Megan Fox Says 'The Nag, The Trophy, The Escort' Still Dominate Women's Roles

In Hollywood, stereotyping still runs rampant.
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"In terms of what’s available for women to play in general in Hollywood, it’s pretty scarce," Fox told The New York Times.
Albert L. Ortega via Getty Images

Plenty of women in Hollywood will tell you just how hard it is to find a meaningful role. The latest to speak out on the issue: Megan Fox.

The "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" star (who's expecting her third child) explained in an interview with The New York Times that while she loves acting in fantasy and action movies, she doesn't "get a whole lot of say in terms of character development."

"It’s not like I'm in there helping them write the script saying, 'April should do this, because this is what a real feminist would do,'" she said. "In terms of what’s available for women to play in general in Hollywood, it’s pretty scarce."

Fox continued: "You have these stereotypes that still dominate films: the nag, the trophy, the escort. [Laughs.] I haven’t been sent a nag script yet, but I do get plenty of, like, 'interesting stripper.' Or, 'She’s super funny, but she’s also an escort, but that’s what makes it funny!'" 

We've definitely heard that before. Fellow actresses including Charlize Theron, Olivia MunnHelen Hunt and Carla Gugino have also spoken out about being pigeonholed in Hollywood.

In an interview with British GQ, which received quite a lot of backlash, Theron said that it's difficult for "pretty people" in Hollywood to get those "meaty" roles.

"How many roles are out there for the gorgeous f**king gown-wearing eight-foot model? When meaty roles come through, I’ve been in the room and pretty people get turned away first," she said. 

(Theron later clarified her comments, calling the whole situation a "misunderstanding" and saying, "When I was a model 20 years ago, it was hard to walk into a room and [have to] prove myself, you know?")

Munn echoed Fox's sentiment regarding stereotypes when she revealed last month that she turned down a role in "Deadpool" because she didn't want to play "the girlfriend." 

Meanwhile, Hunt told HuffPost Live last year that women in Hollywood are "f**ked" when it comes to getting both good roles and equal rights in the industry. 

Gugino, however, offered a little more hope when she spoke to HuffPost Live in 2015

"When I was 25, all I wanted to do was be the age I am now because there were no really meaty great roles for young women. And now, you know, you have Jennifer Lawrence. You have Shailene Woodley. Brit Marling is so wonderful," she said.

"You have really wonderful actresses who are young women coming into their own who are getting to have roles that really count and they’re really filling that space." 

The roles Gugino alludes to, such as Katniss Everdeen (played by Lawrence) and Tris Prior (played by Woodley), just to name a couple, do seem to signal progress. But it's 2016, and we're still not completely there yet.

Hurry up, Hollywood. 

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Megan Fox
Premiere Of Dreamworks' "Eagle Eye" - Arrivals(01 of20)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 16: Actress Megan Fox arrives at the premiere of Dreamworks' 'Eagle Eye' at the Mann Chinese Theater on September 16, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - JUNE 01: Actress Megan Fox poses in the press room during the 17th annual MTV Movie Awards held at the Gibson Amphitheatre on June 1, 2008 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Actress Megan Fox arrives at the GQ Men of the Year party held at the Chateau Marmont Hotel on November 18, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for GQ) (credit:Getty Images)
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WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 22: Actress Megan Fox arrives at the premiere Of DreamWorks 'Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen' at Mann Village Theatre on June 22, 2009 in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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PARIS - JULY 07: Actress Megan Fox attends Giorgio Armani Prive Fashion Show at Palais de Chaillot on July 7, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Teen Choice Awards 2009 - Press Room(07 of20)
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UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - AUGUST 09: Actress Megan Fox poses with Choice Hottie Award in press room during the 2009 Teen Choice Awards held at Gibson Amphitheatre on August 9, 2009 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 17: Actress Megan Fox accepts the Best Sci-Fi Actress award onstage during Spike TV's Scream 2009 held at the Greek Theatre on October 17, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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2010 Teen Choice Awards - Press Room(11 of20)
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UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - AUGUST 08: Actress Megan Fox poses in press room with the Choice Hotties award during the 2010 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on August 8, 2010 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
"Passion Play" Premiere - 2010 Toronto International Film Festival(12 of20)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 10: Actress Megan Fox arrives to the 'Passion Play' Premiere held at Ryerson Theatre during the 35th Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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MILAN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 27: Megan Fox attends the Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week Womenswear on September 27, 2010 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
US actress Megan Fox poses she arrives f(14 of20)
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US actress Megan Fox poses she arrives for the Emporio Armani spring-summer 2011 ready-to-wear collection on September 25, 2010 during the Women's fashion week in Milan. AFP PHOTO / GIUSEPPE CACACE (Photo credit should read GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Spike TV's "Scream 2010" - Show(15 of20)
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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 16: Actress Megan Fox speaks onstage during Spike TV's 'Scream 2010' at The Greek Theatre on October 16, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Caulfield/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Actress Megan Fox arrives with a guest f(16 of20)
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Actress Megan Fox arrives with a guest for the 68th annual Golden Globe awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California January 16, 2011. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
7th Annual March Of Dimes Celebration Of Babies, A Hollywood Luncheon, At The Beverly Hills Hotel(17 of20)
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BEVERLY HILLS, CA - DECEMBER 07: Actress Megan Fox attends the 7th Annual March of Dimes Celebration of Babies, a Hollywood Luncheon, at the Beverly Hills Hotel on December 7, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images For March Of Dimes) (credit:Getty Images)
Premiere Of Universal Pictures' "This Is 40" - Red Carpet(18 of20)
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HOLLYWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 12: Actress Megan Fox attends the premiere of Universal Pictures' 'This Is 40' at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on December 12, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Season 21(19 of20)
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Megan Fox 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards Arrivals held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California 1/13/13 © Jill Johnson/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661 (credit:jpistudios.com)