Emily
In Hollywood, it’s well-known that unrealistic and harmful beauty standards are imposed on many celebrities.
From being expected to maintain a thin yet curvy figure to hiding gray hairs and achieving flawless skin, only a few manage to meet all the criteria.
For those who don’t, the consequences can be harsh, including social media criticism and fewer job opportunities.
However, some celebrities are pushing back against society’s expectations and challenging those who criticize their choice to embrace their natural appearance.
Below, Bored Panda highlights 21 stars who have spoken out against Hollywood’s absurd aesthetic standards.
1. Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis revealed she’s been “sucking in” her stomach since she was 11, an age “when you start being conscious about boys and bodies.” Now, she plans to stop.
“In the world, there is a billion-dollar industry about hiding things,” she captioned a photo of herself in character. “Concealers. Body shapers. Fillers. Procedures. Clothing. Hair accessories. Hair products. Everything to conceal the reality of who we are. And my instruction to everybody was: I want there to be no concealing of anything.”
The 65-year-old star continued, “I very specifically decided to relinquish and release every muscle I had that I used to clench to hide the reality. That was my goal. I have never felt more free creatively and physically.”
While people assumed her belly in the Oscar-winning film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was a prosthetic, it was her real stomach that Curtis wanted to show.
2. Viola Davis
In 2018, award-winning actress Viola Davis spoke about being excluded from roles due to her race. “I have a career that’s probably comparable to Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Sigourney Weaver. They all came out of Yale, they came out of Juilliard, they came out of NYU. They had the same path as me, and yet I am nowhere near them. Not as far as money, not as far as job opportunities, nowhere close to it,” said Davis, who graduated from Juilliard.
She also addressed the lack of opportunities for actresses of color to publicize their work compared to their white counterparts. “You’ll have a Shailene Woodley, who’s fabulous. And she may have had 37 magazine covers in one year. And then you’ll have a young actress of color who’s on her same level of talent and everything. And she may get four.”
3. Helen Mirren
Despite the pressure many women feel to dye their hair as they age, some choose to embrace their natural strands. Dame Helen Mirren has long sported a stylish grey bob and advocates for recognizing grey hair as a “positive as opposed to a negative.” “I think women were just so terrified of having white or grey hair because it immediately put them into a different category,” she told People. “So why not just embrace it, go along with it and welcome it? Make it a positive thing as opposed to a negative thing.”
4. Emma Thompson
Two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson revealed she was deemed “not pretty enough” by male executives for nude scenes, which prevented her from getting several roles. “I have never conformed to the shape or look of someone they might want to see naked,” she told The Times.
Admitting that she never had the traditional slim figure associated with Hollywood actresses, she added, “To be truly honest, I will never ever be happy with my body. It will never happen. I was brainwashed too early on. I cannot undo those neural pathways.”
At 63, Thompson bared it all on screen in “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande,” an experience she met with a “healthy terror” and which many found empowering.
5. America Ferrera
In 2023, actress America Ferrera reflected on her early career when her “average-sized body” was described as “curvy” by the media and praised for setting a new standard for women. “Not that I care, but it’s like, that’s insane that we thought that was so groundbreaking,” she told Elle. “I was Hollywood’s version of imperfect, which seems so ridiculous… I don’t feel alone in that either. There are so many women who were called brave, just because they are people in bodies.”
6. Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff slammed body-shamers by sharing a photo that would be edited out or ridiculed if featured on a magazine cover. In 2017, she posted a picture of herself in a swimsuit at the beach with her son, sharing it “on behalf of young girls, women, and mothers of all ages.” “Since websites and magazines love to share ‘celeb flaws’ — well, I have them! My body has given me the greatest gift of my life: Luca, five years ago,” she wrote. “I’m turning 30 in September and my body is healthy and gets me where I need to go. Ladies, let’s be proud of what we’ve got and stop wasting precious time in the day wishing we were different, better, and unflawed.”
7. Zendaya
During the 2017 Beautycon Festival, Zendaya referred to herself as “Hollywood’s acceptable version of a Black girl,” a reality she felt needed to change. “As a Black woman, as a light-skinned Black woman, it’s important that I’m using my privilege, my platform to show you how much beauty there is in the African American community,” the Emmy-nominated actress said. “It’s about creating those opportunities. Sometimes you have to create those paths. And that’s with anything, Hollywood, art, whatever.”
8. Charlize Theron
In 2023, Charlize Theron opened up about how men and women’s aging processes are perceived differently, arguing that men are believed to “age like fine wine and women like cut flowers.” “I despise that concept, and I want to fight against it, but I also think women want to age in a way that feels right to them,” the 48-year-old actress told Allure. She believes people should be more “empathetic” with each individual’s aging journey and quit making uncalled-for comments about their appearance.
9. Jenna Ortega
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, 21-year-old actress Jenna Ortega spoke about the lack of roles in Hollywood for people of Latin descent. “As a child actor, there are two jobs that you can get: You’re either the younger version of someone, or you’re playing somebody’s daughter — and there were just not many leading Hispanic actors who I could be that for,” she explained.
The “Wednesday” star revealed that she couldn’t access many roles because she “didn’t look a certain way,” which made her dislike her appearance over time. Ultimately, she decided to ignore the pressure to adhere to such unattainable beauty standards. “I thought, ‘I don’t want other young girls to look up at the screen and feel like they have to change their appearance to be deemed beautiful or worthy.’ I want all people of Latin descent to be able to see themselves on screen. I want to feel that I could open doors for other people.”
10. Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill has spoken about how the press contributed to his insecurities regarding his body. On Instagram, he shared screenshots of a Daily Mail story featuring paparazzi photos of him at the beach. “I don’t think I ever took my shirt off in a pool until I was in my mid-30s even in front of family and friends. Probably would have happened sooner if my childhood insecurities weren’t exacerbated by years of public mockery about my body by press and interviewers,” he wrote. “So the idea that the media tries to play me, by stalking me while surfing and printing photos like this, and it can’t faze me anymore is dope. I’m 37 and finally love and accept myself.”
11. Channing Tatum
When Kelly Clarkson showed Channing Tatum a picture of himself shirtless in “Magic Mike XXL” during an interview on her show, he responded, “That might be the reason why I didn’t want to do a third one, is I have to look like that.” Tatum described his muscular figure as not “natural” or “healthy.” Preparing for the role wasn’t pleasant. “You have to starve yourself. I don’t think when you’re that lean, it’s actually healthy,” he shared.
In a previous appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Tatum admitted, “As someone who works out for a job, I promise you I would not look like this unless I had to be naked in most of my movies, mostly. At some point, I have to get better at acting so I don’t have to be naked in all of them,” he joked.
12. Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh spoke out against the pressure women in Hollywood face from an early age to look thin, saying that her refusal to “comply” with such standards was “confusing” to people. “Body image for women is a major thing. From the moment you start growing thighs and bums and boobs and all of it, everything starts changing. And your relationship with food starts changing,” she told Vogue. “Women in Hollywood, especially young women in Hollywood, are obviously putting themselves in all these ways in order to get whatever opportunity that they need to get because that’s just the way that it’s been. I think I definitely put my foot down in that aspect. I love food.”
13. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
In a 2021 Vanity Fair interview, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed that early in his Hollywood career, producers asked him to “slim down” to increase his chances of being cast. “At that time, it was ‘slim down, be a certain way,’” Johnson said. “But for me, I wasn’t going to conform to Hollywood. Hollywood was going to conform to me.”
The 52-year-old actor described how he had to grow “thicker skin” in order to rise above the “barbs, slings, and arrows” thrown his way. He encouraged others to “have a core anchor” to stay true to themselves, adding that everyone is “going to get their asses kicked, we’re going to get knocked down. It’s not about the knockout, it’s about getting back up.”
14. Emma Watson
In a recent interview, Emma Watson criticized the “impossible standard of beauty” that’s promoted in the media. “I’m not sure what this utopia is where everyone is the same, perfect-looking person,” she said. “But it’s not real. If you look at the most beautiful people in the world, they’re all different and unique. What I wish more people knew is that this idea of perfection is unattainable. It’s not real.” She also revealed that she struggled with body image issues growing up and felt immense pressure to maintain a certain look. “I think it’s really important to have a healthy relationship with yourself, to be kind to yourself and to know that you’re enough.”
15. Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt has openly talked about the pressure to maintain his physique for roles. In an Instagram post, he shared before-and-after photos from his transformations and wrote, “Six months no beer. #GOTG Kinda douchey to post this but my brother made me.” He revealed that he had to go on an extreme diet and exercise regimen to achieve his chiseled look for “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Pratt also addressed the unrealistic expectations placed on men to look a certain way, saying, “You get on these diets, you have to eat insane amounts of protein, you can’t have carbs at certain times, you can’t drink water after a certain hour… It’s the stuff they make you do to look ‘perfect’ for a role.” He added, “It’s important for people to understand that it’s not sustainable, and it’s not something that’s easy to maintain.”
16. Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell has been vocal about the pressure to bounce back after pregnancy and how it affected her mental health. “I was a size 10 for a long time, and it felt really good,” she told Women’s Health. “And I started doing projects and was having to go on a treadmill in my basement to lose weight because my career has a different expectation. It’s something I had to come to terms with.”
Bell also shared her struggles with body image during her pregnancies and how she learned to embrace her post-baby body. “I had two babies. I’m 36. It’s fine. I’m fine with that,” she said. “I was at my biggest when I had my babies, and it didn’t bother me. When I’m working, I really have to watch what I eat and work out, but if I’m not on camera, I’m a size 10. That’s fine with me.”
17. Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra revealed that she was once told by a director to have plastic surgery on her body to land a role. “Before I became an actress, I met with a producer about the possibility of acting,” she said in her memoir “Unfinished.” “I was asked to stand up, turn around, and show him my proportions. I did. He stared at me long and hard, assessing me, and then suggested that I get a boob job, fix my jaw, and add a little more cushioning to my butt.”
Chopra added that she felt “devastated and small” by the experience but decided to “draw the line” and refuse to conform to the unrealistic standards imposed on her. “I left his office feeling defeated and questioning my career,” she wrote. “I went on to work in films and TV without changing anything about my body. I decided that if I was going to make it in the industry, I wanted to do it on my own terms.”
18. Lizzo
Lizzo has been a vocal advocate for body positivity and self-love, often challenging societal norms about beauty. In a candid Instagram post, she shared, “I’m not working out to have your ideal body type. I’m working out to have my ideal body type.” She continued, “And you know what type that is? None of your f***ing business.”
The singer has been open about her journey to self-acceptance, saying, “I started talking to my belly this year. Blowing her kisses and showering her with praises. I used to want to cut my stomach off. I hated it so much. But it’s literally ME. I am learning to radically love every part of myself. Even if it means talking to myself every morning.”
19. Jameela Jamil
Jameela Jamil has used her platform to criticize the diet industry and the unrealistic beauty standards promoted by celebrities. “I have been told to lose weight, gain weight, change my hair, get injections, get surgery, and I did none of it,” she told Stylist. “I did the thing that no one does: I just kept on staying the same size.”
The actress and activist has also spoken out against Photoshop and the pressure to look perfect on social media. “I don’t wear makeup, I don’t have extensions, I don’t have surgery, I don’t edit my pictures,” she said. “I’m just me, and I’ve learned to love that.”
20. Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen has been transparent about her struggles with body image and the pressure to conform to Hollywood’s beauty standards. “I think the biggest misconception is that everything should be perfect,” she told Glamour. “I’m a big fan of saying, ‘This is me, this is how I look, and this is what I do.’ I think there’s a lot of power in that.”
Teigen has also shared her experiences with postpartum depression and the toll it took on her mental health. “After Luna, I was drinking too much, I wasn’t sleeping, and I was eating just to feel happy. But with the second, you just know you have to do what you have to do,” she said. “You have to heal yourself. You have to be okay for the baby.”
21. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has spoken about the pressure to stay thin and the unhealthy habits she developed to meet those expectations. “It’s not good for me to see pictures of myself every day,” she said in her documentary “Miss Americana.” “It’s only happened a few times, and I’m not in any way proud of it. A picture of me where I feel like I looked like my tummy was too big, or… someone said that I looked pregnant… and that’ll just trigger me to just starve a little bit — just stop eating.”
Swift revealed that she eventually learned to prioritize her health and well-being over societal expectations. “I’m really happy that I’ll never have to fit into another sample size,” she said. “I feel like I’m much more comfortable with who I am. I’ve also learned over the years that it’s not about the way you look; it’s about the way you feel.”
These celebrities’ stories remind us that even those who seem to have it all struggle with the pressures and unrealistic beauty standards of Hollywood. Their bravery in speaking out encourages others to embrace their natural beauty and challenge the harmful norms that pervade the entertainment industry.