'Ozark' actress Laura Linney to address gender inequality at IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show

Calling all produce industry players (and secret Wendy Byrde fans): Laura Linney will be a featured speaker at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show in October.

The Golden Globe, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild award-winning actress — known more recently to fans of the dark and wildly popular Netflix series “Ozark” for her highly entertaining turn as the unapologetically ruthless, often unhinged Byrde family matriarch — will speak during the Women’s Fresh Perspectives general session on “Women in Film: Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry.”

“Laura Linney knows what it means to be a working woman in Hollywood and has witnessed the operative gender inequality within the film industry,” IFPA said about Linney on its Produce & Floral Show event webpage. “She carefully exposes the isolation, insecurity and competition between actresses that have resulted from this inequality. In a program that challenges gender prejudice, Linney shatters common misconceptions about Hollywood life and reminds us that anyone is at risk of discrimination.” 

In July, Linney received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Also speaking at the event will be José Andrés, chef, restaurateur and founder of World Central Kitchen, a global organization that aids in disaster recovery through providing free meals at the frontlines. Recent relief efforts to which WCK has responded have included Hurricane Maria, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.  

“With a mission to change the world through the power of food, José Andrés has dedicated himself to not just feeding the few at his award-winning restaurants, but to feeding the many, as well,” IFPA said. “Andrés works to find smart solutions to hunger and poverty around the world, focusing on health, education and jobs.”

So, fittingly, Andrés will give a talk during the event’s general session on “Changing the World Through the Power of Food.”

“Beginning with his experience volunteering in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, Andrés realized that food can be used to empower communities and strengthen economies,” IFPA said. “In an uplifting and inspirational presentation, Andrés shares stories and images from his travels, including the work he has done in promoting clean cookstove technology, improving kitchens in urban and rural schools, and launching culinary projects to create jobs and increase opportunities for families in Haiti and around the world.”

For more information and to register for the Global Produce & Floral Show, set for Oct. 27-29 in Orlando, Fla., visit https://www.freshproduce.com/events/the-global-produce-and-floral-show. Separate registration is required to attend Linney's session.