Emma Thompson Battles Hollywood’s “Thin is Beautiful” Myth
Actress Emma Thompson is launching a battle against Hollywood’s demand that actresses be extraordinarily thin. Thompson said in a recent interview that constant dieting is “a disease among actresses,” and she thinks “it’s very dangerous.”
Thompson said, “You know, we fought for a long time for our independence. We have replaced it now with this form of self-mutilation and starvation. It’s horrible and we have to fight it tooth and nail. All of us.”
Kate Winslet, star of the box-office hit “Titanic,” recalled being given a copy of The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women (Wolf, New York : W. Morrow, 1991) by Thompson while on the set of “Sense and Sensibility.” Winslet, who reportedly endured harassment about her weight by “Titanic” director James Cameron, said “Acting is about being real, being honest. Ultimately, the audience doesn’t love you or want to be with you because of what your face looks like or because of the size of your backside. They’ve got to love you because of the honesty within your soul.”
Media Resources: San Francisco Chronicle - March 29, 1998
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