Healthy Living

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Angelina Jolie's magic number is 28

We've always hated on Hollywood's tendency to tell women that they have to be X pounds in order to get parts, but now here's a different spin. It seems that Angelina Jolie is being considered for the love interest in The Thomas Crown Affair 2: Electric Boogaloo, but producers don't want a repeat performance of Wanted, where Ms. Jolie was apparently fainting on set and had to have all of her costumes taken in. Rumor has it that she's been explicitly told to gain weight. How much weight? 28 pounds, or approximately 33 percent more body weight than she is currently.

I'm not going to make the smug ladies who lunch (or Rian) observation that girlfriend could use some cheeseburgers anyway (as Jane Seymour and TMZ and every other blog under the sun already has). Instead, I have only to bemoan the fact that stars have become such a commodity that it doesn't even matter what they bring to the table anymore. If Angelina Jolie is currently not physically able to withstand the demands of an action movie, then why the heck is she getting the job? Aren't there actors in Hollywood who could kick ass and take names just as handily as Ms. Jolie? Who would believably be able to chew on the lips of one Mister Pierce Brosnan without making us roll our eyes because everyone knows that a 10 like Pierce Brosnan would never end up with a 7 like Angelina (or vice versa, depending on your point of view). And I'm going to completely disregard the fact that Pierce Brosnan is old enough to be Angelina Jolie's freaking father. Is Rene Russo now considered way over the hill by Hollywood? Wow, tuna salad has a longer shelf life than your average female actor in Hollywood.

And also, I'm stymied by the whole concept of 28 pounds. Why 28? Why not, say, 27? Or 29? It reminds me of those Match.com guys who say that they'd like a woman who is up to 5'11" tall and can be no more than 130 pounds. Wow, at a BMI of 18.1, that girl would be considered underweight. Is that really what they want? And what if the girl of your dreams had the audacity to weigh 150 pounds?

Granted, if the actor actually wants the part and tries to shape themselves into it, (a la Bridget Jones) that's one thing, but let's consider the idea of a studio approaching an actor and making these stipulations. What do you guys think? What do you guys think? Does Hollywood have the right to make demands on actors for their weight?

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Comments 1-10 of 18
  • moni_q7's Avatar
    Posted by moni_q7 Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:16pm PDT

    Acting and modeling are probably the only jobs where they can legally discrimate against employing you based on your physical appearance. I fully agree that there is probably a great actress out there that could pull off the role without having to gain weight but they most likely want her specifically for her fan base. If she's willing to gain the weight and both parties are happy, nothing wrong with it.

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  • jo bros #1 fan 4 life's Avatar
    Posted by jo bros #1 fan 4 life Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:38pm PDT

    i agree

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  • Margie's Avatar
    Posted by Margie Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:28pm PDT

    I think that it's the person choice whether or not they are willing to go through any special conditioning for roles in shows, movies, or musicals. I don't think that anyone should say whether it's right or wrong. If you don't like it, don't do it. Very obvious solution.

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  • christialari's Avatar
    Posted by christialari Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:11pm PDT

    In my opinion, and that's all it is, i think we need more big girl role models in movies!! Like say, Queen latifa, beautiful, for who she is, shines through her,making her even more beautiful. I don't know, everyone is so big on people's looks, all of that judging and being judged does alot of damage to people. alot of women already have very low self esteem. women should encourage each other.

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  • DeeDee's Avatar
    Posted by DeeDee Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:12pm PDT

    She needs meat on her bones and lets be honest a lot of us are shaped by what we see, hence we need a lot more Jennifer Hudson sized women on tv so we know it's not a bad thing to be curvy.

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  • jules's Avatar
    Posted by jules Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:28am PDT

    Why do we put so much stock in actor's lives?

    As a girl who was blessed with model stats (a few years ago. . ) and who had some talent in high school acting and who actually thought about it as a profession, I see it as a choice of profession. No one knows what it's like to be an actor and to try to make it except for actors. I'm not saying Hollywood is right, but it is the way it is. If you want to work there, you have to find your niche and work it.

    What about Charlize Theron? B-E-A-Utiful woman, tall (almost 6 feet, I think), who probably weighs over 130 and wears it well because of her height and muscle tone. That girl gained some serious weight and uglied herself up for her role in Monster, an amazing role. But of course, she took it off again (by what I hope were natural and healthy means -- she seems like a reasonable woman). It comes with the territory.

    By the way, I don't think Angelina is a 7. I think she's beautiful and she deserves her good press. And if she's willing to put on weight to get a role, more props to her. Maybe it's because she wants to be taken seriously as an actress, not just a sex symbol. Maybe she realizes she worked too hard on (being skinny for) Wanted and she wants to make up for it. I've never seen her as too skinny -- in all her ass-kicking movies, she seems fit and toned.

    In short, I don't think we all need to be anorexically thin (like Olsen twins, who just freak me out all 'round), but we don't need justification for being overweight either.

    If you're not happy with your weight, don't just hate on women who are skinnier. I still do it anyway, but I'm trying (birthday's resolution) to 1) get back to my former hotness (lose 10-15 pounds), and 2)stop worrying about airbrushed and modified magazine covers.

    By the way, why hasn't anybody posted about Kiera Knightley's "don't-you-dare-upsize-my-boobs"? I think that says a lot too. With being a skinny beautiful actress, sometimes you have to sacrifice curves. And she's HAPPY with that!!! Halle-freakin-lujah!!!

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  • Annika S's Avatar
    Posted by Annika S Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:34am PDT

    yes, hollywood has the right!

    being an actor is a JOB! and to prepare for a role is part of that job! haircut, different hair color, gain/loose weight. that´s their job!

    have you seen christian bale in "the machinist"...?

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  • Patty's Avatar
    Posted by Patty Wed Jul 30, 2008 6:06am PDT

    If she was so thin and undernourished that she had trouble doing her job on her last movie, then there is a problem. Why she needs to be rail thin is a mystery to me. She is a beautiful woman and and extra 10 or 20 pounds is not going to change that. WE are talking about the woman who just gave birth to twins, right? How did she get so thin so quick anyway? I would think if she is fainting on set she could become a liability.

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  • Kim's Avatar
    Posted by Kim Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:44am PDT

    I completely agree with onefoxylady... Angie ios no 7 by any means... get your head straight. And this is what they do when they want parts in films... they gain weight, drop weight, cut their hair etc... it's all part of their career choice. There is a reason the director wants Angie for this part... Aside form the fact that you've based this article on hear say that she was fainitng on set and such...

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  • cee_zj's Avatar
    Posted by cee_zj Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:09am PDT

    i totally agree with Annika.. it's their job, and whatever their job qualifications are or whatever their job requires they have to do it... its just like us, ordinary people with ordinary jobs, whatever our job requires we do it because we are paid for it.

    And on the wicked side, its the price they pay for fame, wealth and all the perks hollywood provides!

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