(Culture)

Emma Stone Looks Unrecognizable In Her New Movie Role

by Samantha McDonald

She just won an Academy Award for her performance in La La Land, but Emma Stone is back at it again: This time, with an empowering new role that proves she’s not only a potential two-time Oscar winner, but also the feminist role model we all need. In the upcoming film Battle of the Sexes, the actress plays real-life tennis champ Billie Jean King, who faces Steve Carrell’s Bobby Riggs on the court in the eponymous 1973 matches. (The two have previously shared the screen in Crazy, Stupid, Love.) Then 29 years old, Billie Jean had long championed women’s rights, while 55-year-old Bobby earned his reputation as a male chauvinist, making one of the most-watched sporting events in television history even more electrifying. To look like the tennis star, Emma ditched her signature red hair for a brunette bob and round glasses, but it was her portrayal of Billie Jean’s determination against the face of Bobby’s misogyny that won us over—a reminder that women are capable of just about anything. Here, the exhilarating trailer to hold you over until the movie’s release on September 22.