Rose McGowan said she has always felt “emotionally I was a bit more like a man” as she became the first woman to win the Inspiration prize at the GQ Men Of The Year awards.
The actress and activist was honoured on her birthday at a star-studded event at London’s Tate Modern on Wednesday, hosted by Catastrophe star Rob Delaney.
McGowan, 45, has been credited as a force in the #MeToo movement since making allegations against Harvey Weinstein and said it had been a “fight” since coming forward.
She said: “I have always felt emotionally I was a bit more like a man, at least a stereotypical man and I feel like I am a man that’s growing and I feel like I am neither woman nor man and it fits perfectly with this year.
“The weight is very heavy. It’s been a fight. It’s been a fight every goddamned day. Some fights, and justice, that’s worth it.”
Asked how she coped with the pressure, she said: “You cry a couple of tears, you pull up your bootstraps and you march on and that’s what I did.”My father’s birthday card when I was 11, was ‘dear Rose, I have always admired your sense of justice. Happy birthday’. So I feel like I am fulfilling who he believed I was.”
The annual awards, which are now in their 21st year, celebrate men and women who have helped to shape the world’s cultural landscape across style, politics, entertainment and sport during the course of the year.
Other winners included Johnny Marr, Naomi Campbell, John Legend and the Prince Of Wales.
Former Smiths guitarist Marr was presented with the lifetime achievement prize by Kylie Minogue while Supermodel Campbell, who was named fashion icon of the year, was honoured by singer and actress Zendaya.
Legend was presented with the Hugo Boss most stylish man prize by his wife Chrissy Teigen.
Charles was honoured with the editor’s lifetime achievement award for services to philanthropy by Dylan Jones.
Also picking up prizes at the ceremony were Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who was given the international man of the year prize by his Avengers co-star Chris Hemsworth, and Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya, who was honoured as actor of the year by director Steve McQueen.
The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss was given the television actor of the year prize by her Top Of The Lake co-star Gwendoline Christie, while Paul Weller was hailed as songwriter of the year and given his prize by photographer Mary McCartney.
Donatella Versace collected the designer of the year gong from model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and actor Luke Evans while Ralph Lauren was named design legend of the year, Philipp Plein was given the brand of the year prize and Charles Jeffrey was named breakthrough designer.
Musicians Dua Lipa and Olly Alexander, who performs under the name Years & Years, also received prizes, collecting the solo artist and live act gongs respectively, while Jorja Smith was named Vero breakthrough solo artist.
Jeff Goldblum was handed the Haig Club icon prize by his Thor: Ragnarok co-star Tom Hiddleston and Fire And Fury author Michael Wolff was honoured as writer of the year.
Harry Kane, who captained England at the 2018 World Cup, took the sportsman of the year prize, while David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham, was given the politician of the year gong.
Other prizes were given to Sacha Baron Cohen, who was handed the editor’s special award, and Tom Bateman, who was named Hugo Boss breakthrough actor.
Baroness Doreen Lawrence was also in attendance to honour Jonathan Yeo as the Maddox Gallery artist of the year.