When Megan Fox was at the peak of her career after shooting the first two Transformers movies and Jennifer’s Body, she was objectified so much she actually had a “psychological breakdown”.
Fox told ET while celebrating the tenth anniversary of Jennifer’s Body with the film’s director Diablo Cody, that they felt the film was torn apart by people who had an idea of it based purely on the marketing that targeted young men and played up the supposed sexuality of the film.
The mother-of-three said, “There was so much going on with me at that time, that movie being picked apart was not at the top of [my list of concerns].”
“Because I had such a fraught relationship with the public, and the media, and journalists, and I was struggling so much at that time in general, this didn’t stand out as a particularly painful moment, it was just part of the mix.”
She added that being objectified and sexualised was becoming a theme in her career and the marketing for Jennifer’s Body was just another day in the life.
“It wasn’t just that movie, it was everyday of my life, all the time, with every project I worked on and every producer I worked with. It preceded a breaking point for me. I think I had a genuine psychological breakdown where I wanted just nothing to do.”
It took a huge toll on her, “I didn’t want to be seen, I didn’t want to have to take a photo, do a magazine, walk a carpet, I didn’t want to be seen in public at all because the fear, and the belief, and the absolute certainty that I was going to be mocked, or spat at, or someone was going to yell at me, or people would stone me or savage me for just being out… so I went through a very dark moment after that.”
Fox said that at the time when she spoke out about being sexualised by the industry, people had a very different reaction than they do nowadays following the #MeToo movement.
“I feel like I was sort of out and in front of the #MeToo movement before the #MeToo movement happened, I was speaking out and saying, ‘Hey, these things are happening to me and they’re not OK.'”
“And everyone was like, ‘Oh well, f**k you. We don’t care, you deserve it.’ Because everybody talked about how you looked or how you dressed or the jokes you made.”
The actress went on to say that she feels that despite her strong beliefs in equality and being a feminist, she doesn’t feel like other “feminists don’t want me to be part of their group”.
“What is supporting other females if there is only certain ones of us we support? If I have to be an academic or have to be non-threatening to you in some way? Why can’t I be a part of the group as well?”
Another thing that infuriates her nowadays is when people ask her why she’s not working more these days.
“I get this all the time, people will be like, ‘You just don’t really work that much,'” Fox said. “And it’s like, I have given birth, I have gestated and given birth to three children.
“I starred in a movie that opened worldwide, number one – twice! I was on a critically acclaimed sitcom. I f***ing executive produced and created a show about archaeological controversies! How much more f***ing productive does a f***ing women need to be? F**k you!”
She makes a bloody good point!