I'm not sure how to phrase this without sounding rude...

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 9:47pm

but how successful do you think one can be regarding becoming an actor/performer when they are overweight???
I consider myself sort-of overweight, and I worry about being turned away from shows because of this. Anyone have anything to add??
(and a new title suggestion?? I just didn't want to put fat-asses in show biz...) (just kidding...sort of)

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:01pm

yeah, i worry about this sometimes myself. I mean, I can't just play Tracy Turnblad until i die! Haha.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:04pm

If you don't fit the Barbie doll archetype, chances are you'll have to stick to supporting roles. But if you find a niche, I think the work is there.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:04pm

Ha! i was just going to say there's always Hairspray, but that's about it.

[sipos]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:11pm

Marissa Jaret Winokur, Harvey Firestein, Kristin Johnson, Kirstie Alley, Danny Devito, Monique, Chris Farley, Roseanne Barr, Camryn Manheim, Rosie O'Donnell off the top of my head have all had immense success all being "overweight"

http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Fall2000/Marcus/future2.htm

It's about television actresses, but it sheds some light.

If your weight is boggling your mind and stops your pathway to personal successes, change it. Lose the weight. Or find a way -quick- to be proud of it at all times (in public for sure), and just stay healthy.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:17pm

" I am what I am. I am my own special person."....La Cage

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:19pm

see, that's the thing...i AM proud of who i am..
i can play a better "belle" than most of the people in my town, but I will never get the chance to even try. That's what upsets me. And I don't WANT to be a character actor. I want to be a lead. Just because I am a size 14 dosn't mean that I can't be feminine and beautiful...it's just society's perception of what is beautiful that determines most things.
and truly, (no offense to you,) but i think that being told to loose the weight just furthurs the sterotypes in society...be thin and be in. Why not just be yourself? Why be forced to change?

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:20pm

Regardless of your appearance, there's gonna be plenty of roles which will suit you...and plenty that won't.

Just be happy with yourself...if you wanna lose weight..then lose it....not because you feel that you have to.

Just remember that some roles really need thin women....like Cordelia in "King Lear." He's gotta carry her around a bit.

I always wanted to play Alan Strang in "Equus" but considering that I was 6'2" when I was 12, it just wasn't in the cards.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:25pm

I am a guy, and am at pretty low weight for my family, but not in context to the rest of the country (I'm 5-10 pounds over what I probably should be).
That said I got to play Prince Charming this past summer and have always found roles out there.
By the way-doing character roles is fun and, if done by a good actor, can add a whole new aspect to the show.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:32pm

INdeed...i played ernestina money in Hello Dolly! and (ahem) stole the show..not to brag, but Dolly sucked, so it is true that characters CAN have alot of fun, but you know, 10 years of doing character parts gets to be irritating. I want to know that someday there will be a chance for me to play something other than the pathetic fat girl in the ill-fitting gown who desparatly wants to someday shine.

[sipos]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:39pm

"If your weight is boggling your mind and stops your pathway to personal successes, change it. Lose the weight."

That's what I said. Please don't misinterpret. I meant that if your weight is hindering you like psychologically, then consider losing it. I typed it quick and it looked like an order. But by no means was it meant to be a forceful instruction.

And just remmeber that Disney's Belle is not society's perception. It's Disney's. Disney does not equal the real society. Sometimes unfortunately (i.e. happy endings... read Rosie's blog about her cruise experience recently). Yeah, it's a role you may or may not be even looked for because of body type, but I truly believe acceptance of more real bodies is coming into fruition in film, televsion, and theatre. But it will always be an industry looking for that 'perfectly attractive' image, whatever they say it is. I'm on your side.

I think you nailed it yourself by saying why not be happy. To me, being happy is the point, and what really matters to live a longer and fuller life. No pun intended.
Sorry if I sounded like an oncoming dick.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:39pm

Catie- My best adivice would be to build up your resume.

If you want to succeed in acting you will have to start out by taking almost any role you are offered. Once people see what you can do, you will slowly start to get larger roles (unless you are lucky enough to be cast as a lead in your first professional show, but that hardly ever happens.)

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 11:06pm

fershizzle,
and sipos...i know! I was just saying in general that's all...i know you didn't mean anything by it!

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 3/25/05 at 11:19pm

You know. I am all for being happy with and accepting of one's self "as is". But I can't help but feel that all the love- yourself-as-you-are advice isn't really being honest and helpful.

What I hear Catie asking is if we think she will run into difficulty being cast in non-character lead roles if she is over-weight. And the truth, as I see it, is probably "yes"...unless the weight is necessary for the role. I am all for doing away with the anorexic ideal for women actors, but frankly, most people want to see someone who is fit and healthy and looks good on stage. If this is what you want to do with your life, might not you want it enough to modify your eating habits and maybe join a gym rather than just assuming that it's something you can't change? Realistically, you can choose to be happy with yourself as you are (and there is nothing wrong with that) and be content with character parts, or make some changes and go after what you really want.

I'd agree that weight shouldn't matter if we were talking about being almost any other profession. But the truth is, that appearance and body image are an important component of casting a character.

Just the truth as I see it.

Updated On: 3/25/05 at 11:19 PM

[Marquise]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 2:15am

i agree with iflitifloat.

if CatieElphie wants to go for more leading roles or even ingenue roles then she most certainly would have to lose weight to fit those characters' descriptions. if she's content where she's weight wise then she should only consider those roles where that comes into play.

if on the other hand shes' unhappy with her weight overall then i suggest she try losing it. it's hard. believe me i was a fat kid and a chubby teen up until my sophomore year in high school when i became more active and really made it a point to change my physical appearance because i wasn't happy with myself. it can be done.

i hope whatever you decide CatieElphie that it is ultimately the right decision for you and you alone and that you are happy.

[LightMyCandle125]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 3:16am

i totally understand the feeling. i am waaaaay shorter than everybody else my age and worry that i cant be cast in stuff because everybody else is a head taller than me. but height isn't something i can change. so i'll accept playing the younger roles until i look OLD and short and then we'll see.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 3:16am

Every actor needs to be realistic about what parts he/she can play. We are typecast by our looks, not just weight but height, age, hair/skin color, etc. Your weight should not stop you from finding happiness in your life, but realistically speaking an overweight person is unlikely to be cast as a romantic lead. I also am a character actor for many reasons, and though it would be fun to be cast as a romantic lead, it ain't gonna happen.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 5:46am

This reminds me of a favorite old Bloom County comic strip. Opus the penguin is worried about his weight and wants to lose some desperately, but he says he's not sure how to go about it. "Diet and exercise," another character says and Opus replies, "No, no, no! Nothing radical. What about surgery?"

[eslgr8]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 11:50am

Question to Catie Elphie: How would you feel as an audience member if the male romantic lead was played by an overweight "character" actor, say the part of Link in Hairspray or Sky in Mamma Mia. Be honest. Do you think you or any of the other girls and gay guys who go wild for Matt Morrison or Gavin Creel would feel the same way if these roles were played by say Jason Alexander (when he was younger of course)? I think not. Tracy in Hairspray gets the cute sexy THIN guy. It wouldn't work if Link were her weight. Everyone would just be saying, "Why?"
Updated On: 3/26/05 at 11:50 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 12:30pm

Personally, I find Jason Alexander much more sexually attractive than Matt Morrison or Gavin Creel (yeeeeeeecccccccccccch!). I guess that's one of the things that makes me a lot different from most of the pedos around here.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 1:11pm

Namo...nice to see you finally did the dishes.

Posted: 3/26/05 at 1:14pm

And Namo didn't even throw the baby out with the bathwater - that's a nice touch.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 3/26/05 at 7:05pm

Gypsy:

Play Tracey until they revive les mis - then you can play Mme. Thenardier

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 12:15am

Haha, good advice, Thenardier.

Personally, I LOVE playing character roles, they're more fun, and people often remember the silly character role more than the leading lady. What i'm worried about is that character roles are usually much older than the leading ladies. I'm afraid that when I finally get the %$#^&%!* out of high school and into the real world of professional acting the roles for a young woman who can do a lot of characters but doesn't really look the role of romantic lead will be far and few. Maybe i'll work harder at losing weight (i've lost 32 in the past year and a half! WHOOOOT) and then when I get older just let myself go and revel in the roles of Mrs.Lovett, Yente...and yes, Thenardier...Mme.Thenardier.

[Justice]

Posted: 3/27/05 at 9:20am

Character actors have longer careers than ingenues.