Yesterday Howard Stern got into quite a bit of trouble for going on the air and saying that Gabourey Sidibe, the Oscar-nominated star of "Precious" will never work again.
So that you don't think this is me coming out in defense of Howard Stern, I found it distasteful (but really, this is Howard Stern we're talking about) that he made comments about her weight.
That being said, I think he was absolutely right.
This girl has peaked.
Not because she's not talented, but because she's an overweight African-American girl in Hollywood. I think we all know the odds there.
E! Online mentioned that Sidibe is already working on a Showtime drama starring Laura Linney, but if anyone's wondering when her next big movie role is, I think you're going to be waiting for a long time.
People are attacking Stern for his comments, but they're not bringing up the white elephant in the room--the truth.
Normally, when a woman is nominated for Best Lead Actress for her film debut, she's stepping over offers left and right.
Now it's possible that Sidibe is working on her television show, and so hasn't been able to commit to another project yet...but let's be honest, I think that's doubtful.
She's had to dodge questions about future movies on countless television shows.
Sidibe's only project listed on imdb is another independent film, like "Precious" was, and based on the description--it sounds a little like typecasting. In comparison, the traditionally pretty Carey Mulligan, also nominated for her film debut in "An Education" this year, is dating Shia Labeouf and starring in the "Wall Street" sequel coming out this spring.
Rather than rail against Stern, why don't producers prove him wrong and hire the girl?
Because there simply aren't roles for her, that's why.
It's become a sad tradition among African-American Academy Award winners that they tend to fade out of sight once they win. Yes, there are exceptions (Denzel Washington comes to mind) but think of all the stars who received a nomination or award and then never made it back to the red carpet.
Halle Berry hasn't been able to match her Monster's Ball acclaim. Jennifer Hudson settled for small roles in "Sex and the City" and "The Secret Life of Bees." Forrest Whitaker turned in a revelatory performance in "The Last King of Scotland" and then did a guest spot on "E.R."
It's not uncommon for people to go into professional paralysis after receiving such a high honor. All of the people I just listed took a few steps back in their careers after the Oscars, but Sidibe's career doesn't seem to be going anywhere at all.
This is because on top of being in a Hollywood minority, she's also overweight. Like it or not, nobody's tripping over themselves to write movies for overweight, African-American girls.
I give Howard Stern credit for at least pointing out that it's ridiculous to have a bunch of celebrities who weigh eight pounds stand onstage at the Oscars and say Sidibe has a long, A-list career ahead of her.
That being said, I'd still like to see Hollywood prove him wrong.
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Ignorance is never pretty.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/449846-_Precious_Actress_Sidibe_To_Appear_In_Showtime_Series.php
in our society, it is hard enough for someone like kathy bates, who is an extraordinary actress to get work. she is much smaller than gabby. i would think the opportunity for black roles would be much smaller.
she is not merely overweight. she is a really big young woman. fat, to be truthful. does that make her a bad person or a bad actress. an emphatic NO. but it does make her less attractive by today's standards. or worse, sets her up for lesser, smart-ass companion roles.
i, too, would love to be proven wrong. but the fear in the eyes of those who were 'supporting' her on stage said a lot. it seemed as if they were doing a benefit for an impoverished country but couldn't wait to get back to the Hilton...
good writing. (r)
Please read these articles if you're going to comment. Thanks.
no, ignorance is never pretty. i think the writer was talking about movie roles, as he clearly mentioned this showtime series.
Second, I agree with Howard Stern calling Hollywood hypocritical for championing this girl when they know there aren't movie roles for her out there.
Third, I know that doing a television show isn't NECESSARILY a step down and yes it is another job, but what I was trying to say is that if someone suggested to Sandra Bullock that she do a tv show right now, she'd balk at it. Yet people are talking about Gabourey Sidibe and nobody's saying she's a movie star who should stay on that track. They're saying do tv, just get work....
I'm trying to look at it from Hollywood's angle, which to me seems to be--yeah, tv, great, good for you, at least you're working.
To me, that SHOULD seem ridiculous considering the girl was just in the same category as Meryl Streep.
It will be interesting to see what happens.
Here's the problem I see that people are picking up on - you're essentially saying that movies are the end-all/be-all in Hollywood. While that may be true monetarily, it's not talent-wise.
Plus, there's the issue of the title to the post: "Precious" Actress Will Never Work Again. Yet, she is working as you said in the piece.
Forrest Whitaker didn't slink away anywhere. He's an incredible director and has focused on that in past years. In fact, I imagine he directed that episode of ER. He has always gone between the role of actor and director. Just because you don't see him in a starring role on the screen, doesn't mean he doesn't have one.
Railing on Hollywood for having not enough films or projects for talented African-Americans ("fat" or not) is one thing, but unfortunately the examples that accompany it fall flat.
Kind of reminds me a bit of William Conrad. He could play "Cannon", a fat guy in a TV detective show but could not reprise on TV the role he played on radio for years--Matt Dillon.
Sodibie was the right actress at the right time in the right role. I hope there are more roles for her--starring or otherwise.
While diversity has improved on both the big screen and the small screen, it’s hardly become the land of equal opportunity. Network and cinema executives are still more apt to stick to the formula that has brought them past success, toothy smiles, chiseled features and brighter is better.
Would a movie with Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges be sent straight to video this year?
I doubt it.
But I have to say, for you (i.e. Broccoli) to put Sidibe in the same category as Bullock and even Mulligan is ridiculous, in terms of expecting Sidibe to immediately launch into A-list films from hereon in.
The only thing they have in common is that they were all nominated for Best Actress. But their acting experiences are very, very different and that has to be taken into consideration before foolishly leaping to the conclusion that Sidibe "will never work again" in films.
Sandra Bullock has many years of acting jobs behind her and has paid her dues, so of course she would only expect better and more films coming her way, especially after an Oscar!
Many of you may not know this either, but Carey Mulligan is certainly no ingenue plucked out of obscurity the way the media likes to portray her. She too has had many acting jobs behind her, in TV and film, many more than I realized (check her out on the imdb site). She even played Keira Knightley's character's sister in Pride and Prejudice, I had no idea till now.
So yes, even she can leapfrog into a role in Oliver Stone's Wall Street, because she's got years of acting behind her and has also paid her dues somewhat and has done work in both TV and film, that other directors would trust her ability enough to put her in a big Hollywood film (yes, I realize her conventional prettiness probably helps too, yawn).
What Sidibe herself probably recognizes - more so than the media scrutinizing her - is that she got a very lucky break by auditioning and winning the role in "Precious" which led to the Oscar nomination, but in reality, she has very little acting experience and needs to go back and just gain more experience wherever she can get it, whether in TV and/or film.
She seems grounded enough to know this about herself and content with the offers she's getting, because she is wise enough to know she is still pretty inexperienced compared to her peers, and must still build her acting repertoire before landing future Oscar-worthy films, or even having lofty dreams of doing so. And hey, she's young, she has the time and patience.
Which is why she's not whipping herself into a frenzy, wringing her hands and bemoaning the fact she's not landing big Hollywood films this instant, unlike Stern and Broccoli (and others, I'm sure) who have far too high expectations for someone who is just getting into the acting biz, regardless of her Oscar nom.
A far better analysis of Sidibe would be to check in with her 10 years from now and see where she's at, instead of expecting her to conquer Hollywood the day after the Academy Awards because her Oscar nom supposedly dictates it.
I only got this far in your article "People are attacking Stern for his comments, but they're not bringing up the white elephant in the room--the truth."
Just so you know, you're in a great tradition. The same "truth"--the same elephant in fact--keeps women in their place, blacks in their place, poor whites in their place, fatties in their place.
all truth, truth, truth.
The only significant problem with your elephant is that the world is always what we're making of it. That's right--you too and me too. If we just accept the world that discriminates against people as "truth" and don't try to change it, it makes it a lot easier. Otherwise we'd have to take responsibility for our own bigotry that allows "truths" like this to go on and on and on, in the year 2010.
But this truth is far more uncomfortable for someone like Howard Stern or maybe you too--to admit. The world we live in is malleable. Otherwise we wouldn't consider ourselves "progressives," no?
Some unique looking people such as Gabourey are meant for certain roles they fill wonderfully, but such roles are very rare. So, yes, she may have been brilliant, but considering her unique appearance, roles for her will be limited, I'm sure. It would be the same for an adult 4'10".
What I see is a worldwide discussion about a young woman's body. She beat the odds auditioning against all the other actresses, got cast in a film that also beat the odds and became popular, and then gave a performance so moving that it was nominated for most of the awards in her field of work. And her reward from the public is to be talked about as though she were not human.
I know you mean well, but there is so much sexism and racism bleeding through in the very fact that people are having this discussion... It would be best to just find another topic and let this young actress find her own way in life. To talk about this is not to combat the problem, but to compound it--the opposite of your stated intent. You are not swaying Hollywood producers. You are inadvertently encouraging readers to see Ms. Sidibe as an object.
Acting, unlike modeling, is not really a beauty contest. There is room for people with all kinds of "looks". Yes, maybe beautiful actresses have more opportunities. But that is because there are more beautiful "starring" characters. Yet most actors have one goal in mind: to be a working actor, not a big star. And when someone writes another role for a large black girl, Carrey Mulligan won't stand a chance in hell.
As someone who knows something about professional acting, be advised that out of thousands of people belonging to the 3 actor's unions, only about 7% make a living acting. Most make less than $5000 or so a year acting. It's a brutal profession for all but a few. Gabby has already beat those odds this year. Let's hope she continues to find work available to her.
I get your point too, but others have said it, and I'm only going to be one of those annoying "chimers." Gabby has high hurdles to face for all the reasons you say, but, sheesh, it's like four days after the Oscars. It may not be *likely* that she will have a long and illustrious career, but that doesn't mean it's *impossible,* and, yes, discrimination is an ugly truth of our current times (I work for an agency that investigates complaints of it), but a fairer assessment would be to wait ten years and revisit. Patterns and perceptions aside, people are getting impassioned because a) it's Howard Stern you're borrowing from and b) there are assumptions being made based on others' careers, and there is no evidence that it's the race of the actor that is the cause for the career slump post-Oscar - it's a perception based on, lo, another stereotype, which is problematic, considering that all of these first-time Oscar winners just saw such recognition for the FIRST time (Denzel too) in our recently expired decade. Forest Whitaker is an accomplished director and actor who probably picks and chooses his roles; Halle Berry might have been in the right place and time for the Monster's Ball role - it was her lack of judgment that she elected to be Catwoman; and Jennifer Hudson went from American Idol to Academy Award (in a role in which she, primarily, sings). She probably needs to backtrack a few rungs on that skyrocket to success before we can say she's an established actress.
For the most part, he did not act again, because there weren't many roles for a real-life double amputee.
Now, Miss Sidibie is in a different situation. For one, no, there aren't currently a lot of roles in Hollywood for fat black women, but there are a LOT of fat black women walking around in the United States just living their perfectly ordinary or extraordinary lives. They're not token characters in real life...why are they token characters in movies?
For two, we are all acting as if how Miss Sidibie looks now will be how she looks forever. No, she will probably never be a little stick figure, but we do not know if she will later lose weight either for her own health or to get considered for more roles or what have you. Remember that people originally said that Queen Latifah was just a fat black woman and that she wouldn't work again.
And three, at least one review of the Humphery Bogart/William Holden/Audrey Hepburn movie "Sabrina" commented that Hepburn had peaked with "Roman Holiday" and that because of her looks was just too difficult to cast in other kinds of roles to be anything but a flash in the pan in Hollywood.
It's WAAAAAAYYYY too soon to tell what will happen with the star of "Precious."
Kathy Bates isn't skinny and has had some great roles that weren't “written for an overweight woman.”
So to some extent I think if Hollywood wants to make a difference in the world—and on Oscar night their all full of causes, so I assume they must at least pay lip service to the notion—they should stop casting easy stereotypes on the roles that don't prohibit more interesting choices. There are a great many roles that have more flexibility than they are often given.
I didn't see Sandra Bullock's performance. Maybe she really deserve the Oscar. I did see Gabourey's, and I know that was Oscar-worthy. So I admit I was sad to see Sandra win. I know the Oscar is about a performance and not a performer. But I bet Sandra will have other chances. And I think Gabourey would have a better chance of getting other chances if she got more visibility. Yes, it's a competition. But let's not kid ourselves into thinking it's totally objective and totally free of concerns.
Like I said, I haven't seen Sandra's performance, but I'll bet if I thought hard I think there was some past performance she deserved the award for, and I couldn't free myself of the ironic concern that she got this award in part because “it was time.” So if there was even an ounce of that in there, then it was time for Gabourey more because “if not now, when?” I'm not saying Gabourey deserved it out of pity, I'm just saying if it came to a choice between two worthy performances, this was really her time.
its like high school, ony for adults....
Are there exceptions to this? Of course. Raymond Burr was a big man. And Sean Connery is a long way from his 007 physique.
But for the most part, Hollywood wants attractive, fit people in its movies. And can you blame them? People like to look at things they find visually appealing.
Given that the majority of North American women are size 14 and above, Sidibe is a lovely representation of real women. Stern and others like him should stick their misogyny where the sun don't shine.
Would a movie with Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges be sent straight to video this year?
I doubt it.
My response: All About Steve..starring Sandra Bullock went straight to DVD, my friend. It was on shelves for 3 weeks when the studio's pulled them and re-released it in theaters..where it still didn't do well. Which is why she also won a Razzy for worst performance. It doesn't matter who is in a movie, it's the content and relativity of a film which gives it success. The Hurt Locker almost went to DVD before the studios decided to open it up in selected cities.
Was going to write an abbreviated version of my thoughts on this but it looked glib and lazy and, actually, a little rude.
So here's my actual response!
http://open.salon.com/blog/sheling/2010/03/12/in_response_to_precious_actress_will_never_work_again
Best,
shel
I am also curious about the need to declare her career over. Is it close to the need to "put her in her place?"
That being said, I agree with the thought that taking this point in time and using history as a guide as well as the 'masses' preferences, Hollywood does prefer the stickly, pretty girls for the majority of the films in order to bring in the most money. But, there will continue to be movies for the folks who can REALLY act.
I agree to that in 10 years it will be interesting to look back on Gabourey's career--she is young, has talent--which no doubt will be developed over the years--she has a job and with Oprah as her supporter, II also have no doubt, will have more.
I am glad Howard is not a movie producer--I would hate to see what he would put out in hollywood (I do not think he would do another Private Parts...)
I was outraged by Oprah's remarks, outraged at how EVERY SINGLE TIME the movie "Precious" was mentioned that the camera's panned to the Black people in the audience. That's easy - there were only a dozen or so.
Ok, I'm taking this to my blog in your defense.
Yes, Hollywood perpetuates racist and sexist beauty ideals; no, all talented actors are not given a fair shot. But as any actor knows, the highest goal, the best goal, hell, the ONLY goal, is to be a working actor. Gabby Sidibe is working. Good for her.
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