Washington [US], February 2 : Veteran actress Jacqueline Bisset has sparked controversy with her remarks on the #MeToo movement, claiming she feels "unsympathetic" toward women who have come forward with harassment allegations.
In an interview with Page Six, Bisset, who has spent more than five decades in the film industry, discussed her stance on the movement that gained widespread attention in 2017 following numerous accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein.
While acknowledging the importance of men behaving appropriately, Bisset stressed that women, too, have a role to play in how they present themselves.
"I understand as an idea, it's important that men behave, but I do really think it's important that women behave, too," the 80-year-old actress said.
"I think how you dress, what your subtext is very, very important. It's very dangerous and not to be played with," she said during an interview with Page Six.
The actress also expressed a lack of sympathy for the victims of sexual harassment who spoke out during the #MeToo movement.
"I'm very unsympathetic to these stories, these #MeToo things," she said, further suggesting that women should learn how to assert themselves more effectively in situations of unwanted attention. "You have to be very careful what you put out there," she added, during an interview with Page Six.
Bisset, whose career spans decades, also offered her perspective on how women can avoid harassment, saying that they need to be firm in their responses.
"Women need to learn the word 'no' or the F-word or something and you have to do it and you can get through it without any problem," she said.
Throughout her long career, Bisset has claimed to have never faced sexual harassment. Reflecting on her experiences, she said, "I was very determined not to have anything happen to me and I was completely devoted to that idea."
Jacqueline Bisset's career began in 1965, and she is known for her roles in films such as 'The Detective', 'Bullitt', and 'The Sweet Ride'.
In 2013, she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the BBC TV drama 'Dancing on the Edge'.