Are most actresses very very slim in real life?

[Mitford1789]

I saw a well known actress a few days ago, standing behind her in the queue for a coffee. She was dressed down, however was clearly very pretty in person. However I was taken aback by how slim she was. I would say she was slightly taller than average, not a tiny person if you know what I mean. But so so slim. Do you think most famous actresses/singers etc are like this? Maybe I’m very naive.

Of course, some actresses (thinking people like Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow) have grown up immersed in the industry so will probably have never known different in terms of eating little, no carbs etc. They will have learned it from their mothers.

Someone like Kate Beckinsale has definitely morphed with becoming big in Hollywood.

Has anyone ever seen the costumes at the V&A? Adam Ant and Mick Jaggers stage costumes - so so so tiny. It’s not just women Yes, and remember when Kate Moss wore one of David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust outfits to The Brits and it fitted perfectly?

Remember many stars of the 70s would have been war/just post war babies so brought up in early years on a very lean diet.

Worked with lots of actors/models over the years because of my job.

Many are what you'd call 'tiny'. Slimmed to the bone.

And yes I totally understand that "lollipop head" description. You see that a lot.

I have worked with women who are average height but naturally very thin. Both would eat lunch and cakes and other bits but one definitely never ate in the evening. She said this to us. This woman once tried on her 6 year old son’s school blazer and it fitted her! We were all agog. Neither woman looked ill - we just put it down to good genes.

I’ve also stood next to Geri Halliwell. Absolutely tiny both in height and build but stunningly pretty with the ‘glow’ others have talked about. She also had really well-toned arms so I figure she must do a lot of exercise.

Same for the men too. Compare Sean Connery in his trunks as Bond with Daniel Craig. Connery has body hair and a healthy but not especially developed musculature; Craig is heavily muscled and as smooth as a dolphin

I’ve definitely noticed a trend for male celebs to be hairless. You don’t see an adult hairy chest any more.

My friend works with teenagers & often some of the gymnasts & tennis players are seen as fat by them which is crazy

I also work with gymnasts and there’s a really bizarre phenomena where some of them look big in their leotards out on the floor. Then you stand next to them in the cafe queue and realise they’re tiny, both in height and weight.

@Darkbrownistheriver 10 stone would have been under average male weight, and a couple of pounds over average female weight. It's total, dangerous bunk.

"in the 1970's it was shocking for anyone to weigh 10 stone"

My mother was horrified to reach 10 stone in the 60s when she gave up smoking. She took up smoking again to return to her previous weight (I'm guessing around 8st 7 .

Saw Charlotte Church in the toilets in a nightclub in Bristol once. I was shocked by how tiny she was too.

I don't think that body is achievable even for Kendall Jenner, tbh.

Well said. Airbrushed and edited all the way. Even though she is naturally pretty and doesn't need this sort of 'help'.

I wonder how they all maintain it without keeling over, tbh!
I’ve lost three and a half stone in the last year on a 1200 calorie diet. I just can’t see how I’d trim that much more and still eat enough to live, not long term. I’ve dropped to 1000 for a few days a couple of times and I’m just knackered.

I met lady gaga at a hotel once. She was tiny! But so beautiful & really nice!

When the reward for starving yourself for years is to have Harvey Weinstein heaving away at you, it's time to grab a doughnut and change career.

@3Britnee Yes she's probably underweight you're right. BMI doesn't take into account weight but once you're late 30s early 40s being underweight is much less likely to be natural and healthy than when you're in your early 20s. I'm not sure where we draw the line between an ED and someone who is succumbing to immense pressure to maintain a certain figure but it certainly isn't healthy and increases the risk of lots of long term health issues.

Sorry should say BMI doesn't take into account age (obviously it factors in weight)

I wonder how they all maintain it without keeling over, tbh!
I’ve lost three and a half stone in the last year on a 1200 calorie diet. I just can’t see how I’d trim that much more and still eat enough to live, not long term.

You wouldn't need to if you were trying to maintain weight rather than lose it. You could more.

Didn't Joanna Lumley say she " doesn't do food" She is a long-term vegan and yes I'm pretty sure I've read recently that she only eats one meal a day (and she smokes or certainly used to).

I've seen Joanna Lumley 'in the flesh' being a private person rather than in a professional capacity several times in recent years. She is petite but I wasn't shocked by her stature (she seemed a slim woman of a certain age and affluence). FWIW, up close and without all her 'slap' on, she has skin that is quite 'dull' looking (much like a friend of mine who is younger but eats little and over 'healthily') which to my mind is telling.

When the reward for starving yourself for years is to have Harvey Weinstein heaving away at you, it's time to grab a doughnut and change career. I was thinking about this. Surely it's some form of abuse to dictate that women should look the size of growing teenage girls. Doesn't it say a lot about men's predilections for young girls really?

I've found this so interesting. I think it's fine to discuss the disconnect between the way people appear in real life versus their appearance on screen. Clearly there is a difference and it's fine to talk about that without fear of reproach. Personally I haven't found the tone insulting. It's a world most of us have no real experience of so naturally we're curious about it.
I also think it's fascinating that so many famous people are described as having a sort of 'aura' or glow. I wonder what produces that in a person? Is it there from birth or does it come with their fame?

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 I don't think the desire to be thin comes from men at all. For the most part men either seem to not notice as much or prefer some curves. I think it's often women comparing themselves to each other.

It's similiar (although much more extreme) than the 'ideal' male body type which seems to be overly muscly and defined which I don't think is a preference that comes from women.

@CheerfulBunny

I've found this so interesting. I think it's fine to discuss the disconnect between the way people appear in real life versus their appearance on screen. Clearly there is a difference and it's fine to talk about that without fear of reproach. Personally I haven't found the tone insulting. It's a world most of us have no real experience of so naturally we're curious about it. I also think it's fascinating that so many famous people are described as having a sort of 'aura' or glow. I wonder what produces that in a person? Is it there from birth or does it come with their fame?

I think it's genetic. I know someone non-famous who has this glow, and her mother & grandmother have it, too.

I think it's often women comparing themselves to each other.

And as these threads show, women really don't like other women to be slimmer than them.

Size 10 in the 70’s was not a 24 “ waist, it was 22! I was there, but not in a size 10. I had an “ enormous “ waist and had to buy a 1970’s 14 which was bust 36, waist 26 and hips 36.
Today I have a size 10 dress on from next, the bust measures 38, the waist area ( it’s a straight shift style) 32 and hips 40. It fits my current shape well.
We have changed shape due to many reasons. Diet, eating habits, medical advances, medication, lifestyle, physical movement etc.
The slim actresses on tv are not that much smaller than the tiny waisted stars of the 50’s and 60’s. But they are very different from the average woman who has changed shape over the last few decades.
If you see what I mean
I’m not criticising anyone but the way, just my own observations after looking at some old photos of me and friends in the late 60’s and 70’s.

I also think it's fascinating that so many famous people are described as having a sort of 'aura' or glow. I wonder what produces that in a person? Is it there from birth or does it come with their fame?

I think it's a rich thing, less stress, more holidays etc.

@BalloonSlayer

I saw an interview with Hugh Laurie when he was just starting out in movies. He had been coupled with Geena Davis playing his wife in whatever film it was. He said it was difficult to cast someone to play a spouse for either of them as practically all Hollywood actors/actresses are really short with great big heads, yet he and GD were both over 6 foot, so a good match for each other on screen but not for anyone

The Stuart little films !! 😀