Padding and Tracy Turnblad

If the talent's there, I say go for it.

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You have to be a Tracy Turnblad to play a Tracy Turnblad. You really have to understand where she's coming from." Then she adds with her snappiest 'tude: "And you can't put no skinny girl up in this role and expect her to know."

thats what carly jibson thinks of it, i agree.

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Updated On: 8/31/04 at 02:09 AM

I remember when the original Tracy did an interview and she said that she was chosen because of her weight and whatnot but during rehearsals, she kept dropping pounds really quickly so they had to keep putting food in front of her so she wouldn't get too skinny for the part.

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Haha I just made it up!

As an overweight individual, I am deeply offended when a thin person is padded to play a role. It's the same as a white person using blackface to play an African American, or prosthetic slanty eyes to play an Asian.

When Keivn Kline played Falstaff, he stole a role from an actual fat actor.

JUST KIDDING!!!

Updated On: 8/31/04 at 05:11 AM

While I think it would be *preferable* to have a real fat girl play the part, a thin one with enough talent can do it as well...it's called ACTING. To demand that ONLY a fat actress play the part would be like saying ONLY real British actors can be in My Fair Lady, only real French actors can be in Les Miserables, only real gays can play Roger and Carmen in The Producers, only real teenagers can be in Bare etc and so on...it's ACTING, not real life.

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amen citi.


carly has mentioned in an interview that she has a flat butt, so they padded THAT up.. at least when she first started on tour.

well, of course Tracy should be a large girl--it's key to the plot. Hamlet can be played by an actor of any color, because no mention is made of his race, other than Danish of course. Sweeney Todd has to be played by a man old enough to have a grown daughter. The script dictates the casting....

As for the lack roles for large woman, that is part of show business...there just isn't alot of work out there and it's even more competitive for women because there's fewer roles and more actresses...

My friend Shannon is Tracy's understudy and she has to wear padding. She's not the tinest girl in the world, but shes not that large either. I definatly think any girl who feels insecure about her weight could understand Tracy, or any other physical trait for that matter. Some girls have big noses, or small boobs - channel that emotion into what it would be like to be fat and I think you could do it. Acting is all about taking our own life experiences and using them to help us understand and correctly portray a character.

Think of it this way. The casting directors don't give two craps about what fat talented people out there might think. All they care about is who is going to bring in the money. If the best singer and voice for the role happens to be skinny they have no problem with casting her if she'll bring in the dough. Why should they. should they really take into account whether not not it will hurt the chubby girls' feelings? Thats rediculous! They are not here to make chubby people happy. They also don't care whether or not she actually FEELS the role, or if she just convicingly plays the character. If this were a play it might be different, but in a big Broadway musical, CONVINCING is fine. There aren't in the business to watch out for peoples feelings, they are there to make money. I say, cast the very best person reguardless of looks.

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Updated On: 8/31/04 at 01:43 PM

Please..I'm 19. I'm also heavily involved in an obesity, health, and fitness program at UCLA. I'm not a dumb kid. Granted, these articles were written a few years ago, but they still are important.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/HEALTH/diet.fitness/07/18/fat.fit/index.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-07-17-fat-and-fit.htm

Note, when I say you can be fit and fat, I am referring to being overweight, not obese, because that is when there are higher risks of everything. It's controversial, but I don't think it's the key to ending obesity, but hopefully encouraging health even when people are overweight.

And perhaps I phrased it wrong...You can be in better shape, not healthier than thin people, but have similar risks of heart disease in diabetes. It simply brings your risk level down considerably.

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I absolutely agree with Shira.

As a 'pleasently plump' fifteen year old, I think it's very important that Tracy actually be real. I mean, it's different if it's just to parts, but I mean, just to put her up in a fat suit? No. I've had to go through torment by my pears for the past few years of my life. I've actually considered ending my life because of it. But when I found Tracy Turnblad, my outlook changed. Those were REAL fat girls, on stage. My dream, and I knew I could possibly have the part some day. Now I am thrilled with my life, and I enjoy it. If it's only a few parts, fine, but the whole thing, no. We're obviously gonna see her legs are skinny, and her arms and hands and neck and face. So what's the point trying to hide it?

Tracy is sent as a role model. I also agree to play the part, you have to know the experience. To know Tracy. Plus LET THE FAT GIRLS HAVE THE FAT GIRL PART! There are such a lack of them, that they need to be left open for us.

But yeah, there's my opinion.