CULTURE

Brie Larson Will Soon Play Victoria Woodhull, the First Woman to Run for President

Woodhull ran before women had the vote.


brie larson
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Brie Larson, soon to be Captain Marvel, is aiming for another fancy title. In a new movie, the actress will play Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States.

Woodhull ran for president in 1872, almost 50 years before American women got the right to vote with the 19th Amendment. Woodhull ran as a candidate from the Equal Rights Party, advocating for a platform of equal rights and women’s suffrage. In 1870, she announced her candidacy in a letter to the New York Herald.

She wrote, “I am quite well aware that in assuming this position I shall evoke more ridicule than enthusiasm at the outset. But this is an epoch of sudden changes and startling surprises. What may appear absurd today will assume a serious aspect to-morrow.”

Her highly controversial campaign was technically not even a constitutional one—not because of her gender, but because she ran at the age of 34, a year younger than the Constitution requires. Woodhull ultimately received zero electoral votes and a negligible number of popular votes, but her candidacy is considered an important influence nonetheless, paving the way for further progress in the suffrage movement.

Woodhull would also rack up other historic milestones in her life. Along with her sister, she became the first woman to operate a brokerage firm on Wall Street. The two would also be some of the first women to ever own and publish a newspaper.

According to Deadline, Larson, who has frequently shown creative interest in projects with strong female leads, will also produce the Amazon Studios film. It is called Victoria Woodhull, after its subject. Ben Kopit will write the script; a director is not yet known to be attached.

The film is a natural fit for Larson, who has frequently used her platform to support women-fronted projects and to advocate for women’s issues writ large. She has shown a particular passion for speaking out for sexual-assault survivors, making waves at this year’s Oscar ceremony for abstaining from clapping for Casey Affleck Best Actor win, given Affleck’s history of sexual-harassment allegations.

Victoria Woodhull‘s production comes less than a year after a Hillary Clinton ran for the White House and lost—making the timing as heartbreaking as it is appropriate, depicting a struggle that isn’t so far in the rear-view of history as we’d like to believe.

Brie Larson’s Beauty Evolution, from Fresh-Faced Teen to Glamorous Leading Lady

At the age of 13, Brie Larson arrives fresh faced with shoulder length blonde locks at the Hansel & Gretel film premiere in Los Angeles in 2002.

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In 2007, actress Brie Larson attended the Los Angeles Film Festival for The Beautiful Ordinary film premiere with long, tousled waves and sun-kissed skin.

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Arriving at the 2009 TCA Summer Tour, Larson wore her hair in a tousled up do with swept over bangs, and kept her makeup natural and dewey with a hint of lip gloss and highlighter.

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At the screening of Short Term 12 in 2013, actress Brie Larson looks fresh faced and luminous with her hair in naturally tousled waves.

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At The Gambler premiere in New York in 2014, actress Brie Larson looked sleek and sophisticated with her dark brown hair pulled back into a simple bun, and a subtle smoky eye.

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Glowing at the Begin Again premiere in New York in 2014, Larson wore her blonde hair in round, bouncy curls with luminous, sun-kissed skin.

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Actress Brie Larson attended the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards with her hair in a tight high pony, and a pleasant hint of rosy blush on her cheeks.

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At the 7th Annual Governors Awards in 2015, Larson wore her dark hair in a center part, pulled back into a low sleek bun. Her makeup was simple, yet glamorous, thanks to a smoky eye and a nude glossy lip.

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Larson wore her highlighted hair in a sleek side bun with a golden shimmery eye and luminous skin at the BFI London Film Festival in 2015.

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Larson looked simple and chic at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2016, wearing her straight hair in a deep side part with a dusty rose lip.

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At the 88th Annual Academy Awards in 2016, Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson looked elegant with her hair in a sleek, braided half up do, and a bold berry-colored lip that perfectly coordinated with her blue gown.

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Larson wore her hair in a messy up do, and brightly colored makeup–blue eyeliner, coral red lipstick–at the 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

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Wearing a copper smoky eye and a sleek side bun to compliment her busy, patterned dress, Larson attended the Free Fire film premiere during the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.

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At the 89th Annual Academy Awards in 2017, Larson looked stunning with almost wet, wavy hair and a bold, coral red lip.

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At the Kong: Skull Island film premiere in 2017, Brie Larson wore her warm, golden hair in a elegant ‘S’ wave up do with a sleek cat eye and neutral lip color.

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