When fans discovered that Chris Sullivan wear out a fat suit to work Toby onThis Is Us , many expressed their disappointment . When he mentioned the lawsuit on a public lecture show , he joke , " Something on tv set is a Trygve Lie ? "
Certain TV and movie roles call for an actor who looks a specific away, especially in biopics and other projects based on real-life people. However, oftentimes, it seems like networks and studios would rather cast a big-name actor and use makeup, etc. to change their looks rather than booking a lesser-known actor who fits the part. Sometimes, it’s a simple, logical change, like having an actor dye their hair or grow a mustache. Other times, though, they go a little too far.
Here are 11 times TV and movie studios were criticized for using prosthetics or fat suits:
1.To play composer Leonard Bernstein in the upcoming biopicMaestro,Bradley Cooperwore a fake nose. Once the trailer dropped, the prosthetic wascriticizedas “antisemitic” and a “Jewish stereotype.”
In ajoint program line , the composer ’s three nestling , Jamie , Alexander , and Nina Bernstein , said , " Bradley Cooper admit the three of us along every footprint of his awesome journey as he made his film about our father . We were touch to the inwardness to witness the depth of his commitment , his loving embrace of our father ’s medicine , and the vapourous undefendable - hearted joyousness he land to his geographic expedition . It breaks our inwardness to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his drive . It pass to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice , handsome nose . Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance , and we ’re perfectly fine with that . We ’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well . Any strident complaints around this issue scratch us above all as disingenuous attack to bring a successful person down a nick — a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own forefather . "
Bradley toldCBS first light , " I call back , ' Maybe we do n’t need to do it . But it ’s all about residuum , and , you screw , my lip are nothing like Lenny ’s , and my mentum . And so we had that , and it just did n’t wait ripe [ without the prosthetic ] . "
2.Helen Mirrenfaced similarbacklashfor wearing a prosthetic nose to play Golda Meir, the former Israeli Prime Minister, in the 2023 biopicGolda.
OnSunday with Laura Kuenssberg , she said , " I think I can see , but sometimes I ca n’t see because I ca n’t see who in this elbow room is Jewish … I suppose the whole question of assuming a certain physiognomy because you ’re playing a special race , there is something unsavoury about that . On the other script , if you ’re meet Leonard Bernstein , and this is really what Leonard Bernstein looked like , you have it away , maybe it ’s a honest melodic theme . It ’s a very fragile balance . "
3.The 2022 film,The Whale, wascriticizedfor its anti-fat premise as well as for the fat suit and prosthetics that lead actorBrendan Fraserwore. Its Oscar win for Best Makeup was met withbacklash.
Brendan toldPeople , " I think [ transforming for a role is ] one of the more exigent way you’re able to create a character and body , and in this typesetter’s case the authorisation that Charlie ’s costume would respect the laws of graveness and natural philosophy as opposed to the many ways that we ’ve see that character render in moving-picture show before as really a one - note joke , and in a costume that ’s just unfair . That ’s a personal thought , but we felt an debt instrument to ensure that it was cumbersome . It was exact , that was what we strive for . "
4.OnFriends,Courteney Coxwore a fat suit and prosthetics in flashbacks as “Fat Monica.” The gag has beencriticizedas “incredibly lazy” andcalled outfor promoting harmful stereotypes.
In 2020 , she toldEllen DeGeneres , " I roll in the hay dally stoutness Monica because I felt so free . I could dance , like , just sit up and dance and have no problem at all . And I did roll in the hay it . Those are really good episodes . "
5.In 2016,Zoë Saldañawore a prosthetic nose and skin-darkening makeup to play Nina Simone in the unauthorized biopicNina.
When rumors of Zoe ’s casting began circulating , Nina ’s girl , Simone Kelly , unloose astatementon the Isaac Bashevis Singer ’s prescribed Facebook Sir Frederick Handley Page , which said , " My mother was raise at a prison term when she was told her olfactory organ was too wide of the mark , her peel was too dark . visual aspect - wise , this is not the best choice . "
During a 2020Instagram Live , Zoe rationalise . She said , " I should ’ve never played Nina . I should ’ve done everything in my power — with the leverage that I had 10 years ago , which was a unlike purchase , but it was leverage nevertheless — I should ’ve try everything in my exponent to cast a Black charwoman to trifle an exceptionally perfect Black woman . I think back then that I had the permit because I was a disastrous cleaning woman . And I am . But it was Nina Simone . And Nina had a life , and she had a journey , that should ’ve been , and should be , abide by to the most specific detail because she was a specifically detailed mortal — about her voice , and her opinion , and her prospect , her music , and her art . And she was so good , so she merit better . "
6.When fans discovered that Chris Sullivan wore a fat suit to play Toby onThis Is Usin 2017, manyexpressedtheir disappointment. When he mentioned the suit onThe Real, he joked, “Something on television is a lie?”
A few months later , he toldPeople Now , " You know , there are different requirements for an actor for different roles , ” he enjoin . “ As you ’ll find inGuardians of the Galaxy 2 , I ’m not actually a space alien . As you ’ll bump for Milo Ventimiglia , he ’s not actually a begetter . And I recall that if people in reality had a job with the agency that I was represent this character , or had a trouble with the wholeness of the character , or the way I was deal this fictional character , then I would really like to have a conversation … I can understand that it ’s disgraceful , and that it might be a little voiceless to understand . But it ’s also a logistical matter . You have to empathize that this show climb up back and onward through time , and Toby was n’t always this size , and who know , perhaps they need me to appear this path at one point . Maybe we change the size of it of him . There ’s some stagecraft involved . "
7.In 2021,Sarah Paulsonfaced criticism for wearing a fat suit to play Linda Tripp inImpeachment: American Crime Story. She reportedly gained weight for the role and wore padding.
She say theLA Times , " It ’s very tough for me to talk about this without feeling like I ’m pretend excuse . There ’s a lot of controversy around histrion and fertile causa , and I think that controversy is a lawful one . I think fat phobia is veridical . I believe to pretend otherwise causes further harm . But that integral responsibility , I do n’t imagine , falls on the actor for choosing to do something that is arguably — and I ’m talking about from the privileged out — the challenge of a lifetime … I also know it ’s a privileged place to be sitting and thinking about it and reflect on it , having already gravel to do it , and having had an opportunity that someone else did n’t have . Should I have known ? Abso - fucking - lutely . But I do now . And I would n’t make the same pick lead forward . "
8.WhenRenée Zellwegerplayed Pam Hupp in the true crime miniseriesThe Thing About Pam, she also faced criticism for wearing body and facial prosthetics.
She toldEntertainment Tonight , " The idea is to be accurate , the idea is accuracy . I think , specially in the suit of tell this write up , it was really important to as intimately resemble Pam Hupp as we possibly could , because she seems so familiar , she seems like someone that we greet , and we know . In order for you to well understand how possible it might be that multitude would throw onto her who they are certain that she might be or what kind of soul she might , it just seemed really important that we got as closemouthed to that as we could . "
9.When Gwyneth Paltrow played Rosemary inShallow Halin 2001, she wore a fat suit and prosethetics, and she had a body double. In 2020, she toldNetflixthat the widelycriticizedmovie was a “disaster.”
In 2001 , she toldW Magazine , " The first day I tried [ the productive wooing ] on , I was in the Tribeca Grand [ hotel in New York City ] , and I walk through the hall . It was so sad ; it was so worrying . No one would make heart contact with me because I was obese . I was weary this black shirt with big snowmen on it . For some reason … the wearing apparel they make for women that are heavy are atrocious . I felt humiliated because citizenry were really dismissive . "
In 2023 , Ivy Snitzer , who was Gwyneth ’s body double , tell theGuardianthat she was made to " feel really well-situated " by the cast and crew , but " it did n’t fall out to [ her ] that the film would be seen by jillion of people . "
She allege , " It was like the bad parts about being fat were magnified . Andno onewas distinguish me I was curious … " She " got really scared " by the responses to her promo consultation , which ranged from someone transmit her dieting contraceptive pill to someone sending her love varsity letter . Two years after the movie hail out , Ivy was " technically starve to decease " after a complicatedness with her gastric band surgery .
She said , " I love that [ the movie is ] a cool matter I did one metre . It did n’t make me sense bad about myself . Until you know , other people started tell me I credibly should have felt bad about myself . "
10.In the 1994Saturday Night Livesketch “Blossom,” Melanie Hutsell wore a prosthetic nose to parody Mayim Bialik’s titular role in the sitcom. She later said she was “absolutely horrified” that they wanted her to wear it and that she “knew it was wrong.”
In 2023 , she toldEntertainment Weekly , " I recollect so clear that when I carry that I did not desire to wear down the prosthetic nose for the sketch , I was told if I pass up , I would be fired . And keep in psyche , many of the mass who had a hand in create the sketch were Jewish . Although I had and have always had a potent moral compass , I did n’t have the strength to refuse to do the vignette after I was told I would be fired … If I could go back and change history , I would have refused to wear the prosthetic nose and taken the risk of lose my occupation … The whole situation ghost me for years , but gratefully I had an chance at an audition about 10 years after the fact to look Mayim in the heart and justify for what I did , to which she reply , ' I let go you ! ' I have that to mean that she accepted my apology , and that think more to me than she will ever know . "
Responding onInstagram , Mayim say , " give thanks you Melanie Hutsell for this — I did not intend to pick at you orSNL , and I really appreciate your thoughtfulness around this ! It made for an interesting essay ( which I was asked to write many months ago on the subject of antisemitism ) and with everything going on in the world , I ’m nearly hugging you and apprise you very much ! "
11.And finally, to play Ms. Trunchbull inMatilda the Musical, in 2023, Emma Thompson wore a fat suit, which wascalled outfor being a “dehumanizing punchline.”
annotate on the prevue onGood Morning Britain , Queen MoJo say , " When you ’re plus - sized , there is a beauty to that . When you walk into a way and carry that weight , there is an zip that sometimes actors ca n’t bring to that . That take to be play up , if there was someone that was perhaps less able - bodied or have a different sex to us , we represent those on screen . Why are fat hoi polloi ’s bodies not as important to do that ? "
