People started going batshit for Rebel Wilson when she appeared in Bridesmaids, then really lost their minds over her when Pitch Perfect came on. A quirky, hilarious, self-described “fat girl”? Oh, behave! What joy! And yeah, she’s great – she seems really down-to-earth and like a lot of fun, and it’s great to see representations in Hollywood of bodies that aren’t stick thin. But is Rebel really the only one holding the torch? Eh… she seems to think so.
From Elle:
“You need to be physically strong for this job. I like to have the stamina to work 16 hours a day. I may eat a lot, but I am very healthy.”
On fashion: “It’s becoming important for me. I saw a lot of girls were beginning to notice what I wear and I feel a kind of responsibility, because there aren’t any women in Hollywood my size and age.”
On her career: “How I see it is, I do two types of job: dream jobs like female-driven comedies and the other job which is basically the boys’ club. I have done three big movies with men – these are talented, strong-minded males, but you have to find a way to work that system.
“Those male roles are 90% written and formed by the time the filming starts but the female roles are only 20% there. It’s unfair, but I love being funny so I improve the role, work with the limited parameters and opportunities and maximise them… If you are a woman in that situation you work harder, sharpen your skills more; you need to be two or three times as good as the guys. I just go in there and try and crush it.”
I really do hate to be the naysayer here, but I have to point out the fact that Rebel is 29 and I don’t know her weight, nor do I need to. But what about Melissa McCarthy? Gabourey Sidibe? Queen Latifah? Lena Dunham? (I know that last one’s a stretch!) Of course, I do get what Rebel’s saying – while I could name 4 other actresses there that don’t fit the standard showbiz mold, that’s literally about the only 4 that exist, which is messed up, and it’s great that she’s carved a place out for herself amongst that.
And yeah, she does crush it.
She is kind of in her own niche right now, yes. And she crushes fo sho, she was hilarious in Pain & Gain. But there has always been the funny big girl in movies. Just the one at a time, though