Oscar Winner Frances McDormand Gives Rousing Pro-Woman Speech, Calls For Inclusion Riders In Hollywood Contracts

Frances McDormand was the big favorite to win the Oscar for Best Actress at Sunday's Academy Awards. As expected, McDormand won her trophy for her almighty performance in 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'.  The actress had already won a SAG, BAFTA and Golden Globe for her role as a mother who rents three billboards to call attention to her daughter's unsolved murder. Previously, McDormand won an Oscar in 1997 for her role as Marge Gunderson in 'Fargo'. 

It was clear the actress had additional prepared comments after thanking Three Billboards director Martin McDonagh, her sister, and then husband Joel Coen and their son Pedro.  "These two stalwart individuals were well raised by their feminist mothers," she said. "They value themselves, each other and those around them. I know you are proud of me and that fills me with everlasting joy."

I'm not sure any Oscar winner ever put her statue down on the floor before speaking further. Oscar got a quick pat on the head, as McDormand said she wanted to get some perspective on the situation. And then Frances went full-throttle into the strongest moment of her speech and of the evening. 

"If I may so be honored to have all the female nominees in every category stand with me in this room tonight," she said. "Meryl, if you do it everybody else will, come on. The filmmakers, the producers, the directors, the writers, the cinematographer, the composer, the songwriters, the designers. Come on!"

"OK, look around, everybody," Frances said, about the women standing. "Look around, ladies and gentlemen. Because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed. Don’t talk to us about it at the parties tonight. Invite us into your office in a couple days or you can come to ours, whichever suits you best, and we’ll tell you all about them. I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: "INCLUSION RIDER". 

Everyone watching wondered: just what is an inclusion rider?  McDormand herself only discovered the concept of inclusion riders, writes The Hollywood Reporter. 

"I just found out about this last week. This has always been available to all — everybody who does a negotiation on a film — which means you can ask for or demand at least 50 percent diversity in not only the casting but the crew. The fact that I just learned that after 35 years in the film business — we aren’t going back.”

Dr. Stacy Smith, who researches gender equality in film and television at the University of Southern California has written about the contractual addendum and also delivered a TED Talk in October 2016. Contacted Sunday evening, Dr. Smith said that McDormand's endorsement was the biggest boost to the concept to date.