Penn Badgley may be famed for his role as murderous stalker Joe Goldberg in Netflix thriller You but when the camera stops rolling, the actor is an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.
WATCH BELOW: Netflix Confirms ‘You’ Season 3
The former Gossip Girl star has been working with the Tahirih Justice Centre, designed to help vulnerable women training and education, in recent weeks to learn more about gender-based discrimination.
“One misconception might be that gender-based violence only happens to weak people, to weak women and girls, to unintelligent women and girls, to minority or lower socioeconomic status, impoverished women and girls,” Badgley said during an interview with Teen Vogue.
“It happens, as far as I understand, across all segments of society, across all populations, all cultures.”
Badgley was first introduced to the non-profit organisation through his friendship with founder Layli Miller-Muro and their “shared ideals” on equality between men and women.
The 33-year-old also wanted to learn more about how people can help to bridge the gender gap largely courtesy of his role as Goldberg in You.
“How can it not be something I think about at this stage, given the nature of the role that I’m currently recognised for?” he said.
“There are so many facets to the ways we learn about ourselves, and then therefore treat ourselves and others; the stories that young boys and girls learn about themselves, and the way that that translates into the ways they treat each other. We learn these lessons at home, we learn them on television and in movies and books.”
“So I think what we learn by watching a show like mine right now – hopefully people are thinking about it in that way – is how bad things are in a very quiet way, that we don’t always examine in these gender roles and media. But then the really important other 50% of the process is also trying to imagine, and hopefully embody, healthier gender roles.”
But ever since the Netflix series graced the small screen, an alarming number of fans have fallen for Badgley’s character despite his violent and psychological abuse against the women he pursues.
Amid the controversy, the actor warned viewers not to romanticise Goldberg on Twitter.
One social media user wrote, “I’ve said this before but Penn Badgley is breaking my heart once again as Joe. What is it about him?” To which the actor swiftly replied: “A: He is a murderer.”
Badgley was concerned that the show would receive such a reaction, as he told Entertainment Weekly that he was “conflicted by the nature of the role” and wasn’t going to accept at first.
Now, he hopes the series can be a “deconstructive exercise, examination and commentary into gender-based violence which will become an “important step in the process towards justice and equality for us all.”
Season three of You will land on April 9, 2021.
Penn Badgley may be famed for his role as murderous stalker Joe Goldberg in Netflix thriller You but when the camera stops rolling, the actor is an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.
WATCH BELOW: Netflix Confirms ‘You’ Season 3
Penn Badgley may be famed for his role as murderous stalker Joe Goldberg in Netflix thriller You but when the camera stops rolling, the actor is an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.
WATCH BELOW: Netflix Confirms ‘You’ Season 3
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