--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Women are really complex and totally…" description: "\"Women are really complex and totally enigmatic. Humans are really complex, but in film, we've only ever seen that with men. We've seen antiheroes time ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg" --- # Women are really complex and totally enigmatic. Humans are… ![“Women are really complex and totally enigmatic. Humans are really complex, but in film, we've only ever seen that with men. We've seen antiheroes time and again with male characters.” quote by Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg) > “Women are really complex and totally enigmatic. Humans are really complex, but in film, we've only ever seen that with men. We've seen antiheroes time and again with male characters.” [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women are portrayed as mysterious, while men dominate complex antihero roles in cinema. **In simple terms:** Female characters stay enigmatic; male antiheroes thrive. Key Takeaway Expand nuanced female roles. Themes gender representation film narrative Mood critical hopeful Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - screenwriting courses - casting initiatives - film festivals Key Concepts character depth industry bias Questions to Reflect On - How can creators diversify hero archetypes? - What stories need female antiheroes? A Different Perspective Industry may resist changing stereotypes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complex Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complex-film-5844304/) [Enigmatic Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enigmatic-humans-5844303/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Male Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-characters/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Really Complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-complex-1841496/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-really/) ## Related quotes > [My songwriting process, and maybe loads of other people's, is just this sort of smashing together of emotions and stuff to make some music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bay/my-songwriting-process-and-maybe-loads-of-other-people-s-is-just-this/) [James Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bay/) > [It's really complex to make something simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/it-s-really-complex-to-make-something-simple/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [The opportunities I've had to play really complex characters - which haven't been a lot, but some - you never get over them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-field/the-opportunities-i-ve-had-to-play-really-complex-characters-which/) [Sally Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-field/) > [I continue to be known as a guy that plays really complex, three-dimensional characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-knepper/i-continue-to-be-known-as-a-guy-that-plays-really-complex-three/) [Robert Knepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-knepper/) > [Whenever you have dynamic interactions between 300 million people and the American economy acting in really complex ways, that introduces a degree of almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/whenever-you-have-dynamic-interactions-between-300-million-people-and/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [The 'Discovery' album is really complex and really rich and really full of instruments, different parts and stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-manuel-de-homem-christo/the-discovery-album-is-really-complex-and-really-rich-and-really-full/) [Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-manuel-de-homem-christo/) > [Life isn't just black and white, or bad and good. It's really complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shira-haas/life-isn-t-just-black-and-white-or-bad-and-good-it-s-really-complex/) [Shira Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shira-haas/) > [Men should be able to see themselves in female characters and female strength, just as much as women are able to see themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-hawke/men-should-be-able-to-see-themselves-in-female-characters-and-female/) [Maya Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-hawke/) > [I've been very lucky to have been chosen for and to have chosen roles that are good. Some are better than others and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/i-ve-been-very-lucky-to-have-been-chosen-for-and-to-have-chosen-roles/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [None of the male characters are as powerful or as interesting as the four central female characters. The men work best as representations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-buckley/none-of-the-male-characters-are-as-powerful-or-as-interesting-as-the/) [Norman Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-buckley/) > [I really do love male characters, in some ways, for the fact that they get surprised when they're vulnerable. Women are more surprised by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-a-kemp/i-really-do-love-male-characters-in-some-ways-for-the-fact-that-they/) [Courtney A. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-a-kemp/) > [I feel that we should try and understand how we as women storytellers have often fallen into the mode of telling stories in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danae-elon/i-feel-that-we-should-try-and-understand-how-we-as-women-storytellers/) [Danae Elon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danae-elon/) > [When you look at all of the male characters on television and in film, it's not like every one of them are the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/when-you-look-at-all-of-the-male-characters-on-television-and-in-film/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [“Final Fantasy VII awoke American gaming to the possibilities of narrative dynamism and the importance of relatively developed characters—no small inspiration to take from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bissell/final-fantasy-vii-awoke-american-gaming-to-the-possibilities-of/) [Tom Bissell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bissell/) > [I told my friend - we were working on a movie together - and he gave me a script and asked me to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/i-told-my-friend-we-were-working-on-a-movie-together-and-he-gave-me-a/) [Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/) ## More by Andrea Riseborough > [I've played a mother before, but it's always been a very young child, which is closer to what I can imagine my own life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-ve-played-a-mother-before-but-it-s-always-been-a-very-young-child/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [Sometimes I can think of nothing more blissful than going to Berkeley and reading Byron for three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/sometimes-i-can-think-of-nothing-more-blissful-than-going-to-berkeley/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I can walk into meetings now and ask for equal pay, and the people will listen to me. They may not give it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-can-walk-into-meetings-now-and-ask-for-equal-pay-and-the-people/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I am quite odd-looking in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-am-quite-odd-looking-in-real-life/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [As an actor, you want to know if you're keeping a secret or telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/as-an-actor-you-want-to-know-if-you-re-keeping-a-secret-or-telling/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [Maybe I've just been incredibly fortunate, but there's a level of dedication, devotion, intensity and seriousness around me every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/maybe-i-ve-just-been-incredibly-fortunate-but-there-s-a-level-of/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [Sometimes I can receive the world and regurgitate my version of events easily and sometimes it's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/sometimes-i-can-receive-the-world-and-regurgitate-my-version-of/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I subscribe to no religion. But I believe that in the creation of art, there can be moments of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-subscribe-to-no-religion-but-i-believe-that-in-the-creation-of-art/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I don't relate to people that look like me. I find it deeply unsatisfying to play a version of myself. It was something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-don-t-relate-to-people-that-look-like-me-i-find-it-deeply/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I really enjoy picking up the physical rhythm of somebody else, speaking with their voice. I've never done in anything in my own voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-really-enjoy-picking-up-the-physical-rhythm-of-somebody-else/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [You know those bumpers in the two lanes when you go bowling? I go out there with two of them, metaphorically, every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/you-know-those-bumpers-in-the-two-lanes-when-you-go-bowling-i-go-out/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I think, sometimes, you can just get really burnt out on something you enjoy doing and feel like the sponge is completely wrung dry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-think-sometimes-you-can-just-get-really-burnt-out-on-something-you/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [Both of my grandfathers fought in the Second World War, and my great-grandfather died at the Somme in the First World War. I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/both-of-my-grandfathers-fought-in-the-second-world-war-and-my-great/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I don't read reviews, and it's not because I don't think I can learn something, I'm sure I could learn a lot. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-don-t-read-reviews-and-it-s-not-because-i-don-t-think-i-can-learn/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [I've always worked very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-ve-always-worked-very-hard/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) [Explore all 78 Andrea Riseborough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) ## More Film quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [Pakistan now is like a horror film franchise. You know, it's 'Friday the 13th, Episode 63: The Terrorist from Pakistan.' And each time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/pakistan-now-is-like-a-horror-film-franchise-you-know-it-s-friday-the/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) [Browse all 32,254 Film quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Women are really complex and totally enigmatic. Humans are really complex, but in film, we've only ever seen that with men. We've seen antiheroes time and again with male characters.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Andrea Riseborough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/women-are-really-complex-and-totally-enigmatic-humans-are-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Film" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/women-are-really-complex-and-totally-enigmatic-humans-are-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/978/andrea-riseborough-8720_film_women-are-really-complex-and-totally-eni_751236.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Women are really complex and totally enigmatic. Humans are really complex, but in film, we've only ever seen…” — Andrea Riseborough", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Andrea Riseborough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Women are really complex and totally...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/women-are-really-complex-and-totally-enigmatic-humans-are-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/women-are-really-complex-and-totally-enigmatic-humans-are-really/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```