We all know Hollywood holds actresses and celebrities to almost impossible body standards but there is always the hope that with a more progressive and inclusive way of thinking, these benchmarks will change in time.
America Ferrera who appeared in Barbie most recently spoke about how ridiculous it seems that a lot of her early roles were centered around her body and how her average body was seen as so lacking, mainly in her roles like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Ugly Betty.
In an interview with Elle magazine recently for their 2023 Women in Hollywood issue, Ferrera, 39 says, “What’s so insane is, you go back and look, and I had a very average-size body. And so the idea that people were looking at me and saying, ‘That’s curvy is crazy. Not that I care, but it’s like, that’s insane that we thought that was so groundbreaking. I was Hollywood’s version of imperfect, which seems so ridiculous.”
Ferrera on people in bodies
“I don’t feel alone in that either. There are so many women who were called brave, just because they are people in bodies.”
Ferrera says she hopes that things will change as her later roles in Barbie and Dumb Money were much better in terms of pushing boundaries.
“What I continue to wish for in my career, and women’s careers and people of color’s careers, is that we don’t have to exist inside of these boxes or these lanes – that we don’t have to be relegated to represent just the thing that the culture wants us to represent,” she said.
Ferrera said that ultimately she wants to be someone who makes art that doesn’t fit into boxes and is not stereotypical of Hollywood.
Way back in 2017, Ferrera told Redbook that she had struggled with body confidence her whole life and it took her a long time to learn that a woman’s value was much more than just her appearance.
“As women, you’re taught that your value is all about your appearance, not your ideas and your tenacity and your courage and your bravery and your adventurous spirit. Look, I love getting dressed up and looking beautiful, But that’s one tiny piece of me.”
Cover Photo: IG