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Penelope Cruz isn't a fan of fairy tales, as she thinks they show that "men get to decide everything."
In an interview with Net-a-Porter's The Edit magazine, the 43-year-old revealed that she changes the endings of the stories she reads to her children Leo, seven, and Luna, four, whose father is her actor husband Javier Bardem, to make them more empowering.
The Spanish star, who is currently playing Donatella Versace in the controversial The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, believes the tales are important, but she fears they can also have a negative effect on how children view the world.
“Fairy tales matter so much because these are the first stories that you hear from the mouths of your parents," Penelope told The Edit. "So, when I read fairy tales to my kids at night I’m always changing the endings – always, always, always, always."
Penelope changes the endings because she is concerned the beloved fairy tales help reinforce gender inequality between women and men.
"F**king Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and all of this – there’s a lot of machismo in those stories. That can have an effect on the way that kids see the world. If you’re not careful, they start thinking: ‘Oh, so the men get to decide everything',” she sighed.
Gender inequality is at the forefront of the star's mind, following several high profile actresses accusing film producer Harvey Weinstein of multiple incidents of sexual harassment and misconduct - which the movie executive has denied were non-consensual.
Penelope, who starred in Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina Barcelona which was produced by The Weinstein Company, admitted that she knew certain Hollywood executives could be difficult, but she was surprised by "these other things that have come to light…”
While she is supportive of the #MeToo movement, the actress hopes that it will lead to lasting systemic change for all women.
“It has to change the rules of our industry and all the other industries in which women are being repressed in so many different ways," the Vanilla Sky actress expressed. "It cannot just be something that’s there to fill the news for a few months before we move on to something else.”