After the Oscars last week, there was much talk about the rising actress, Gabourey Sidibe, and whether her weight will impact her future in the acting world. Some people think that in a town full of super skinny girls and women she will not fit in or be able to find work because there wont be roles that will fit her. Howard Stern asked, "What movie could she play in? You feel bad because everyone pretends that she's part of show business, and she's never going to be in another movie." I thought this was a rather harsh description. Robin Quivers also suggested that she look around at the Oscars and realize that no one there looked like her, but, again, I think this is an overly harsh criticism. I watched an interview of her on the red carpet, and I was blown away by how much energy and personality she brought to the stage in comparison to some of the other stars who looked downright bored. I think her personality will allow her to be cast in some great movies in the future. And I'm not the only one. Casting directors said that she has "irresistible charm, wit and confidence". To top it all off, she's got serious talent. I haven't seen the movie, but from everything I've heard it was downright amazing, and Sidibe had a difficult part. Rachel Tenner, a casting director, insisted that the star power Sidibe showed in
Precious will be enough to push her past the presumptions about what type of role she can and cannot play.
I think this debate shows who we are as a nation; we are obsessed with the media, and although we claim to be accepting of diversity, we really aren't. The fact that her future was even questioned because of how she looks is unnerving.
Does everyone have to fit in to some sort of mold to be successful?
I think that in our society, you do have to fit a mold to be successful. As much as I wish it weren't true, I think that as a nation we are very judgmental. As you said, we "claim to be accepting diversity" but we really aren't. One reason we may think we are a diverse society is that we portray so many "underdog" stories. There are always movies, books, or articles about the few who don't fit the mold that do make it in society. Even though these true stories are inspiring, I think that as a nation we just assume that everyone is this successful.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean that Sidibe has no chance or will not be successful (in fact, I do think she can be successful).
I agree with Ellie. I think that America pigeon-holes people to conform to society's standards. The entertainment industry itself is a mold and if you can't meet their standards, you can't be a part of it. Sibide is amazing, but I think that part of the reason her success stands out is because she is part of a small group (in that industry) that doesn't fit the mold. Although I would like to believe that success is dependent solely upon your efforts, I don't. At least not in America.
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