Elle Magazine 22nd Women In Hollywood Awards: Salma Hayek, Ava Duvernay, Kate Winslet Honored

On Monday, Elle Magazine celebrated its 22nd annual Women in Hollywood Awards and some of the biggest names in the industry were there. Mexican actress Salma Hayek-Pinault was introduced by Zoe Saldaña to receive her award. Hayek has always been an advocate of gender equality in the industry and used the platform to call for the cause and diversity in Hollywood and said it’s up to this generation to change the situation in the industry.

Elle’s Editor in Chief, Robbie Myers spoke about the gender disparities that prove award ceremonies like such, are still needed. Myers gave out alarming statistics such as the fact that 95 percent of studio movies are made by men and that the lowest paid male actor on the Forbes list was still ranked above the highest paid female actor on the same list. “Selma” director Ava Duvernay was also honored and told an anecdote where she realized the gender gap by talking to a fellow director. “I got a big movie,” she remembered telling him, talking about the $20 million budget for “Selma.” He said he had gotten a big movie, too. It was “Jurassic World.”

Also honored were Kate Winslet, Amy Schumer, Alicia Vikander and Carey Mulligan, who said, “Imagine how many millions of women's stories there are for us to tell.” Dakota Johnson received the Calvin Klein Spotlight Award and Gena Rowlands was honored with the L’Oreal Paris Legend Award.