Author, artist and unstoppable force for change Rose McGowan
speaks to Happiful about what bravery means to her, how we can
all make a positive difference, and what the future holdsWriting | Lucy DonoughueR
ose McGowan has been
brave since she was a
child. Her father told her
sisters that his nickname
for her was ‘brave one’,
and she adds, laughing,
that her mother later said she’s always
been ‘thorny’ too, so Rose was a
perfect name for her. But, as we
discuss, the rose is also a symbol of
strength, beauty and protection, and
couldn’t be more appropriate...
Many people will recognise Rose
for her acting and work as part of
the #MeToo movement, but she
found real bravery a long time
before that. Her aptly-titled book,
Brave, explores her childhood
in Italy, living in the Children of
God cult, moving to America in
her teens, and adulthood. It was
released last year, when the media
frenzy around widespread sexual
harrassment and rape allegations
throughout Hollywood was at its
height, but the telling of her truth
had been coming for some time.“I’ve always been kind of bold,”
Rose explains, when we discuss the
concept of bravery. “It’s not driven
by ego, it’s driven by fear. I always
resented being afraid of things, and
so instead of shrinking from them I
lean into them.
“I’m scared of heights, so I jumped
out of a plane. You tackle your fear
head on. It doesn’t make it pleasant
or fun – not by any stretch – but it’s a
compulsion, and I’m that person.
“Everyone has their own definition
of what bravery is for them. But it’s
definitely getting outside of your
comfort zone. Who wants to be
comfortable all the time? When
difficult situations arise, we can either
shrink from them, or lean into them.
By doing that, I think we can actually
change the world.”
This is the first of many hugely
optimistic statements I hear from Rose.
She wants the world to be a better
place, she wants to challenge systems
that oppress and damage humans, and
she’s committed to making waves.Many of the areas in which Rose has
worked as a social activist are well
known. Out of respect to her, I don’t
want to spend this article discussing
the person who raped Rose in 1997.
In her book, she refers to him simply
as ‘the monster’, and a Google search
for ‘Hollywood Producer #MeToo’
will lead you to more information,
should you need to look.
The same search will also offer up
information about the momentum
the #MeToo movement gathered
in 2017 and 2018, when Rose and
many others opened up about the
terrible treatment they’d endured at
the hands of those with power and
money to cover up and tarnish the
lives and careers of anybody who
spoke out against them.
The concept of being compelled
to act is evident once more when
Rose discusses speaking out against
‘the monster’, and the network of
people who were complicit in their
unwillingness to acknowledge or stop
his toxic abusive behaviour.BE BRAVE, BE BETTER.