers of the family is an outdated way of thinking that limits men’s contributions and connections. Only when both women and men see their respective responsibilities to family and children will women have autonomy in choosing their work and lifestyle.”

The actress shared that if she had not gotten married and had not had children, she would not have understood the meaning of the above things. Her husband, fashion designer Adam Shulman, is the solid support that Anne Hathaway needs most, because he helps her understand how much cooperation, sharing, and trust between the two of them mean for a family. That is the spirit of feminism, nothing else.