--- title: Divergent Star Shailene Woodley is The Feminist We've Been Waiting For description: Why Hollywood desperately needs Shailene Woodley canonical: https://time.com/27165/why-hollywood-desperately-needs-shailene-woodley/ author: Eliana Dockterman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-18T19:31:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:44:25.308Z og:title: Why Hollywood Desperately Needs Shailene Woodley og:description: The feminist we've been waiting for arrives in Divergent og:url: https://time.com/27165/why-hollywood-desperately-needs-shailene-woodley/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a3105d3fd99f946/698685d1e53aba9dce4d187a/478239447.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - Season 1 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why Hollywood Desperately Needs Shailene Woodley twitter:description: The feminist we've been waiting for arrives in Divergent twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5a3105d3fd99f946/698685d1e53aba9dce4d187a/478239447.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Why Hollywood Desperately Needs Shailene Woodley > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=8d457367-cd79-48bc-b2b2-367a3a1c7922&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Behind the Scenes of 'Divergent' With Shailene Woodley [Watch (HLS stream): Behind the Scenes of 'Divergent' With Shailene Woodley](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/rjBaWbQB.m3u8) (4:16)  _Published 2014-03-04. Take a look at the making of the upcoming film 'Divergent' with actress Shailene Woodley, who plays main character Tris Prior._  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Mar 18, 2014 7:31 PM UTC  Shailene Woodley on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on March 12, 2014 Shailene Woodley on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on March 12, 2014 Lloyd Bishop—NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Mar 18, 2014 7:31 PM UTC Shailene Woodley’s stock is about to skyrocket, which is a good thing because if the press tour for her new movie _Divergent_ is any indication, she’s the feminist role model we’ve been waiting for in Hollywood. Woodley is on the road to becoming a household name, thanks to starring roles in two upcoming film adaptations of wildly popular — but incredibly different — YA books. On Friday, the highly anticipated film adaptation of Veronica Roth’s [_Divergent_](http://time.com/12694/divergent-shailene-woodley-behind-the-scenes-interview-video/) hits theaters. And later this summer, Woodley will star as cancer patient Hazel in the big-screen version of fan favorite [_The Fault in Our Stars_](http://entertainment.time.com/2014/01/29/the-fault-in-our-stars-trailer/)_._ The up-and-coming star has made a point of speaking out about the issues she believes in, including the traditional constraints against women in Hollywood. And now that Jennifer Lawrence is [considering taking a year off from Hollywood](http://time.com/9265/jennifer-lawrence-may-take-a-year-off-from-hollywood/), we’re in desperate need of young female role models in the movie industry. Enter Shailene. The parallels to Lawrence are obvious. Both spent time on family-friendly TV shows (TBS’ _The Bill Engvall Show_ for Lawrence and ABC Family’s _The Secret Life of the American Teenager_ for Woodley) before making the leap to critically acclaimed indie films (an Oscar-nominated performance in _Winter’s Bone_ for Lawrence and _The Descendants_ with George Clooney for Woodley). Now both headline female-led franchises based on dystopian young adult novels: _Divergent_ is already being called the next _Hunger Games_. And the similarities don’t stop there. Both actresses chopped off their long locks for pixie cuts. They’re both bubbly, down-t0-earth, beautiful and effortlessly likable. (If you need proof, [see](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNHHd2b4Flo&list=UU8-Th83bH%5FthdKZDJCrn88g) the outdoor-loving, mason-jar-toting Woodley offer Jimmy Fallon a phallic horseradish.) Though Lionsgate President Erik Feig [enlisted Lawrence](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shailene-woodley-is-divergent-star-685842) to convince Woodley to sign on to the _Divergent_ franchise and Woodley has since reached out to Lawrence for advice — all via email — the two starlets reportedly have not met. Their eventual, inevitable union will probably kill the Internet with an overload of memes. But Woodley’s recent press tour has us thinking she’s more than just a J-Law clone. She has her own opinions about feminism and isn’t afraid to speak up. Here are the highlights: **On feminism in** **_Divergent_** **(**[**The Daily Beast**](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/07/exclusive-shailene-woodley-on-divergent-j-law-and-why-she-turned-down-fifty-shades-of-grey.html)**):** “And in this movie, there’s no envy and no jealousy — no ridiculous girl-fights. It’s such an important message to send out there in this age of feminism because, yes, men need to respect women, and women need to be the leads of films, but at the same time, how do we expect men to respect women if women don’t respect women? A big theme in my life is sisterhood, and I think that this movie is a really great representation of that — of being there and supporting one-another without the malicious attacks that so often come in movies and media. So many women feel so much anger towards other women.” **On the anti-feminist messages of** **_Twilight_** **(**[**_Teen Vogue_**](http://www.teenvogue.com/entertainment/cover-stars/2014-03/shailene-woodley/?slide=1)**):** “_Twilight_, I’m sorry, is about a very unhealthy, toxic relationship. \[The protagonist Bella\] falls in love with this guy and the second he leaves her, her life is over and she’s going to kill herself! What message are we sending to young people? That is not going to help this world evolve.” **On being single (**[**_Marie Claire_**](http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/shailene-woodley-april-cover-feature-interview)**):** “I just haven’t met anyone where I was like, ‘Wow I could definitely see myself spending a season of my life with you.’ I don’t even know if humans are genetically made to be with one person forever.” **On love (**[**_The Hollywood Reporter_**](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shailene-woodley-is-divergent-star-685842)**):** “I fall in love with human beings based on who they are, not based on what they do or what sex they are.”  Shailene Woodley and Theo James in Divergent Jaap Buitendijk—Summit Entertainment TIME got an early dose of Woodley’s real talk when she was promoting her indie flick _The Spectacular Now_ this summer. In an [interview with _Spectacular Now_ co-star Miles Teller](http://entertainment.time.com/2013/07/31/shailene-woodley-and-miles-teller-on-playing-lovers-enemies-celebrities/), Woodley told TIME’s Lily Rothman about her struggle against one of the literal constraints against women — the bra. (This portion of the Q&A was originally cut for space and never published.) --- > “” --- Regardless of what you may think of Woodley’s throwback hippie brand of feminism, her message about loving one’s soul rather than one’s body is on point. If Woodley becomes a leading star in the Hollywood, as industry insiders are projecting, we can look forward to her sharing positive messages with her young fans. ## Transcript [ SOUND ] You're weak. [ SOUND ] You have no muscle. [ SOUND ] I play the character of Beatrice Prior. More recognized as Tris Prior. And she starts off in a faction called Abnegation, which values selflessness. And throughout the film she decides to transfer into a different faction which values bravery. And her constant battle within her own mind is, am I selfless or am I brave. And through that indecision she becomes, she becomes a young woman, and, and also brings others with her and starts to save her whole colony. [ LAUGH ] What, did you get pushed? No. What's your name? Is it a hard one? You can pick a new one if you want, but make it good. You don't get to pick again. Tris. My name's Tris. First jumper Tris, welcome to Dallas. [ SOUND ] Cut. And action. You're not gonna jump, are you? No, I'm just trying to get a good vantage point. Good thinking. [ SOUND ] You don't have to come with me. Wow, you should go easy. You took a beating. I'm surprised you noticed. Saw you leave during the fight. Well, it wasn't something I really wanted to watch. The world of Divergent is giant. It's, sort of unfathomable. The pit alone. The pit we're in right now is almost the size of a whole sound stage. They really, you know, the, it's one thing to read a book, especially a book about the future, and then to come up with that world. And through the director, Neil Berger. And through the art department, as well as every other department involved in this movie. They created something that is relatable. You know, it's something we recognize in today's world, today's society. But it's also tweaked just enough to establish that it is something of the future. You know, we're of the future in this movie. We're not, we're not in the present day. In [ INAUDIBLE ] there's a finely Russian [ INAUDIBLE ] hand to hand combat. The idea is to create torque and speed. Protecting your hands while maximizing damage to your opponent. Will, get into the ring, hands by your sides. [ SOUND ] Good. Get in pairs. And, action! [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Divergent, visually is going to be extremely compelling. And I think that's gonna bring a lot of people in. Cause its this new world, and it's, it's full of new experiences and, and new walls to sort of explore. But ultimately, what drew me to this movie and what I think will draw a lot of people is that it's very metaphorical to things that are happening today and there's a lot of beauty in that. There's a lot of beauty in seeing a movie that visually is stunning and that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions through the characters, experiences but yet you can also relate to. And this being a dystopian sort of futuristic world, and yet having so many comparisons to today's model and to take what's going on in today's world, I think is very intriguing and very interesting. And I, I think that a lot of people will respond to that. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/27165/why-hollywood-desperately-needs-shailene-woodley/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/27165/why-hollywood-desperately-needs-shailene-woodley/"},"headline":"Why Hollywood Desperately Needs Shailene Woodley","datePublished":"2014-03-18T19:31:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:44:25.308Z","description":"The 22-year-old Divergent star turns out to be the outspoken feminist role model we've been waiting for. 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