On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Fran Drescher, actress, comedian and president of the SAG-AFTRA union, interviewed at the U.S. premier of Yvonne Sciò’s documentary Womeness organized by the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, reflects on the role of women in the world and the battles she has decided to pursue. Activism for her is a natural calling, an extension of her personal and professional journey. “I really believe that without the energy, wisdom and empathy that comes from being a woman at any decision-making table, you can’t make the right decision,” she says. According to her, the recognition of women as an essential part of society is not just a matter of justice, but of functionality: “We have to be part of everything that happens.”
In addition to her acting career, Drescher has long been involved on several fronts. Her commitment to health stems from a personal experience: she is a cancer survivor and founder of the Cancer Schmancer movement, which promotes prevention and awareness of environmental health risks. “I will always try to get people to understand how their lifestyle, the food they eat, the way they handle stress, affects their health.” But his look goes beyond that. The climate emergency is another battle he feels deeply: “I am one of the victims of the Palisades fires. My house is still standing, but it is not habitable. The surrounding community is devastated.” For Drescher, climate change is a fact, not an opinion: “We have to stop allowing greed to deny the reality of global warming. Everything we touch we are destroying.”
Her vision also extends to the world of entertainment, where she believes there is still much to be done on the representation front. “We need to have more women behind the scenes. More female writers, more female directors. Because the way they tell a story is different.” For her, film and television are not just entertainment tools, but have a huge cultural impact: “Showing the world for what it is, and not whitening it (whitewashing), is of utmost importance. How we tell a story, what people see and how we normalize certain realities is our power.”
Drescher stresses that the entertainment industry has a social responsibility that cannot be ignored. “It’s not just about entertaining. It’s also about educating.” The visibility of minorities and women is not just about equity, but about building a more authentic and inclusive collective imagination. “When a film written or directed by a woman is successful, it is very important.”
During the interview, he indulges in a comment about his colleague and friend Yvonne Sciò, director of the documentary Womeness (2025), whose artistic journey he admires. “I think she is incredibly talented. I love the way she has reinvented herself. She has an extraordinary eye.” Drescher highlights an aspect that often goes by the wayside in the documentary world: the ability to capture the humor in the subjects being told. “Many documentaries are not aesthetically pleasing and do not bring out a person’s humor. When there is, she catches it right away.”
Finally, a dry question: what does the word “feminist” mean to you? After a brief hesitation, she answers with a smile, “Uh… Well, the one-word request puts me on the spot, but I still think it’s the better half [of the world, ed.
The article Fran Drescher: “Women are the better half” comes from TheNewyorker.
