It's a shame that Hollywood results in women ruining their looks whilst the men carry on regardless (Wicked)

Even so, it is not all the women, or even all the A list actresses that go to these kinds of lengths. Nicole Kidman is a good example, and interesting because she looks her age, and is playing roles for a woman of her age. For all the work she's had done, she does not seem to be in a better place than actresses who have retained a look that's a little more natural.

Im not sure about that, Nicole’s career is pretty strong which is often unusual for women who get older in Hollywood. Would she have got some of her current roles without the work?

I think the point is that the roles available to older men and women are very different.

And Nicole Kidman is a great example, actually. Shes always been naturally willowy so ticks that Hollywood requirement and she’s now plasticised her face so there are no wrinkles. The fact it looks a bit odd is less of a concern to studio bosses compared to choosing an actress who has aged naturally. As she fulfils the stereotypes for Hollywood, she still gets decent roles although I’d still argue her roles aren’t of the same type as male peers.

The reason men’s bodies are easier to attain is because society doesn’t have such ridiculous standards for men. Let’s take the dad bod for example. Perfectly ok to have a bit of a beer belly, still cast as a romantic lead and considered sexy. And that’s great.

How about a mum tum though? No actress has ever been celebrated for having a wobbly tummy. There are no magazine articles revering the “mum bod” complete with a muffin top as a sexy look. Contrast this to men and you’ll find loads of articles talking about how a dad bod is sexy.

Much more attainable healthy body ideals for men.

Even the recent trend for curvier women was unattainable for most. Very few woman manage to have big boobs, curvy bum and thighs while also maintaining a toned flat stomach and a tiny waist. To achieve that look, the majority of women need surgical help - and then go on to die because they’ve had a BBL.

I agree that there has been some movement in expectations towards men and there are more now experimenting with fillers and feeling the pressure to keep a ripped bod.

I think the point is though, if men think “aah fuck it, I’m not doing this shit” they’ll still enjoy success. Looking more wrinkled, greyer or even with a wobbly middle doesn’t affect their career. Hugh Grant, great example. Still considered very attractive despite very obviously ageing.

If a woman decides to age gracefully in the same way, society doesn’t view her in the same way. She won’t have the same career options that would be open to an equivalent male.

And the less well-known the actress is, the more this will apply. A true A-list actress is offered some grace because her name alone is such a huge pull. A La Nicole Kidman. Still doesn’t get the same opportunities as a man but not completely disregarded.

Now take a lesser known actress and actor - without the draw of a famous name, the woman will find opportunities much diminished. Not so the equivalent male actor.

Men and women are not treated equally by society, and we’re a very long way from achieving parity - and that includes women judging other women. Internalised misogyny is real, because it’s really hard to totally disregard the images and messages that society constantly bombards us all with.

We have a very long way to go, unfortunately.

I’m sure this has been addressed in the subsequent pages but no, she really has not. At the moment she looks as though she is anorexic. She definitely had not always looked like that.

I'm talking about Nicole Kidmans face, not the weight related concerns.

I wonder if we’ll later find out that the duo kept on extreme dieting because they knew that they’d be promoting the film and be in the film together and wouldn’t want to be bigger than the other ? Judy Garland as famously on an Apple and cigarette diet when she filmed the Wizard of Oz and I think that this film will be remembered for extreme dieting , especially by those who won’t watch the film or play.

😮😮😮😢😢

So what's best to do, stay silent about it?

Posters are quite rightly shocked at the emancipated appearance of young women pressurised in the shallow world of Hollywood - that's not ripping into them, it's commenting on the way those women are sucked into a world where they have no option but to starve themselves almost to death, and encouraged to do so by Hollywood, which is a cruel and exploitative environment for young women.

They are putting themselves in grave danger and setting themselves up for a later life of ill health - it's equally as bad as being overweight. I'd say it's positive that women on here are recognising that and raising the awareness.

Ariana Grande looks like my dd did when she was in full throe of anorexia earlier this year. Dd is recovering slowly and has started putting on weight again after plateauing for months but still very mentally unwell. I was thinking of taking dd to see the film. I will be giving it a miss.

I find it sad for a person when the surgeries have went to far and they're rendered looking less than human.

Weird thread. Let's show concern at the pressure and scorn thrown at actresses and then all jump in to rip on the appearance of one of those actresses. Shame on you all.

I'm not sure this is totally fair.

While I'd agree the pressure on women is greater, as far as looking young, and also I think the ideal male body has traditionally been something that can be achieved in a relatively healthy way. (That's changing though, the kind of Hollywood male star body these days is not so healthy and also actors increasingly are maintaining it as the standard.)

Even so, it is not all the women, or even all the A list actresses that go to these kinds of lengths. Nicole Kidman is a good example, and interesting because she looks her age, and is playing roles for a woman of her age. For all the work she's had done, she does not seem to be in a better place than actresses who have retained a look that's a little more natural.

I think that part of what happens is that surrounded by the weird standards of Hollywood, a lot of people start to have a distorted idea of what looks normal.

Both of them have visibility lost a lot of weight. Ariana maybe started before Cynthia, but its obvious on both of them.

They haven't lost weight for a role. They have a very intense, quit odd dynamic such maybe for cameras, but if not is quite bizarre. It looks very much like a competitive ED

Not her own "eating issues" but the studio restricting her food intake and giving her amphetamines and sleeping pills.

I'm sure she was given uppers and downers to see her through filming.

Cynthia Erivo is very clearly wearing facial prosthetics in the movie! That is not what she normally looks like. She is absolutely gorgeous.

Ariana is clearly quite poorly and Cynthia seems to have visibly shrunk. They might not be the best influence on each other but there is something about Ariana that is more worrying as she seems to be trying to retain an almost child-like figure and status.

The thing is though she’s generating headlines for her weight, getting attention for it. If she’s in depths of anorexia, getting out of it will be that much harder because of the attention she’s getting.

We saw Wicked this evening and Ariana Grande is so fantastic in it. But it's sort of tainted by the fact that she looks like she has an eating disorder.

There are so many great songs, but my mind kept wandering to speculate on her diet, exercise regime, sleep regimen etc.

BTW I'm not some super-fan, just a concerned viewer...

I'm starting to think that they know they don't look young, and that they know it is an unusual, weird plastic look but to them ANYTHING is better than looking wrinkly.

She looks in her late 40s there!

She couldn't really move her top lip when she spoke. It looked very odd.

I suppose it's too late for them all to stop and grow old gracefully

Take it from me, it isn't the film schedules. My son's ex is an actress. Even if the filming was grueling, there is a very long period of editing/post production after shooting has finished. If they had lost weight due to the gruelling film schedules, they would have recovered by now. If anything, they look even thinner now than they did in the film.

I'm sure men in Hollywood are under extreme pressure over their looks too, many will be using steroids for starters (and some have confessed to doing so, Arnie didn't get that big by accident). Generally, though there are more parts for men who are a bit tubbier and older, such as Hugh Grant who has a charming but lined and aged face, and whose career has never been better. Nicole knows this would not happen to her and has acted accordingly, even though she cannot express emotion whatsoever.

And men do it for the roles. Women are expected to do it for everything.

It’s not just women but it is almost always women.

Nicole Kidman looked very odd on Graham Norton last night.

Such a shame as a little bit of work often looks good but it goes too far and they all end up with the weird mouth puffy face look.

They don't look young. They look old but having had work done.