NOW, OUR NEXT GUEST HAS DEDICATED HERSELF TO ANOTHER RECKONING IN SOCIETY, AND THAT'S THE ME TOO MOVEMENT.

SHE GREW UP IN HOLLYWOOD STARRING IN TV HITS JUST AS "GENERAL HOSPITAL."

AND "SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS."

HER COMING OF AGE WAS A JOURNEY SHE DETAILS IN HER NEW BOOK.

AND SHE TELLS US HOW SHE WENT FROM ACTOR TO FEMINIST ACTIVIST.

>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

S >> IT IS THIS TIME OF REALLY PALPABLE TRAJECTORY AND MOVEMENT THAT WE ARE ALL GOING THROUGH TOGETHER THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANY ANSWERS OR DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE ANY ROAD MAP FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS HUGE MOMENT FOR US CULTURALLY.

AND IT IS A TIME THAT REALLY COMES AFTER THIS GREAT NATIONAL CRISIS.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE EVOLVE, WHETHER GOING THROUGH OUR PERSONAL CRISES OR WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONFRONTING THE ONES HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY.

WHAT COMES AFTER THAT?

WHAT IS THE CHANGE?

>> ESPECIALLY TO YOUR POINT BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH IT.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE EACH AS AN INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH IT.

>> 100%.

WHAT WAS SO POWERFUL IN THE WRITING OF THIS BOOK FOR ME WAS LOOKING AT MY OWN EXPERIENCES GROWING UP AS A CHILD ACTRESS.

I'M 35 NOW.

I STARTED ACTING WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.

I WENT INTO DOING SOME OTHER SHOWS.

I DID A LOT OF ACTING ROLES FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.

BUT WHEN I GOT INTO MY 20s, I REALLY HAD THIS PERSONAL CRISIS, A FEELING LIKE I KNEW I HAD MORE TO OFFER THE WORLD.

THERE WAS MORE THINGS I WANTED TO DO.

I WANTED TO WRITE.

I WANTED TO CREATE.

I WANTED TO BE THE ARBITER AND THE CREATOR OF MY OWN LIFE AND OF MY OWN CREATIVE WORK AND MY OWN CREATIVE VISION.

IN THE BOOK I TALK ABOUT THIS INVISIBLE ALPHABET WHERE WE SEE OURSELVES AT A AND SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL GLOWING Z IN THE DISTANCE.

HOW DO WE MANIFEST THE LETTERS IN BETWEEN?

SO I SPENT A LARGE PORTION OF MY LATE 20s REALLY DEALING WITH THAT AND GETTING TO THE POINT OF THE PERSON THAT YOU SEE HERE NOW.

AND I THINK THAT OUR COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THAT ITSELF.

>> YOU WRITE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A CHILD ACTOR COMING OUT OF THAT ANDBROKEN.

>> I WAS BROKEN BECAUSE I SPENT SO MANY YEARS ONLY EVER KNOWING HOW TO WALK INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S ROOMS, PREDOMINANTLY ROOMS OF MEN BECAUSE MEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE DECISION MAKERS IN HOLLYWOOD IN MY INDUSTRY.

SO I ONLY EVER KNEW HOW TO GO IN AND INTERPRET THEIR WORDS OF THEIR SCRIPTS OR ACT A CERTAIN WAY AS A CHARACTER IN A WAY THAT APPEALED TO THEM.

SMILE IN A WAY THAT APPEALED TO THEM.

I REALLY ONLY EVER KNEW INTO ANYBODY ELSE'S ROOM BUT MY OWN BECAUSE MY OWN PERSONAL CREATIVE ROOM DIDN'T NECESSARILY EXIST AT A CERTAIN POINT.

BUT THE BROKENNESS REALLY CAME FROM FEELING TIRED AND EXHAUSTED WITH NOT ONLY MY STATUS QUO, BUT THE STATUS QUO AND FEELING STUCK AND NOT KNOWING HOW TO MOVE MYSELF OUT OF THAT EXPERIENCE, THE EXPERIENCE OF JUST GOING INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S ROOMS.

AND, SO, IN THAT WAY I WAS FEELING -- I HAD ALWAYS FELT KIND OF JUST LIKE A GUEST IN MY OWN LIFE AS OPPOSED TO A PERSON WHO BELONGED THERE, A PERSON WHO WAS THE OWNER OF THAT.

AND, SO, FROM THAT BROKENNESS, I THINK I REALLY HAD TO EXAMINE MY PART IN THAT, ESPECIALLY AS AN ADULT.

THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH TIME THAT CAN GO.

WELL, I HAD BEEN DOING THIS ALL MY LIFE.

I WAS A CHILD ACTRESS.

AT A CERTAIN POINT I HAD TO TAKE IT ON MYSELF AND SAY, WHAT AM I DOING TO NOT TRY AND BREAK OUT OF THAT.

>> THERE IS ANOTHER INCIDENT YOU U USE.

>> IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, HE PICKED UP ON ME WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER AT A DINER IN LOS ANGELES WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED.

WHEN I SAID THIS PUBLICALLY, HE SAID I WAS A LIAR AND ACCUSED ME OF LYING, WHICH NORMALLY IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD MAYBE HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT OR YOU WOULD JUST SHUT UP AND BE QUIET.

BUT I THINK IN THAT MOMENT IT WAS AFTER DONALD TRUMP HAD BEEN ELECTED.

IT WAS AFTER THIS FEELING OF NOT ONLY BEING SO -- SO BOXED OUT OF MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND BEING TOLD INDEFINITELY THAT I WAS NEVER -- THAT I HAD TO MANAGE MY EXPECTATIONS FOR MY CAREER, THAT I HAD TO MANAGE MY EXPECTATIONS FOR MY LOOKS, THAT I JUST HAD TO CONSIDER ALWAYS TAKING THE SECOND BEST FOR MYSELF PRESSED AGAINST THE IMAGE OF A PRESIDENT WHO WAS NOW DOING THE SAME THING AND BEING ABLE TO SAY WHATEVER HE WANTED ABOUT WOMEN WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES.

AND SO SOMETHING WAS TRIGGERED FOR ME.

SOMETHING IN THAT MOMENT WAS WEAPONIZED FOR ME.

AND THAT I FELT LIKE I HAD EVERY NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO PUSH BACK ON SOMEONE ON AN OLDER MAN IN A POSITION OF POWER SAYING THAT I HAD LIED AND TO BE ABLE TO PUSH BACK ON THAT AND SAY I'M NOT A LIAR AND NOT ONLY AM I NOT A LIAR ABOUT THIS STORY, I'M GOING TO MOVE IT AND I'M GOING TO WRITE ABOUT IT AND KEEP IT GOING FURTHER.

I DON'T CARE WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES MIGHT BE FOR ME AND MY CAREER.

EVEN THOUGH SPEAKING OUT BEFORE 2017'S ME TOO MOVEMENT WAS VERY DANGEROUS.

IT WAS A VERY, VERY DANGEROUS THING TO DO.

>> I THINK IT CONTINUES TO BE DANGEROUS IN THE SENSE THAT I THINK WE CAN PUBLICALLY APPLAUD WOMEN FOR THEIR BRAVERY.

>> WELL, SO MUCH OF WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS YOU ARE SEEING A LOT OF MEN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF POWER QUIETLY WHISPER ABOUT HOW MAYBE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO INTERACT WITH WOMEN OR HIRE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID IF THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, TAP THEM ON THE BACK THEY'RE GETTING TO GET ACCUSED OF SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T INTEND TO DO.

AND WE NOT GOING TO KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT AND DEAL WITH IT.

BUT THAT'S OKAY.

ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING ARE IMPORTANT AND IT IS OKAY TO KNOW THAT THE PART -- THAT ALL OF THIS CHAOS THAT WE'RE FEELING, THIS SENSE OF IT'S NOT OVER, THINGS ARE STILL HAPPENING, THERE IS STILL A RECKONING AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT NO CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS EVER COMFORTABLE.

AT NO TIME IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY OR I'M SURE IN THE WORLD AS WELL WAS THERE A HUGE CULTURAL CHANGE, A CHANGE IN THE WAY PEOPLE VALUE EACH OTHER AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND THEIR WORK.

PART OF WHAT MAKES THIS SO GREAT IS HOW GREAT IT IS.

THE HARD CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING TO HAVE, WHETHER WHITE WOMEN HAVING TO OWN WHITE FEMINISM AND THEIR INABILITIES TO SEE WHAT REAL INTERSECTIONAL FEMINIST WORK LOOKS LIKE, WHETHER THAT IS MEN FEELING LIKE THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING PUSHED OUT OF ROOMS AND CONVERSATIONS AND THERE IS GOING TO BE THIS LARGE WITCH HUNT, WHICH IS A TERM THAT'S USED A LOT.

I THINK IT'S OKAY FOR ALL OF THIS TO BE HAPPENING.

IT MAY NOT COME IMMEDIATELY, BUT PEOPLE ARE REALLY FINDING OUT WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN AND WHERE THEY WANT TO LAND IN THIS DISCUSSION.

>> YOU KEEP BRINGING THIS POINT WHICH IS WHERE MEN FIT AT THIS MOMENT.

IN SOME WAYS THIS IS NOT JUST THEORETICAL FOR YOU.

YOU, IN THE CONTEXT OF YOUR OWN MARRIAGE HAVE GRAPPLED WITH WHAT THIS MOMENT MEANS.

>> MY HUSBAND IS A STAND UP COMEDIAN.

HIS NAME IS DAVID KROFT.

WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 11 YEARS.

I KNOW FOR HIM AND A LOT OF HIS FRIENDS, THEY HAVE NEVER HAD TO THINK TWICE ABOUT JOKES THEY HAVE TOLD OR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY TOLD THOSE JOKES.

THAT'S THEIR PRIVILEGE.

THAT'S ALSO PART OF WHAT MAKES THEIR ART SO POWERFUL, IS THAT NO ONE HAS EVER STEPPED AND SAID PUBLICALLY, THIS HAS HURT ME.

SO MY HUSBAND HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH FINDING OUT HIS WAY AND FIGURE OUT HIS WAY ALONG WITH I THINK A LOT OF THE OTHER MEN THAT I KNOW THAT I LOVE AND CARE ABOUT.

>> THERE WAS A VERY PUBLIC INCIDENT WHERE ANOTHER COMEDIAN ACCUSED HIM OF BEING RACIST.

AND HE HAD TO COME TO TERMS IN WHICH THE WAY IN WHICH HE TELLS JOKES AND TALKS TO OTHER PEOPLE.

S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT SAY TO YOUR FRIENDS MIGHT NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO OTHERS AND A WOMAN.

BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH YOU WERE SAYING THINGS.

AND PART OF OUR OWN SELF-EXAMINATION AND PART OF WHAT SO'S BEAUTIFUL AND WHY I LOVE HIM IS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE ON THAT SELF-EXAMINATION AND TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF SIT WITH HIMSELF AND THIS FAILURE AND SAY HOW CAN I GROW FROM IT?

I DON'T THINK I KNOW.

I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS, BUT I'M INTERESTED AND I'M CURIOUS.

AND THE CURIOSITY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO PUT UP OUR GUARD AND PUT UP OUR DEFENSES AND TO ACT FROM OUR DEFENSES.

>> ANDED IN MIDST OF THAT CONVERSATION, THERE WERE A LOT OF ACCUSATIONS OF YOU AS A WHITE FEMINIST, WHICH FORCED YOU TO GRAPPLE EXTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY WITH WHAT THAT MEANT.

>> THOSE DEMANDS WERE FAIR BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE SAYING YOU CANNOT BE AT THE HEAD OF THIS AND BE A PART OF TIME'S UP AND BE A PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC MOMENT IN TIME WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING, WITHOUT GIVING US SOME CONTEXT, WHICH IS WHY I DIDN'T SHY AWAY FROM IT IN THE BOOK.

I WRITE PRETTY OPENLY WITH MY EXPERIENCE TALKING WITH MY HUSBAND.

I ALSO DID THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL ALONE IN THEIR OWN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR HUSBANDS, THEIR BROTHERS, THEIR FATHERS.

I TALK TO SO MANY WOMEN AND SOME MEN, TOO, WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY IN HETERO SEXUAL COUPLES AND RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THEY'RE HAVING REALLY DIFFICULT PAINFUL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH WE HAVE NOT FELT SEEN OR LISTENED TO.

HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MEN IN OUR LIVES IS NOT EASY RIGHT NOW.

SO I SHARED A LOT OF THAT IN THE BOOK BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IT IS NO DIFFERENT FROM ME.

>> YOU ARE A ROOM GOING INTO YOUR 9:00 TO 5:00 WHEN YOU NEED THAT PAYCHECK.

DO YOU HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING AN AGENT OF RADICAL CHANGE?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK WHAT WE HAVE NOW AS FAR AS BEING AN AGENT OF RADICAL CHANGE AND TAKING THAT ON IS THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY.

WHEN YOU HAVE STRENGTH IN NUMBERS LIKE THAT, YOU CAN CHANGE ANYTHING.

I KNOW THAT MIGHT SOUND HOPEFULLY OPTIMISTIC AND MAYBE A LITTLE NOT TRUE, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY TRUE.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, FOR INSTANCE, TIME'S UP CAME FROM A LOT OF WOMEN BEING REALLY ANGRY.

NOT JUST WOMEN IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.

YOU HAD WOMEN IN THE FARM WORKER'S UNION.

YOU HAD ACTIVISTS.

YOU HAD WOMEN ACROSS INDUSTRIES SAYING, WE'RE DONE WITH -- WE'RE DONE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE GOING TO REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER AND CREATE THIS REALLY STRONG POWERFUL BOND IN WHICH WE CAN ALL HELP AND WORK TOGETHER TO CHANGE THINGS.

SO IN THE ACTOR COMMUNITY, WHICH I KNOW IS AN EXPERIENCE OF PRIVILEGE, BUT BEING ABLE TO GET INTO ROOMS TOGETHER WITH WOMEN YOU WOULD NEVER BE IN A ROOM WITH WITHOUT A MAN THERE.

SO YOU NEVER HAD CONVERSATIONS DEVOID OF THE MALE POINT OF VIEW.

WHAT CAN WE SAY?

WHAT CAN WE NOT SAY?

IT IS WEIRD.

IT IS A VERY STRANGE EXPERIENCE.

AND I HAVE HAD SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN ASK ME THIS ON THIS BOOK TOUR.

I'M A WAITRESS.

THERE IS THIS ONE GUY THAT COMES IN AND GIVES ME A PAT ON THE BUTT.

MY BOSS IS NOT GREAT EITHER.

HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION, GET THIS GUY TO STOP WITH A BOSS THAT'S NOT SUPPORTIVE WHO WILL PROBABLY ME TO SHUT UP AND TAKE IT?

AND MY ADVISE TO HER WAS TO REMEMBER TWO THINGS.

ONE, THERE HAS GOT TO BE OTHER PEOPLE IN THAT WORKPLACE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SOMETHING SIMILAR, WHETHER IT'S WITH A BOSS OR WITH A CUSTOMER.

MAYBE YOU NEED TO GET TOGETHER WITH A SPECIFIC AIM TO TALK TO THEM AND BRING THEM ON BOARD AND CREATE A SMALL COALITION, EVEN IF IT'S TWO PEOPLE, THREE PEOPLE.

THE SECOND THING I REMIND PEOPLE ALWAYS IS THAT NO BUSINESS LIKES THINGS IN WRITING.

NO ESTABLISHMENT LIKES TO SEE SOMETHING IN WRITING.

IT'S SCAREY BECAUSE THAT IS A LITERAL PAPER TRAIL OF HARASSMENT AND A PAPER TRAIL OF BEHAVIOR AND ALSO OF PEOPLE NOT DOING THEIR JOBS, NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT YOUR WELL-BEING, YOUR SAFETY.

SO PUT SOMETHING IN WRITING.

PUT A LETTER TOGETHER, WHETHER IT'S -- AND HAVE IT SIGNED BY WHOEVER YOU CAN HAVE SIGN IT.

BUT PUT THE SUPPORT TOGETHER IN ONE DOCUMENT SO THAT YOU HAVE IT THERE AND STATE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED AND THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WHETHER THAT'S THE BEHAVIOR TO END, WHETHER YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE SUPPORT NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.

>> AND WE'RE BIG HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTERS TWICE OVER.

NOW IN THIS CASE WE HAVE AT LEAST FOUR MAJOR CANDIDATES THAT HAPPEN TO BE WOMEN.

HAVE WE IN THE MEDIA LEARNED OUR LESSON?

DO WE KNOW HOW TO COVER THEM CORRECTLY THIS TIME AROUND?

>> I WILL SAY IT IS INTERESTING TO ME THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE INCREDIBLY CAPABLE, AMAZING WOMEN RUNNING ON THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE STILL NOT AT THE TOP OF WHO IS GETTING THE DONORS, WHO IS GETTING FUNDING, WHO IS GETTING MONEY, AND THEY'RE ALSO NOT SEEN AS PRISONERS.

IT ALWAYS ENDS UP BEING ABOUT, WELL, HERE IS A REALLY CAPABLE MAN THAT HAS THE BEST POLICIES FOR WOMEN.

HERE IS THE MOST CAPABLE MAN THAT WILL CREATE THE BEST LAWS FOR WOMEN, WHO WILL HELP PUSH CONGRESS AND THE SENATE TO SUPPORT MORE WOMEN, WHO WILL HELP WITH -- FILL IN THE BLANK, BUT IT ALWAYS ENDS UP BEING THAT THE VISUALIZATION OF FEMALE EMPOWERMENT STEMS STILL FROM A PATR PATRIARCHAL VOICE, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GRAPPLE WITH.

EVERYONE TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY WANTED A WOMAN TO BE PRESIDENT, BUT NOT THAT WOMAN.

I SAY, THEN WHAT KIND OF WOMAN?

WHAT IS THE PEDESTAL?

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES SHE HAVE TO HAVE?

IT IS A LONG LIST JOKE IN THIS BOOK WHERE I TALK ABOUT REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IF YOU ARE A WOMAN.

THE LIST GOES ON FOR TEN PAGES.

IT'S GOT ALL THESE ADDENDUMS, SUB CATEGORIES.

EMOTIONS ARE ILLEGAL.

HAVING YOUR PERIOD IS ILLEGAL.

TALKING ABOVE A CERTAIN DECIBAL IS ILLEGAL.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WE HAVE IS ABOUT NOT SEEING WOMEN IN TOTALITY AS BEING WORTHY OF THESE POSITIONS.

WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM VI VISUALIZING IT AND SEEING IT.

AND TRULY UNTIL A MEDIOCRE WOMAN CAN BECOME PRESIDENT IN THE WAY THAT MEDIOCRE MEN HAVE BECOME PRESIDENTS FOR THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THEN WE HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL EQUALITY PROBLEM.

THEY HAVE TO BE SO EXCEPTIONAL.

THEY HAVE TO BE SO PERFECT.

THE STANDARD IS SO HIGH FOR THEM, THAT IS ALL WE CAN ACCEPT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.