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Why Does Hollywood Remain Out of Step With the Body-Positive Movement? (nytimes.com)
According to a report from The New York Times, Hollywood continues to praise plus-sized actresses in knockout roles and then reduce them to bit parts about physical weight. Slashdot reader cdreimer shares an excerpt from the report: The first thing Danielle Macdonald did at the Cannes Film Festival in May was break into a cold sweat: The airline had lost her luggage. She was already nervous enough. Ms. Macdonald, 26, had been plucked from obscurity to play the lead role in "Patti Cake$," a drama about a rapper that was about to face the Cannes critics. Now she had to find something glamorous to wear -- pronto -- to the premiere. "As a bigger girl," Ms. Macdonald told me recently, "where was I meant to find something that would fit?" Her story then veered in an unexpected direction -- revealing her approach to Hollywood, which expects its lead actresses to be scarily skinny. "I gave myself a pep talk," she said. "This situation is what it is. Find a way to work around it." The red carpet crisis was resolved (another "Patti Cake$" star, Cathy Moriarty, lent her a black dress), but if the experiences of countless actresses before Ms. Macdonald are any indication, it will not be as easy to overcome the career obstacles that await her post-"Patti Cake$."
For women -- less so for men -- weight is perhaps the most stubborn of the entertainment industry's many biases. Have an average-sized body? Call us when you've starved yourself. In particular, Ms. Macdonald must avoid a cycle that plays out over and over in moviedom, one that some film agents coarsely call the fat flavor of the moment. A plus-size actress, almost always an unknown, lands the central role in a film and delivers a knockout performance. She is held up by producers and the entertainment news media as refreshing, long overdue evidence that Hollywood's insistence on microscopic waistlines is ending. And then she is slowly but surely pushed into bit parts, many of which are defined by weight.
For women -- less so for men -- weight is perhaps the most stubborn of the entertainment industry's many biases. Have an average-sized body? Call us when you've starved yourself. In particular, Ms. Macdonald must avoid a cycle that plays out over and over in moviedom, one that some film agents coarsely call the fat flavor of the moment. A plus-size actress, almost always an unknown, lands the central role in a film and delivers a knockout performance. She is held up by producers and the entertainment news media as refreshing, long overdue evidence that Hollywood's insistence on microscopic waistlines is ending. And then she is slowly but surely pushed into bit parts, many of which are defined by weight.
Money.
Next question, please.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
Having spent 25 years working on movie and TV sets, I would argue that it's what people want to see. They want to see good looking (often young), fit, thin people. Generally anyway. And it's certainly more the case for actresses. Even women want to see that I think. These viewers -customers- vote with their dollars. It's subtle. Subliminal. But actors who are overweight, much like those in regular life, can face the same societal prejudicial issues: you're lazy, stupid, and ineffective. A producer doesn't want that unless it serves the character in the story. Many that do have successful careers, do so in comedy. There are so many examples of that, I'm sure you can think of dozens on your own. The whole thing is even more prominent in advertising. It's slowly starting to change. Slowly. I believe for human psychology it's a simple subconscious thing....fat = not healthy. A producer doesn't want an action hero who is supposed to kick ass but they can't run a block's distance. I'm not saying it's right. I'm not saying it's good. I'm saying that it's want the people want instinctively. And Hollywood will oblige.
Customers spend more money on what they're attracted to. Stop trying to do "conversion therapy" on them like a 20th century Puritan who can't stand the thought of a gay man.
Or, directors and producers have convinced themselves that you should never hire a woman of below average attractiveness or above average weight.
Movies are supposed to be entertaining, and you know what's entertaining? Variety.
A world consisting of super-models is fairly dull, a large female actress who is written with a personality can actually be really entertaining to watch.
I stole this Sig
Money.
Next question, please.
These are too easy.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
Seriously /.
Stop this crap.
I'm not signing anything
Women will overlook a lot of physical shortcomings if you're a decent guy.
You are welcome on my lawn.
This is NOT "news for nerds," and it sure as fuck isn't "stuff that matters".
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
That's rather missing the point about the body positive movement. Yes, health is an issue, but not the only one. You also have to ask if Hollywood really gives a shit about presenting thin people as a way to "encourage" a healthy lifestyle.
Not everyone can be their ideal weight and go to the gym three times a week. Personally I don't think shaming them for that is likely to motivate them to do something about it. Certainly doesn't work with me, because all my energy goes into deal with other health issues and other shit in my life. That's not to say that any support wouldn't be welcome, but your comment doesn't sound very supportive.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
Not being able to go to the gym is immaterial. There are plenty of ways to exercise from your own apartment/home, without the need equipment or weights. Some without leaving your chair. It doesn't even require that much time either.
Actual health issues though are certainly valid excuses. As could also be an inability to obtain affordable, healthier foods. Seems though that a large (pun unintended) vocal section of the 'body positivity' group are indifferent to actual attempts to be in shape, and rather just change society to favour them. Cries of 'Obese doesn't mean unhealthy' and spewing vitriol at anything not as massive as they are ('She isn't plus sized, she's only 170 lbs!') certainly don't help their position.
Literally everyone can be not overweight. All you have to do is not overeat, it's not hard to just not shove food down your gullet in quantities that force your body to store fat and balloon to excessive sizes. You literally just have to not actively overeat.
A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
Technically you are correct. In practice, to do what you suggest I would have to give up working and eat a very carefully controlled diet and supplements to get enough nutrition. The effect on my general health would still be quite devastating.
Perhaps you meant to say "literally everyone with no other health issues."
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC