Rebel Wilson Made a ‘Conscious Decision to Look Ugly’ for Roles
Rebel Wilson Made a ‘Conscious Decision to Look Ugly’ for Roles: ‘I Knew I Wouldn’t Be Taken Seriously Like a Cate Blanchett’ https://t.co/1mtAofa8ex
- IndieWire (@IndieWire) April 1, 2024
Rebel Wilson made herself “ugly” in the early parts of her acting career because it was the best way to get comedic roles. She was “degraded” due to her appearance, and - at least once - her weight was literally a mandate for continued employment.
Wilson had a contract clause for her breakout performance in the “Pitch Perfect” trilogy to not lose weight from 2012 to 2017. She played the character “Fat Amy” in the films. The role, in part, led to her deliberately making herself less attractive to achieve success in comedy.
"I wanted to make something of myself, have a great career, and make a lot of money. I knew I wouldn’t be taken seriously like a Cate Blanchett or Nicole Kidman, but I quickly realized that the bigger you were, the more audiences laughed. So I’d have my gut hanging out and wear micro-shorts onstage, no make-up, stuff that horrified my mother. It was a really conscious decision to look ugly. It was part of my plan."
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