Dear White People Star Logan Browning Thinks Hollywood Needs a New Female Villain

In her new book You Play the Girl, out today from Mariner Books, writer Carina Chocano unravels toxic, distorted portrayals of “the girl” in Hollywood, the media, and pop culture. Her essay collection examines how images have influenced women and shaped their identities, from Playboy bunnies to Stepford Wives, Flashdance to Frozen.

As part of her research, Chocano interviewed actresses about what it’s like to “play the girl” in Hollywood today, and what needs to change. In this video, Dear White People star Logan Browning talks about looking up to Mulan and remembers getting typecast as a mean girl in her early roles. She offers some advice for Hollywood producers: rethink the female villain.

Watch the video above. The Cut will publish Chocano’s interviews with Tiya Sircar and Natalie Morales later this week.