Heather Graham was frequently cast as the sexpot in comedy movies, and eventually she began to tire of being seen as just one thing. She's experienced a lot in Hollywood, and she knows full well the industry isn't always good for women.

She talked to The Guardian about her career recently. “I related to the awkward romantic comedy heroines more than to the glam characters. Sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t being seen for my intelligence or other qualities," she mused. But even more on her mind was how much Hollywood skewed to the male demographic.

“Most movies are financed based on a male actor attaching themselves,” she told the newspaper, “and if it’s not a male-driven story – if the guy’s not this hero, like killing all these people and saving everyone’s lives – it’s sometimes harder to get men to attach. Every independent movie is...