AceShowbiz - During an interview on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Anna Kendrick remembered a particularly humiliating moment with a director who aimed to embarrass her in front of a large group of extras. She recounted, "I remember a director once in a room full of 100 extras or something being like, 'Hey, on this next one just try something. Just make something up. Just improv something.' "

Showing off her quick thinking and creativity, Kendrick followed the director's instruction, but the aftermath was less than encouraging. The director, in a move that seemed designed to assert dominance, criticized her right in front of everyone present. Kendrick said, "And I did it and then the director called cut and came over and, once again in front of 100 extras, was like, 'Oof, let's go back to the script!' "

The experience left a sour taste, as Kendrick added, "It really felt like a very specific power move thing to embarrass me, to gain dominance. It was very icky." Ironically, her improvised line eventually made it to the film's trailer, giving Kendrick a sense of vindication. "And then the thing that I improved ended up in the trailer. So f**k you!" she quipped, eliciting cheers from the live audience.

Keeping the identity of the director and film under wraps only added suspense to her story. The reaction of the podcast audience served as a testament to her transformative journey from enduring such industry tactics to calling the shots herself.

Fast forward to the present, the "Pitch Perfect" star has ascended to the role of director with her feature debut, "Woman of the Hour." She shared her experiences of navigating press tours as a first-time director with Variety, describing it as an unusual but enlightening experience.

"It's a lot easier for me to talk in extreme detail about certain moments in certain scenes, or about movies that were inspirations than it is to answer the questions that come up the most frequently - 'Why this project? Why did you want to direct?' " Kendrick revealed.

Reflecting on her new role, she noted the expectations placed on female directors, "I think there is a bit of an expectation that I speak quite eloquently about the unique experience of being a female director, and then you're going, 'I've done this one time.I probably shouldn't be, like, representative of those kinds of big questions.' "

Anna Kendrick's story is not just about stumbling upon success but about overcoming adversities and owning her narrative. As she positions herself behind the camera, she continues to inspire, proving that with talent and resilience, it's possible to navigate and shape one's own destiny in Hollywood.