Rose McGowan is an activist, author and director. After an acting career in Hollywood that spanned two decades, she went public with allegations of abuse against Harvey Weinstein. This became central in exposing systemic harassment in the entertainment industry, that shook the world and led to the #MeToo movement.
Rose was born in one cult and came of age in another, more visible cult: Hollywood.
After escaping the Children of God cult as a child, Rose moved to the States, and then ran away at thirteen. She lived a transient punk lifestyle on and off the streets until she was “discovered” in Los Angeles and overnight became one of Hollywood’s most desired actresses.
In a strange world where she was continually on display, stardom soon became a personal nightmare of constant exposure and sexualisation. Rose escaped into the world of her mind, something she had done as a child, and into high-profile relationships. Every detail of her personal life became public, and the realities of an inherently sexist industry emerged with each script, role, public appearance, and magazine cover. The Hollywood machine packaged her as a sexualised bombshell, hijacking her image and identity and marketing them for profit.
Hollywood expected Rose to be silent and cooperative and to stay the path. Instead, she rebelled and asserted her true identity and voice. She reemerged unscripted, courageous, victorious, angry, smart, fierce, unapologetic, controversial, and real as f*ck.
Her book BRAVE chronicles her journey from childhood to Hollywood, and her mission to reclaim her life, and encourage people to question the power structures around them.
