Rebel Wilson Calls Out Weight Stigma in Hollywood
Actress Rebel Wilson sat down with the BBC recently and discussed her weight loss over the last year – and called out Hollywood standards in the process. During her “year of health,” the Pitch Perfect star lost over 70 pounds. But the comedian received pushback from management as she strayed away from her “funny fat girl identity.”
I am so honored to be named part of #BBC100Women …beyond thrilled to be up there with such legends. And when @BillieJeanKing reaches out to say she likes the interview then I know I’m doing something right! 😘 https://t.co/YXrgRqH9Pk
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) December 7, 2021
“I got a lot of pushback from my own team — actually — here in Hollywood, when I said, ‘I’m gonna do this year of health, I really feel like I’m gonna physically transform and change my life.’ And they were like, ‘Why would you wanna do that?’ Because I was earning millions of dollars being the funny fat girl and being that person,” Wilson told the BBC.
However, none of the above women deserve their place more on this list than Rebel Wilson.
— Nick Landman (@moldbugman) December 7, 2021
Rebel struggled with horrific online abuse for her weight. Abuse that she mitigated by playing the role of “Fat Amy” in 3 Pitch Perfect films.
She’s now lost the weight. Still brave tho. pic.twitter.com/eOOMl0wd4G
From Pitch Perfect to Bridesmaids to JoJo Rabbit, Wilson knows how to make audiences laugh. Not only is she hilarious, but she’s confident in what she does. So while her appearance may have changed, that was not Wilson’s motivation for losing weight.
Instead, she wanted to stop “emotional eating” and consuming tubs of ice cream every night. These actions resulted from being a “natural performer” and the “pressure and internal stress” associated with that. That’s not to say those habits have stopped – as with any form of healing and recovery – but Wilson has learned to “manage things.”
Y’all remember when, in the early 2000s, magazines like UsWeekly, Star & etc would scrutinize and accuse them of yo-yo dieting, pick them apart no matter how they looked and then vituperate them if they happened to “gain the weight back” & become fat “again”?
— Clarkisha (@IWriteAllDay_) November 15, 2021
Behold it’s legacy pic.twitter.com/aiFZrjeAgx
For women in Hollywood, appearance is essential. “Easy On Me” singer Adele recently opened up about her own weight loss journey that made headlines. For her, the gym was key to building a strong body and mind. Like Wilson, her change in appearance was a way to combat something emotional in addition to the physical.
“Why are people so obsessed with women, in particular, about their looks?” Wilson added in the interview. “I know what it’s like to be a woman who is essentially invisible to most people because of not being seen as traditionally beautiful or whatever. It’s crazy to try to fit that. It’s just better to be the healthiest version.”
“I’ve been so grateful to make these lasting changes,” Wilson stated. “It just makes me feel overall better, and I’m still the exact same person, just a healthier version.”
For now, Wilson continues to live her life as she adapts to the changes. At 41 years old, she is starting to think about having kids (which also motivated her weight loss). Whether a career woman, mother, friend, or anywhere in between, Wilson knows who she wants to be. Check out her full interview with the BBC above.
Writer | @IlanaDavis24
