In a message posted Sunday on her Instagram and Tumblr accounts, actress Abigail Breslin alluded to the ongoing Blake Lively scandal as well as the time she was sued by the producers of a film after complaining about a co-star’s on-set behavior, declaring that “toxic masculinity” in Hollywood “is the norm.”
“When did the word woman become synonymous with scapegoat? As I see the news each day, I realize this is the world we seem to live in. In light of recent events regarding the attempt to destroy the career and livelihood of a fellow actress and woman, I have felt compelled to write this, as I have unfortunately been subject to the same toxic masculinity throughout my life,” Breslin wrote.
“In my recent career, I’ve brought forward concerns about a male colleague and was deemed ‘hysterical. I was told my fears were figments of my imagination. Now, as I’m seeing this pattern pop up more, I realize this is the norm.”
Breslin said she, “like a lot of women, had hope in change,” particularly after the #MeToo movement erupted in 2017. But that movement, she said, was more like “a firework. It can wake you up out of a sound sleep, it burns so bright and shocks the s— out of you but then, it burns out — just like that.”
After that happened with #MeToo, Breslin said, as far as Hollywood was concerned, “behind closed doors, — to them — we are still just noisy women.”
“It was a pat on the head, a consolation prize,” Breslin declared before revisiting the 2023 lawsuit filed by the producers of the film “Classified” after she had complained about Eckhart’s behavior.
Without naming the film or Eckhart in her statement, Breslin said that after filing “a confidential complaint against a coworker for unprofessional behavior, I had the silly and naive impression they would believe me.” Instead, she said, “a suit was filed against me for having the audacity to speak up.”
“I was made to seem like someone who just goes after men, rather than being seen as someone who has been dealing as a professional in this world, since I was a child, standing up for herself. This was after I had taken all of the recommended, reasonable and appropriate measures of reporting confidentially to my union. The experience left me with a lot of questions, of the professionals in my industry, of the public, and of men,” Breslin continued.
“I often wonder why we are always excited to see the takedown of a woman? Why are we always so quick to defend a man after he is accused of bad behavior, but if a woman speaks out … she’s clearly a liar?”
“I find most people believe the approval of a man is far more significant than the burden of supporting a woman. For men, it is always innocent until proven guilty. For women it is the opposite. ‘Prove your fear.’ ‘Prove your discomfort.’ ‘Prove your pain.’ This MUST change.”
“Here we find ourselves again, in a vicious cycle of crucifying another woman for speaking out against a man. Watching as the world splits in two over who is telling the truth, no matter how much evidence is presented. Because how could a woman do anything but lie or exaggerate,” she continued.
Ultimately, Breslin said, “to change the narrative, we do not need more women to scream. We just need a lot more men to shut up and listen.”
Breslin was sued in Nov., 2023 by the producers of the action film “Classified” for filing her complaint, which they said had damaged the film’s future success. At the time, Breslin’s representatives said that she “categorically denies all contended allegations and unequivocally stands by her statement which she provided confidentially to SAG.”
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