He’s confident, she’s an attention seeker. He’s a man who knows what she wants, she’s a diva. And he’s the boss, while she’s just bossy.

Blake Lively is all too aware of the deeply sexist language we use to describe men and women. And in a revealing new interview, she has revealed how these terms affected her feelings of self-worth when she was starting out in her TV and film career – and how it dictated her own behaviour.

Speaking to People magazine, the Gossip Girl star explained: “I think that sometimes you're not encouraged to stand up for yourself. It doesn't even mean in really dramatic ways. That just means that if you're working too many hours, or you aren't being paid what someone else at your work level is being paid, or if you're being treated differently than someone else on the crew, or whoever.

“I didn't feel like I could fight for myself in the same way, because I was afraid of coming across as a diva or difficult or demanding.”

Blake Lively reveals what she regrets most about her career