--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anytime you have a female protagonist…" description: "\"Anytime you have a female protagonist, it's going to turn into some feminist angle, and it's not a conscious thing on my part. It's only recently that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/elisabeth-moss-11462_boring_anytime-you-have-a-female-protagonist-it_2313076.jpg" --- # Anytime you have a female protagonist, it's going to turn… ![“Anytime you have a female protagonist, it's going to turn into some feminist angle, and it's not a conscious thing on my part. It's only recently that that's been pointed out by the media . . . or pointed out by fans. I also find complicated, flawed characters interesting. What's the opposite? To…” quote by Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/elisabeth-moss-11462_boring_anytime-you-have-a-female-protagonist-it_2313076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/elisabeth-moss-11462_boring_anytime-you-have-a-female-protagonist-it_2313076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/elisabeth-moss-11462_boring_anytime-you-have-a-female-protagonist-it_2313076.jpg) > “Anytime you have a female protagonist, it's going to turn into some feminist angle, and it's not a conscious thing on my part. It's only recently that that's been pointed out by the media . . . or pointed out by fans. I also find complicated, flawed characters interesting. What's the opposite? To play one-dimensional, boring failures?” [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She observes that female leads often get interpreted through a feminist lens, even unintentionally, and she values complex, flawed characters over one‑dimensional ones. **In simple terms:** Female leads are seen as feminist, even if not intended; complexity matters. Key Takeaway Embrace nuanced characters. Themes feminism character development media perception Mood reflective critical Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - screenwriting - character casting - audience analysis - media criticism Key Concepts gender studies narrative complexity Questions to Reflect On - How does audience bias shape storytelling? - Can creators avoid unintended readings? A Different Perspective Interpretations can pigeonhole stories, limiting artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Female Protagonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-protagonist-1092476/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Flawed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flawed/) [Flawed Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flawed-characters-970110/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Protagonist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonist/) [Protagonist Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protagonist-going-1122860/) [Turn Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn-feminist-5501261/) ## Related quotes > [“My writer friends and I talk about the kinds of writers we are and some of us are plungers and some of us are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/my-writer-friends-and-i-talk-about-the-kinds-of-writers-we-are-and/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [My female protagonist will not be this promiscuous, beautiful, dark-haired, thin lady. It will be a plump, blond, healer and so forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/my-female-protagonist-will-not-be-this-promiscuous-beautiful-dark/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [Crime is a very hard genre to feminise. If you have a female protagonist she is going to be looking after her mum when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/crime-is-a-very-hard-genre-to-feminise-if-you-have-a-female/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [I think boys don't always like to read books with female protagonist - I don't even know what to say about this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-think-boys-don-t-always-like-to-read-books-with-female-protagonist/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [I can't tell you the number of stories I've told with a female protagonist don't get bought, or they do get bought and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/i-can-t-tell-you-the-number-of-stories-i-ve-told-with-a-female/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're always steered towards what is good in the canon by a male perspective. I like to do plays with a female protagonist who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/we-re-always-steered-towards-what-is-good-in-the-canon-by-a-male/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [“And here, of course, we come to the one occupation of a female protagonist in literature, the one thing she can do, and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/and-here-of-course-we-come-to-the-one-occupation-of-a-female/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) > [I don't believe in distinguishing between single-heroine films or those that have more than one female protagonist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-batra/i-don-t-believe-in-distinguishing-between-single-heroine-films-or/) [Pooja Batra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-batra/) > [I like flawed characters very much. A lot of times I get asked to do parts that are kind of small but key -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-cannavale/i-like-flawed-characters-very-much-a-lot-of-times-i-get-asked-to-do/) [Bobby Cannavale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-cannavale/) > [I find flawed characters much more interesting than perfect ones and enjoy the challenge of making readers root for them in spite of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-find-flawed-characters-much-more-interesting-than-perfect-ones-and/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [“Some of the best characters are the most flawed characters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-a-mcbride/some-of-the-best-characters-are-the-most-flawed-characters/) [Brian A. McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-a-mcbride/) > [I like playing flawed characters, people who aren't perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-berenger/i-like-playing-flawed-characters-people-who-aren-t-perfect/) [Tom Berenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-berenger/) > [I'm trying to make really flawed characters that have got redeeming features so people can say, 'I don't really like that character, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-m-trying-to-make-really-flawed-characters-that-have-got-redeeming/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters. I find flawed characters much more interesting than perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-write-about-real-women-real-people-in-other-words-flawed-2/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [I try to write about real women, real people - in other words flawed characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-try-to-write-about-real-women-real-people-in-other-words-flawed/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More by Elisabeth Moss > [I don't feel I was ever a 'famous' child actor. I was just a working actor who happened to be a kid. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-don-t-feel-i-was-ever-a-famous-child-actor-i-was-just-a-working/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [It's a great dynamic. The dynamic between men and women in the workplace is really interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/it-s-a-great-dynamic-the-dynamic-between-men-and-women-in-the/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [To play somebody who had such a unique problem and a unique mind was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/to-play-somebody-who-had-such-a-unique-problem-and-a-unique-mind-was/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [One day you're there and then all of a sudden, there's less of you. And you wonder where that part went. If it's living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/one-day-you-re-there-and-then-all-of-a-sudden-there-s-less-of-you-and/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [Men and women are both humans, so, for me, that makes my characters and the work that I do human stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/men-and-women-are-both-humans-so-for-me-that-makes-my-characters-and/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [I spent seven seasons on 'Mad Men,' playing what became considered a very feminist character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-spent-seven-seasons-on-mad-men-playing-what-became-considered-a/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [The great thing about Pete and Peggy's storyline is that you barely have to do anything. There's so much there, so much history, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/the-great-thing-about-pete-and-peggy-s-storyline-is-that-you-barely/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [I've had to consciously try not to do all television and try to do films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-ve-had-to-consciously-try-not-to-do-all-television-and-try-to-do/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [At 15, you have to decide if you're going to go into professional dancing and really pursue it. I just a) knew that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/at-15-you-have-to-decide-if-you-re-going-to-go-into-professional/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [Obviously, my life and my job in 2010 is very different from Peggy's experience in the 1960s. I exist in a world that enjoys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/obviously-my-life-and-my-job-in-2010-is-very-different-from-peggy-s/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [Ever since I was 15, when I did my first movie by myself, where my mom wasn't there and I had a guardian, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/ever-since-i-was-15-when-i-did-my-first-movie-by-myself-where-my-mom/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [I've always considered myself a feminist. But, like a lot of women of my generation, I didn't think we had to fight for it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-feminist-but-like-a-lot-of-women-of/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [We grew up with musicians coming over jamming. We had tons of instruments. So holidays were always like, 50 people would come over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/we-grew-up-with-musicians-coming-over-jamming-we-had-tons-of/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [She drove me to ballet class...and she took me to every audition. She'd be proud of me if I was still sitting in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/she-drove-me-to-ballet-class-and-she-took-me-to-every-audition-she-d/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [I just think that good stories are stories that reflect ourselves back at us and each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-just-think-that-good-stories-are-stories-that-reflect-ourselves/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) [Explore all 59 Elisabeth Moss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) ## More Boring quotes > [Normal is so Boring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-so-boring/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [The films I find boring are the ones that have no space for the audience's misconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-decker/the-films-i-find-boring-are-the-ones-that-have-no-space-for-the/) [Josephine Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-decker/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I've always felt that dark lyrics with dark music is pretty useless. Maybe that's a strong statement - not useless, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-felt-that-dark-lyrics-with-dark-music-is-pretty-useless/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/something-is-wrong-if-workers-do-not-look-around-each-day-find-things/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [Plumbing is usually boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/plumbing-is-usually-boring/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Acting is an escape from the boring person that I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/acting-is-an-escape-from-the-boring-person-that-i-am-in-real-life/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) [Browse all 3,123 Boring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boring/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anytime you have a female protagonist, it's going to turn into some feminist angle, and it's not a conscious thing on my part. It's only recently that that's been pointed out by the media . . . or pointed out by fans. I also find complicated, flawed characters interesting. What's the opposite? 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