Tessa Thompson Remembers a Moment Speaking Up For Herself on Set

Tessa Thompson is speaking out.

The 37-year-old Westworld actress opened up in an interview for Town & Country Magazine. Here’s what she had to say…

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Tessa Thompson

On stepping outside of her comfort zone: “I think that’s why I like what I do. I’ve always felt a little afraid of what happens when we get too comfortable, that we’re not growing. Maybe I’m a masochist or maybe I’m a sucker for the discomfort of the first squeak.”

On hoping to inspire others and speaking out on a set: “…there’s invariably people in the room that have been silenced. I remember a distinct moment on set. A squeak just came out of me, I didn’t even mean for it to, and then I could see the secret little smile on some of the women around the room, and you realize that there’s a choir of wheels waiting to squeak together. It emboldens folks, and you realize you have support and you’re not squeaking just on your own behalf. You’re squeaking for everybody.”

On her new development deal at HBO and thinking about ownership of work: “That’s my favorite thing to think about, particularly in building this company. Thinking around the voices I invite into it, how I allow them to retain as much ownership over their work and their ideas as possible…I’m really interested in trying to create a utopia. It’s imperative, because I’m curious about being able to give opportunity to folks that people might say are less experienced. A lot of people are batting a lot higher than their average because they just, frankly, haven’t been given the opportunity.”

It was recently revealed that Tessa just got into a car accident, but she’s okay.

For more from Tessa Thompson, head to townandcountrymag.com.