Patricia Arquette responds to Oscars feminism controversy, and Hillary Clinton supports her

Actress pledged to help 'working poor women' despite criticism

Different view: Patricia Arquette (AP)

Patricia Arquette has dismissed claims that she's a privileged actress telling black and LGBT people what to do.

However, talking backstage, Arquette appeared to urge oppressed groups to fight the corner of older women being underpaid.

"It's time for all the women in America and all the men who love women and all the gay people and all the people of colour that we’ve fought for, to fight for us now," Arquette said off-stage.

Some feminist, LGBT and racism activists criticised Arquette's off-stage speech. Feminist Roxane Gay led the charge.

On Wednesday, Arquette fought her corner, saying that the struggle she encountered as a young woman meant she was qualified to talk about poverty.

Meanwhile, rumoured presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton during a keynote speech at a women's tech conference in Silicon Valley, California. “I think we all cheered at Patricia Arquette’s speech at the Oscars, because she’s right - it’s time to have wage equality,” Clinton said.