"I'm reluctant to even indulge a conversation about my body image as it's become such an unhealthy obsession within society. When I had to pose naked in Art School Confidential, I made a conscious decision to put on weight as I feel very strongly that this size zero thing needs to stop."
Sophia Myles, on Hollywood's obsession with weight.
Wow. I have never heard of an actress (or even a woman in the entertainment business) who is so unconcerned with her body that she puts on weight for a nude scene. I'm not sure whether to commend or condemn her. Obviously my first thought was oh what a refreshing and healthy response to the Skinny Obsession... But now that I've thought about it more, is this really healthy? Sure I must admire her bravery to appear nude in a movie, and heavier than usual on top of that, but how is putting on weight to prove a point any different to losing weight (unhealthily)? Neither is healthy, that must be acknowledged. But I can't go past the fact that she did this for the right reasons, and with good intentions.
I'm not sure how much of a difference she made, considering this is the first I've heard of it (I've never even heard of the movie Art School Confidential; but I'm probably the only one lol), but she's doing her bit to knock some sense into the poor women falling prey to the Skinny Obsession (myself included). Perhaps it's not the action (putting on weight) that we should be focusing on, but the attitude and reasoning behind it (wanting to make the world a healthier place).
Good on her, I say...
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25 comments:
Yes! I'm glad to hear this! But, yea... is putting on weight like that healthy? Yo-yo diets are bad!
I saw Art School Confidential on TV once. IT IS SO GOOD! It is probably one of my favorite movies. If you're into foreign movies, this movie has all that quirkiness, but in English LOL! I think I'll rent it sometime soon. GO RENT IT!!
It's about this awkard-timid teen who goes to art school, falls inlove with a girl, and tries to become a famous artist to impress her. There's more to it. It's a light comedy. It's not ha ha funny, but it's not drama and sappy. But what's the in between nitty gritty? You'll have to find out ;P.
i agree, gaining wait and losing weight can be equally unhealthy. i think that it doesn't really matter what weight you are but as long as it is healthy or doesn't cause problems health wise in the longterm or so.
its an interesting quote and concept... although i have no idea who she is???
and ohmigod YES! rose in titanic wears some of the most amaaazzzing outfits! i looved this embroided coat of hers so much i was going to get it copied! (yessss, i was a preteen titanic obsesser hehe)
Heya ~
I've always liked the feisty, interesting comments Sophia makes in articles. Her quote about the absurd standard women are held up to makes me admire her even more!
XO ~
Kandye
My Moonlight Fan Blog
http://moonlightfan.blogspot.com
I find it hard to focus on the motive to gain weight to make the world a healthier place... idk I like the idea behind it, but there are ways of accomplishing this without changing your own body to suit others
hello!!
i think the girls must not do radicals diets...
everybody want a better body, so do exercises and make something healthy do achieve it...otherwise, not worth the sacrifice...
me, for exemple, i really try to exercises and eat healthy, more than that, it´s not good for the person...become an obsession...
great post,
a kiss and a hug.
Kira
i hate the fact that people now treat body weight as a fashion. A couple of years ago i saw a headline 'Posh don't you know it's fashionable to have curves?' This sent me crazy. The media can actually be like monsters, creating bad role models, starting the size zero debate etc.
Can't 'skinny' people be allowed to be 'skinny' and 'curvy' girls allowed to be 'curvy'?? Let's be done with it.
Oh, I like that movie. :)
It sucks that our world doesn't seem able to interpret things correctly. The message is "Be skinny, or you're not attractive!" or "Only women with curves (misinterpreted in today's world to mean overweight) are feminine!" Women either feel guilty that they aren't thin "enough," or they are a little too comfortable with a body that's unhealthily overweight. It's good to have high self-esteem, but you shouldn't be perfectly content with a body that is at risk for certain diseases.
Despite all the confusion, I am hoping that people will soon go with the trend that's suffusing other realms of culture: that individuality is the new black. You don't have to be "as thin as" or "as curvy as" to be acceptable -- you need to be what's best for your own mind and body. People aren't naturally all set to be at the same weight if they eat and exercise a certain amount. Maybe one day our culture will acknowledge and embrace that. Until then, fat and skinny jokes will reign supreme.
I don't think an actress should stuff her face for a role, but if she were underweight beforehand, and she wanted to look healthier in the nude to be a good influence, good on her.
I too find it unhealthy for people to feel that they have to gain/ lose weight to be fashionable. It's a double edged sword. If you're "too skinny" people automatically think you're anorexic (as is my problem...I'm 5'9" and 120lbs and people assume I don't eat) but if you're "too big" (in hollywoods standards) than you're a fat outcast.
I just say whatever...
Didn't Sophia Myles play Isolde in the movie Tristan & Isolde?
I think she's beautiful the way she is and she didn't really gain that much weight for that movie. I think what she was trying to say is she would rather be her normal/healthy weight than be a size 0 as most women in Hollywood are. I personally like women with curves aesthetically. :)
Wow, she sounds kinda like Kate Winslet, whom I love! I think that was her in Tristan & Isolde! She's gorge! More power to her though.
Oh, and No Doz pills + MCAT anxiety + due homework + one stressed out me = 5 hrs of sleep in 48 hrs :-)
it's a noble, brave attitude.
it'll really impress me though if she in reality ( well on the red carpet, in magazines etc) sticks to this under pervasive hollywood/media pressure to uphold the skinny ideal.
Hear, hear! Thanks for the quote.
We were in the ballet world for a while and the stereotype is fairly true about dancers being underweight/anorexic. It was always disappointing when the dance teachers passively encouraged dancers to loose weight. It's a shame that skinniness, not being/looking healthy, is so highly lauded in our culture.
It's alright with me!
this is so interesting! I like her point and i get what she was trying to do, but its not the most widespread news (this is the first ive heard of it!) so it depends on who surrounds her.
good for her for speaking up though!
I work in the admissions office on campus. It's a 'Federal Work Study' job. It means, the government pays the school to allow qualified students to work and receive up to $3000 that school year. But, we get paid $7 an hour and not tax is removed... it's a sucky job. I open mail (takea sneak peek and the college apps) and do all the nitty gritty work that the admission counselors don't want to do. There's like 10 of us that work there, and I'm sure I wasn't missed LOL. Unless, a lot of people didn't show up either... HAHA
I agree that there are so many eating disorders around the world, it is great to see someone every now and then that is happy with their weight and maintains it, not constantly losing and gaining weight and playing with the future :)
Fantastic post x
This is a brilliant, brilliant post, and I am really glad you wrote about this because it illustrates to me that women are trapped not only by the social weight issue, but have also become prisoners of their own bodies...trapped IN them in a way...you know?
i think it's good that she wants to go against the stereotypical idea that has appeared in recent years about skinny skinny skinny girls, and that it has a direct relation to popularity or talent.
but then i do agree with you that putting on extra weight isn't healthy, but i think it isn't as noteworthy as her stand against this growing thin trend.
good post :]
x.
jessica
Hello dear,
thanks a lot for passing and thanks a lot for your friendship :)
a kiss and a hug for you,
Kira
Wow, this certainly makes a difference to seeing the same old posts about celebrities losing weight for roles / to gain more roles. I definately agree with you about it being unhealthy that a person would purposely gain weight in order to make a point. Myles misses the point in way by doing so because she's just promoting a different body ideal rather than a healthy body image (where women don't starve themselves, or eat fast food on a daily basis with little exercise). By putting on weight purposely and deviating from her natural figure, she's condoning people's excessive eating habits and saying 'it's okay', when really, eating too much is as bad as eating too little.
Did I rant? I think so. Sorry! =) Very interesting topic though.
i think erin and the tsubi boys are just friends, they seem to be always over the place together. although, really, i guess whoooo knowws!
i dont think that she put on weight unhealthily. It was to turn her body into a fuller figure rather than a skinny one.
Just to show that 'IT'S OK'. You don't have to be super skinny. Here I am, full frontal naked, and I'm not all skin and bones.
Secretista: that actually does sound like a movie I might like. Ok next time I've got some free time I'll rent Art School Confidential and let you know what I think! :)
Addison: yes the embroidered coat! The she takes off to go and rescue jack when the bottom level is filled with water, right? Oh I fell in love with that coat as soon as I saw it...*sighs* Do you watch Dr Who at all? I believe Sophia was in an episode of that...
Dollfaced Rebel: I 100% agree! I couldn't have said it better myself. :)
Kira: that's a great attitude to have! It's good to see some women doing their bit to make the world a better place. :) Oh and you're always welcome for my friendship! You're a sweetie, you really are! :)
Skyla: I agree - I'm so over everyone stressing about their weight etc (myself included...it's so tiring, but the thing is, I just can't stop...). The media does have a huge part in this issue - they bring people up and pull them back down when they want to...It's sick (in a bad way).
jealoushe: I agree 100%. Very well said! One shouldn't stuff their face for a role, unless they were underweight beforehand and wanted to look healthy. Especially just to prove a point...But still, I guess her heart was in the right place...
Fashion's darling: that's so true. It's like, no one can "win". As portrayed by the media, no one is ever seen as healthy (because that would mean they're fat) and they can't be skinny because then they get dissed for that as well (even if they can't help it)...It's a messed up world we live in...
AsianCajuns: oh yes I remember in the movie Centre Stage the teachers telling that one girl to lose weight even though she already looked fairly underweight...I always wondered if that was a realistic portrayal so I guess it is, then...Like I said, I so wasn't cut out for the ballet world lol!
On Track: thank you. :) Yes it is always nice to see women like Sophia not only daring to be different, but daring to be HAPPY (with her weight at least)...
riz: thank you. :) Yes I know exactly what you mean (me being one of them)...Thanks to the media, the minds of young girls have been moulded in a way that is so unhealthy, people have started dying. I hate to sound morose, but it has gotten to that point, hasn't it? Hopefully it will all pick up soon, though. Fingers crossed...
Meg: oh no you didn't rant at all - you've actually made a fantastic point! She is condoning an equally unhealthy body ideal, but people don't really that it's unhealthy because they're so fixated on the skinny side of the things...But I believe her intentions were good, all the same, so good for her. :)
Alya: true, very true. She was just trying to do a good thing. I was just concerned with the way she was going about it, I suppose...But it's definitely nice to see an actress who isn't skin and bones, isn't it? :)
Thanks everyone for all your lovely and extremely interesting comments!
Romany
xx
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