2012 Honoree

Gina Gershon

Actress, Writer, Singer, Producer

“Obviously women have had some political progress in the past few years, but it is fundamentally wrong for old men to be making decisions on what’s best for young women and their bodies, or any women for that matter. This is unacceptable, not to mention archaic.”

Have you seen any changes in the political landscape for women over the past few years? What are they?

Obviously women have had some political progress in the past few years, but it is fundamentally wrong for old men to be making decisions on what’s best for young women and their bodies, or any women for that matter. This is unacceptable, not to mention archaic.

Do you feel the extreme left and right wings of U.S. politics are destroying the United in United States, or is it just healthy debate?

I don’t think it’s ever healthy when one side wants to win so badly that they put their party first before the needs of the country.

Do you feel the decline of religion in the rest of the Western World will have an effect on U.S. society? If so, will it be good or bad?

I’m not sure about the “decline of religion” in the USA, but I do feel when, in the name of “religion,” people are senselessly killed, then that’s not a good thing. One of my favorite quotes is “God has no religion.” Gandhi was a smart fellow.

Can you tell us about one of the biggest challenges in your life that you think helped you become the person you are today?

When my cat Cleo was taken and I had to search the streets for him for 2 and half months I learned that, with friends, family, belief, and the unknown, we can get through anything. I learned not to judge, and I came to understand the fact that, indeed, truth is stranger than fiction.

Do today’s young people face a bigger challenge than you did?

In some ways yes, and some ways no. Technology has made everything so accessible and the possibilities are endless. With that being said, it never seems to stop. There are no breaks. People are on and working 24/7. Social networking has, in my opinion, made people more isolated and less truly intimate than ever.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

There are always two roads to get someplace. Take the country road. It may take a bit longer than the highway, but the drive will be a lot more interesting.

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

My father. He died many years ago and I would love to hang out, have a few scotches, and ask him a lot of questions!

What is your favorite book?

The favorite book question is always next to impossible for me. Tonight I’d go with The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama for nonfiction, and Til We Have Faces by CS Lewis for fiction.