The 75 annual Golden Globe Awards saw a sea of black take over the red carpet as Hollywood stars opted for the dark hue over bright colours to show solidarity with victims of sexual assault, harassment and discrimination.
The movement was inspired by Time's Up, a new initiative that hopes to combat "systemic inequality and injustice in the workplace."
While some have claimed the protest makes an ineffective statement, eight actresses proved critics wrong by taking the movement one step further and inviting female activists in various fields to be their date to the awards show. Not only did this highlight the growing need for change, but also further put the spotlight on issues of gender inequality and sexual misconduct.
"We believe we are nearing a tipping point in transforming the culture of violence in the countries where we live and work," the activists — who include "Me Too" founder Tarana Burke and Ai-jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance — said in a joint statement on Sunday. "It's a moment to transform both the written and unwritten rules that devalue the lives and experiences of women."
They added: "This moment in time calls for us to use the power of our collective voices to find solutions that leave no woman behind."
Below are the eight actresses who made a statement with their activist dates at the 2018 Golden Globes, and what they are making a stand for.
1. Michelle Williams & Tarana Burke
The "All the Money in the World" star called attention to gender inequality by bringing Tarana Burke, the "Me Too" founder and senior director of the U.S. nonprofit Girls for Gender Equity, as her date.
"We are here because of Tarana," Williams told E! News at the awards show. "Tarana started a movement and she planted a seed years ago. Tarana started the 'Me Too' movement."
"I thought I would have to raise my daughter to learn how to protect herself in a dangerous world," the actress added, "but I think the work that Tarana has done and the work that I'm learning how to do — we actually have the opportunity to hand our children a different world."
Speaking about the impact the "Me Too" and Time's Up movement has had, Burke noted to ABC News, "The thing that is most powerful is that it's women across the spectrum. It's people across all genders, all races, all classes. People are not used to us working together."
2. Meryl Streep & Ai-jen Poo
Ai-jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, accompanied Meryl Streep to the awards show.
During a red carpet interview with E! News, Streep, who is nominated for her role in "The Post," said, "I think people are aware now of a power imbalance. It's something that leads to abuse... And we want to fix that. And we feel sort of emboldened in this particular moment to stand together in a thick black line."
Poo added that she hopes the Time's Up movement will inspire others to keep the momentum going. "We all deserve work places where we are safe and live in dignity," she said. "This is a movement where there's space for everyone and there's a role for everyone."
3.Laura Dern & Mónica Ramírez
"This isn't a moment, this is a movement," actress Laura Dern told ABC News on the red carpet.
The "Big Little Lies" star attended the Golden Globes with activist Mónica Ramírez by her side. Ramírez is the founder Alianza Nacional de Campesinas and an advocate for farmworkers, Latinas, and immigrant women fighting against sexual violence.
Referring to Ramírez and others, Dern told ABC News, "So many extraordinary activists have been working in their own world and then reaching out to all people to protect people everywhere. But now in this sea of black you see that we are all saying together, 'You are not alone.'"
Ramírez reiterated this message of solidarity reminding "all people experiencing sexual violence in the workplace that they are not alone. That we stand with them and we lend them our power and our strength."
4. Emma Watson & Marai Larasi
Emma Watson is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and a proud feminist, so it's no surprise she took the opportunity to support the Time's Up movement by bringing activist Marai Larasi to the Golden Globes.
"When Michelle Williams spearheaded the idea of actresses bringing activists on the red carpet, my first thought was, 'It would be so great to do it with Marai, because we have fun together, we challenge each other,'" Watson told E! News.
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Larasi is the executive director of Imkaan, a network of U.K. organizations that work to end violence against black and minority women. She is also a partner with the EU/UN Women.
On the red carpet, Watson reiterated the importance of taking a stand against gender-based violence. "There is a wall of silence around violence against women and girls and every time somebody speaks out, it just creates a bit of a crack in that wall," the 27-year-old said.
5. Amy Poehler & Saru Jayaraman
Amy Poehler and her date Saru Jayaraman looked like BFFs on the red carpet. Jayaraman is an advocate for restaurant workers, as well as an attorney and author.
Commenting on their matching black attire on the red carpet, Poehler simply said, "Sometimes it represents the ending of something, (but) we're showing solidarity and leaning into the beginning of something."
On Twitter, Jayaraman revealed that she was attending the awards show "in honour of the women servers, bussers, bartenders, runners, cooks, & hosts who experience the highest rates of sexual harassment of any industry in the country."
Here in honor of the women servers, bussers, bartenders, runners, cooks, & hosts who experience the highest rates of sexual harassment of any industry in the country. #GoldenGlobes#TIMESUP#MeToo#1FairWage@OneFairWageNYhttps://t.co/IhfKzSVz6s
— Saru Jayaraman (@SaruJayaraman) January 8, 2018
6. Emma Stone & Billie Jean King
Emma Stone was nominated for playing Billie Jean King in "Battle of the Sexes," so it only makes sense that she would bring the tennis champion as her date to the Golden Globes.
"Battle of the Sexes" is a film about the infamous 1973 tennis match between King and Bobby Riggs. At the time, King was fighting for equal pay. The now-retired tennis star went on to found the Women's Tennis Association.
At the awards show, King commented on the gender pay gap. "It's one step at a time... every generation has to fight for equality," she said. "It's now Emma's job... but it's our job as an older generation to keep mentoring and keep supporting."
7. Shailene Woodley & Calina Lawrence
Ahead of the Golden Globes, Shailene Woodley tweeted that she felt "honoured and moved and grateful" to attend the awards show with Calina Lawrence by her side.
Lawrence, who is a member of the Suquamish Tribe, is a singer and advocate for Native Americans. According to L.A. Times film reporter Jen Yamato, Lawrence and Woodley are friends, which makes sense considering they have both fought for Native American rights. (If you recall, Woodley was previously arrested for protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock).
On Twitter, Woodley wrote that she and Lawrence would walk the red carpet "together to hold the space for both solidarity and accountability on the imbalance of power between women and men."
In a Twitter video, Lawrence added, "It's an honour to stand as a representative for missing and murdered Indigenous women and in solidarity with the women who are empowering the Time's Up movement in Hollywood and beyond."
Friends and activists Shailene Woodley and Calina Lawrence on attending the #GoldenGlobes together #TimesUppic.twitter.com/tcXCQCG7F6
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) January 8, 2018
8. Susan Sarandon & Rosa Clemente
Puerto Rican activist and independent journalist Rosa Clemente was happy to accompany Susan Sarandon to the Golden Globes. On the red carpet, Clemente commented on what needs to happen to change society's rape culture.
"Our sisterhood is strong. It's always been strong. Now we need men to be allies and accomplices in smashing sexual violence," Clemente told Access. "It can't just be because you have a daughter or mother. It has to be because we are human beings that deserve the right to dignity, whether we're working on a Hollywood set or working at Kentucky Fried Chicken."
On Twitter, fans applauded Sarandon and other actresses for sharing the limelight with activists like Clemente, who are clearly the best role models for today's youth.
I love the fact that activists like Tarana Burke, Rosa Clemente & Ai-jen Poo are walking the red carpet. These are the stars I want little girls to look up to. #GoldenGlobes
— Alanna Vagianos (@lannadelgrey) January 8, 2018
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