Ashley Judd Critiques 'Heat's' Depiction of Women as a "Problematic" Reflection

In an interview, Judd, 57, said she has been rewatching her films with her partner and re-evaluating them through a more critical lens, particularly in terms of how women were portrayed on screen.

"The depiction of women in this movie is not okay," Judd said, referring to Heat. "I look at all my movies that way," as quoted by People.

The actor noted that her perspective has evolved over time, especially in relation to how cinema has often normalised violence against women. Reflecting on her 1997 film Kiss the Girls, Judd said, "When people say, 'Kiss the Girls is my favourite movie,' I'm like, 'Let's talk about that,' because male sexual violence and male torture of women is not entertainment."

She added that framing such narratives as "resilience" often ignores deeper structural inequalities. "Calling it resilience rather than going into the structural inequality that caused the harm to happen in the first place -- we're all implicated in that," she said, according to People.

Despite her critique, Judd said she remains proud of her work in Heat, calling the film "iconic."

"I'm glad, still, that I was a part of this movie," she said. "It's a reflection of reality, and reality is problematic."

Judd portrayed Charlene Shiherlis, the wife of Val Kilmer's character Chris Shiherlis, in the Michael Mann-directed film. She described their relationship as "Romeo and Juliet, but the reverse," referring to the emotional climax in which her character silently chooses not to betray her husband to the police.

"I'm giving him freedom," Judd said, recalling the final scene. She added that she and Kilmer intentionally kept distance off-screen while filming those moments, which she believes added emotional depth to the scene. Kilmer passed away in April 2025.

'Heat' also starred Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore and Natalie Portman.

Since the film's release, Judd has appeared in projects such as Double Jeopardy, Frida and Divergent. She has also become a prominent advocate for women's rights, speaking out against Harvey Weinstein and working with organisations including YouthAid, the International Center for Research on Women and the United Nations, according to People.

- ANI