Hello, zaftig, juicy readers! As previously mentioned, I am feverishly working on my one-woman play all about a.) being fat and b.) being a fat actor. What I would really like to do is infuse the play with some GREAT fat facts that debunk things, like facts posted by Kate & Co. at Shapely Prose, or on Sandy's Junk Food Science.
So....what are YOUR favorite fat-positive facts? Those that have to do with "The Obesity Crisis" (particularly bunko childhood obesity statistics) and actual health benefits will be the BEST!
<3 Zaftige
Showing posts with label theatre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theatre. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Monday, July 14, 2008
Strangely-Familiar Characters
Well, I didn't realize I was getting comments, because apparently I didn't set my blog to notify me when they were made. Oops. I thank those of you who have commented, for stopping by, connecting, and wishing me luck on my various projects. :) I am so thrilled to be an active part of the Fatosphere!
As promised, I mentioned that these is always the fat condition of being cast BECAUSE you're fat. It happens everywhere, but we're clearly the ones who are almost always the butt of the jokes or the sad sack.
Well.
It is especially difficult to be cast when you are fat, but also vibrant--with a leading lady personality and voice.
What have people decided to do in lieu of this?
Alter their scripts to CHANGE THE ROLE. No, you read me right, and yes, I wish I were kidding. I don't mean this in the positive way, either.
I was in a short film a year ago, playing a lead who was depressed and about to drown herself at sea. The producer and director loved me so much, but--oh!--I'm fat, so let's make it that she's a FAT girl whose boyfriend dumped her because she's such a shameless chowhound, and that's why she goes to drown herself. Oh! But! It gets better! After her epiphany when she's taking herself out to sea, you cut to her personal rehabilitation, and she is....running.
Oooooooooooooof COURSE.
Because CLEARLY a fat chick can't just be depressed period; she must be depressed because people won't love her because she's fat. And to fix herself and make life worth living, she runs and loses weight.
Obviously!
Now, I can't stress enough to you the HILARITY of this situation--I was irritated and annoyed that they would do this, but the director and producer LOVE me. Adore me. Do not think ill of me in any way....except that I'm fat, and they therefore needed to justify my presence on-screen.
Not only did this happen in one film, but within a few months I was involved in yet ANOTHER film which took similar steps. I was auditioning for the role of a 15-year-old girl who had been molested and was now going through major shock. I had a rock-solid audition, and the director and producer loved me. They wanted someone with darker features, but they had a role for me, they said! I got the script, and in the middle of the story, I see my name as the character's name. Uh....what? At the time, I was also in a production of Richard III, and I'm reading...and the character says, "Hey, come see me in Richard III!"
Aha, you have MORPHED me into your screenplay. Clever.
(But ohdoesit get better.)
My me-character is trying to help a transvestite stop wrestling with himself and find peace. I thought it was just going to be this empowering conversation, but I'm reading, and I SWEAR TO GOD....
How much ridiculousness can possibly be fit into 2 minutes of text?! Now we know. Thankfully, no one else has tried to work my weight in as a freaking plot point--yet. But I needed to share these with you. At least this second one, as laughable and irritating as it is, still portrays me as someone confident, secure and pleased with herself--and being ALLOWED to be so.
I had a brain child some time ago about starting a theatre company that's expressly for fat actors (how do I weed out thinner people who think they're fat? Prerequisite: You must write on your audition form the most painful instance of others discriminating against you based on being a fat person). It would be an outlet for fatties to play leading roles, letting the general public FINALLY view us as people worthy of wooing, excitement, romance, bravery, tenderness, accolades...it's still on my pile. I sure as hell don't have the production monies, but if any of you other NYers out there have the dime and the time, send me a line. :)
-Zaftige
As promised, I mentioned that these is always the fat condition of being cast BECAUSE you're fat. It happens everywhere, but we're clearly the ones who are almost always the butt of the jokes or the sad sack.
Well.
It is especially difficult to be cast when you are fat, but also vibrant--with a leading lady personality and voice.
What have people decided to do in lieu of this?
Alter their scripts to CHANGE THE ROLE. No, you read me right, and yes, I wish I were kidding. I don't mean this in the positive way, either.
I was in a short film a year ago, playing a lead who was depressed and about to drown herself at sea. The producer and director loved me so much, but--oh!--I'm fat, so let's make it that she's a FAT girl whose boyfriend dumped her because she's such a shameless chowhound, and that's why she goes to drown herself. Oh! But! It gets better! After her epiphany when she's taking herself out to sea, you cut to her personal rehabilitation, and she is....running.
Oooooooooooooof COURSE.
Because CLEARLY a fat chick can't just be depressed period; she must be depressed because people won't love her because she's fat. And to fix herself and make life worth living, she runs and loses weight.
Obviously!
Now, I can't stress enough to you the HILARITY of this situation--I was irritated and annoyed that they would do this, but the director and producer LOVE me. Adore me. Do not think ill of me in any way....except that I'm fat, and they therefore needed to justify my presence on-screen.
Not only did this happen in one film, but within a few months I was involved in yet ANOTHER film which took similar steps. I was auditioning for the role of a 15-year-old girl who had been molested and was now going through major shock. I had a rock-solid audition, and the director and producer loved me. They wanted someone with darker features, but they had a role for me, they said! I got the script, and in the middle of the story, I see my name as the character's name. Uh....what? At the time, I was also in a production of Richard III, and I'm reading...and the character says, "Hey, come see me in Richard III!"
Aha, you have MORPHED me into your screenplay. Clever.
(But ohdoesit get better.)
My me-character is trying to help a transvestite stop wrestling with himself and find peace. I thought it was just going to be this empowering conversation, but I'm reading, and I SWEAR TO GOD....
HENRY
I admire you.
(ME)
What?!
Why?
HENRY
You look very happy and confident.
Being with you, makes me relaxed and comfortable.
You have magic!
How can you be so happy?
(ME)
I learned.
Look at me.
I know my body…and I know the first impression people get from me.
Is the appearance so important?
Yes…I agree…appearance is the life of some actors.
But it doesn’t mean my dream has to be stopped due to my weight.
Acting is my dream; eating is my pleasure.
I enjoy being myself, and living the way I want.
HENRY
Do you mind when people judge you?
(ME)
I don’t care how people look at me before they know me,
but I do care how people value me after they know me.
Accept it or not, it is impossible for everyone to love me.
What I did, and I am doing right now is balance the fine line
between myself and the rest of the world.
You know one of the reasons I like acting…it’s because I can become someone else for a while, thinking differently, moving differently, feeling differently.
I convert myself into the roles with my soul, my passion, and my professionalism.
That’s the way I convince people beyond my appearance.
Besides, I know I have a good personality that makes people like me.
How much ridiculousness can possibly be fit into 2 minutes of text?! Now we know. Thankfully, no one else has tried to work my weight in as a freaking plot point--yet. But I needed to share these with you. At least this second one, as laughable and irritating as it is, still portrays me as someone confident, secure and pleased with herself--and being ALLOWED to be so.
I had a brain child some time ago about starting a theatre company that's expressly for fat actors (how do I weed out thinner people who think they're fat? Prerequisite: You must write on your audition form the most painful instance of others discriminating against you based on being a fat person). It would be an outlet for fatties to play leading roles, letting the general public FINALLY view us as people worthy of wooing, excitement, romance, bravery, tenderness, accolades...it's still on my pile. I sure as hell don't have the production monies, but if any of you other NYers out there have the dime and the time, send me a line. :)
-Zaftige
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
