Erin Moriarty, interview with the actress Filming Italy Women Power Award

At the ninth edition of Filming Italy Sardegna Festival 2026, Erin Moriarty receives the Filming Italy Women Power Award. Known for her role in the hit series “The Boys”, the American actress has become a vocal advocate for gender equity in the entertainment industry and for a more honest, human conversation about the struggles that come with life in the spotlight.

A female-centric award with a profound meaning

Receiving an award is always surreal, Erin Moriarty says, but this one carries particular weight. “The fact that it happens to be specifically female oriented is really poignant for me, because as a woman in the industry who’s faced a lot of the gender oriented adversities, I think it’s so important to highlight women.” At a certain point in a career, she explains, resilience stops being optional and becomes mandatory, especially in the entertainment industry. “To specifically have it be female-centric is very full circle, very poignant for me.”

A privilege, not just a responsibility

When asked whether she feels a responsibility as an artist to bring up issues of female empowerment and to say no to projects that don’t represent women well, Erin Moriarty reframes the question in a way that says something important about where she is in her career. “It feels like a privilege for me, because when you first start out as an actor, you just have to say yes to everything, no matter what the role is.” The ability to be selective, she says, comes with its own obligation. “If I’ve gotten this far and I’m able to be selective about the work that I do, then of course I’m going to utilize that in terms of making sure that I choose roles that feel mindful towards the female experience and not reductive of it.”

Ripping ourselves down from the pedestal

Perhaps the most powerful moment of the conversation comes when Erin Moriarty reflects on her choice to speak publicly about her own struggles and illness. For her, the decision was straightforward: anything that humanizes public figures is good for others. “We’re put on this pedestal that frankly we don’t deserve to be on. It dehumanizes us when we put other humans on pedestals and the implication is they are superior to us.” Being isolated while going through difficulties, she adds, makes them a million times worse. “It felt like I just needed to be honest about my experience if it helps one person feel less isolated and that was achieving a goal.” The playing field, she believes, needs to be leveled, and it is on artists themselves to make that happen.