Rachel Griffiths defends positive portrayal of disgraced trainer
Actor and director Rachel Griffiths says she stands by her decision to celebrate Darren Weir in Ride Like A Girl, despite the charges against him.
Confidential
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Actor-turned-director Rachel Griffiths has defended her positive portrayal of disgraced racing trainer Darren Weir in her debut film Ride Like A Girl.
Earlier this year Weir was banned for four years for having possessing illegal jiggers — electronic shock devices similar to tasers — on his property. But Griffiths said his ban is “irrelevant” and defends her choice to celebrate the trainer in the film that is in cinemas from September 26.
“I celebrate Darren because he gave Stevie Payne a job … he kept Michelle on a group one. I celebrate Darren as the man who saw the ability and talents of these two people,” Griffiths told Confidential.
“Why are we talking about a guy and what he did four years after? It’s irrelevant. What women achieve isn’t talked about. Let’s stay with that.”
Griffiths added that the film, which tells the story of the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, Michelle Payne, deliberately doesn’t focus on the blatant sexism she faced in the industry.
“I think the audience is very woke now,” Griffiths said. “If you were making this film 10 years ago I would have hit the sexism, the put-downs and the actual sexual transgressions harder to wake people up. But people are awake now. It's not a Me Too film …
“I don’t think Paddy Payne (Michelle’s father) would be calling himself a feminist but he only saw the ability in his children. He didn’t divide them into gender.”
Griffiths’ aim was for the movie to be relatable to everyone — even those who aren’t avid racing fans.
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The project hasn’t been without it’s hurdles however with the Melbourne premiere crashed by anti-racing protesters on Sunday.
The movie stars Teresa Palmer as Payne alongside actors Magda Szubanski, Sam Neill and Sullivan Stapleton.
“It’s hilarious, a lot of people thought (my win) was a fluke … a lot of people had no idea about the years that I put in.
“People were writing on Twitter that this was one race I fluked,” she said. “It blew me away that people thought that.
“Dad always used to say to us growing up. ‘The girls are as good as the boys, they just need the opportunities’.”
