1.15 a.m. EDT October 5, 2013 Nicole Kidman and Kerry Washington were among stars who spoke passionately about their causes.
What a room.
It was hard not to feel inspired on Friday afternoon at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons, where some of Hollywood's most influential women gathered for Variety's annual Power of Women luncheon. The women at the event, honored for their philanthropic work, included Nicole Kidman, Amy Pascal, Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Hudson.
As guests at the Audi-sponsored luncheon dined on halibut and sipped wine, Kidman, honored for her work with UN Women, was the first to take the stage. She began her speech with a small ode to her mother.
"I was raised by a feminist mother. And yes, she said never be frightened about using the 'F' word. So I'm not," she said, to laughter. "She believes in the sisterhood, and so do I. And she planted the seed in my early to speak out against the fact that women are so often treated differently than men."
Kidman then spoke passionately about women's rights. "No matter how long I devote my time to this I still cannot comprehend that one in three girls in their lifetime will be beaten, abused, or raped. It's just an unbelievable statistic," she said.
Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures, was lauded next for her work with Teen Line, a helpline for teenagers dealing with topics ranging from sexuality to depression. "Anyone who tells you women don't help each other is a man," said Pascal, citing her early network of mentors, including her sister Jenny, the late producer Laura Ziskin and Nora Ephron.
Washington spoke of her childhood as she was honored for her work with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. "When you give a child arts education...you give them a chance to change their lives," she said.
Prior to the luncheon starting, we caught up with Jessica Alba, who held court in a booth full of her Honest Company products. "It's still a small business," she said, but one that's booming: Alba has expanded her eco-friendly line, which works with charitable organization Baby2Baby, to over 50 products in 21 months, including new scented hand and dish soaps.
"With the internet, women now have a new outlet for our business ideas," she said. "A lot more women are becoming entrepreneurs because there is a whole new landscape where our voices can be heard."
