mashable.com: The role of an actor is often considered to be a superficial one, comprised of extreme dieting and conforming to a limited idea of what a "desirable" individual is supposed to look like.
Chicago-based actress Harmony France recently used her Facebook page to discuss the unrealistic and damaging aesthetic expectations put on working actors. France listed all of the rude, insensitive and downright offensive comments that had been made about her body and appearance by people in the theater industry.
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Ah, yes. I've seen this article popping up on Facebook for the past few weeks. I think it's quite beautiful, the way she has directed her career toward fixing the problem rather than continuing to be a victim of the industry. In the original article, she includes a list of comments directors and casting directors have made to her about her body and her looks, and all the ways she doesn't fit the stereotype of what a love interest should be. I (and I'm sure most) think it's completely ridiculous to propose that only women of a certain proportion can love and be loved, especially on stage. It may not seem related to some people, but those of us behind the scenes have similar stereotypes pinned on us. I was really surprised last summer when someone asked me if I was an actress, and when I told her I was a stage manager, laughed at me and said, "Oh honey, you're too pretty to be a stage manager. What are you doing that for?" I had never really been in a position of feeling too "this" to be "that." It was, I assume, meant as a compliment, but it really bothered me. I kept thinking, "What are you trying to say about the women in my profession? And why does that MATTER to you? And why do you feel like my choice in career should be even remotely related to what I look like?" I, of course, smiled and assured her that the spotlight was not for me. But it also bothers me that being pretty "should" make me feel like I have the ticket to being onstage. In her words I heard the disappointment of women who wanted to be actresses but were not considered "attractive" enough or "lovable" enough to be in the role they wanted. And while I was coming from the exact other side, it was a totally real understanding I gained from her one comment.
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