People far too good looking for the role they play
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I remember when Eastenders first started, and Americans being baffled that anyone would want to watch people like Susan Tully (who later became rather glammed up, but at the time was pretty but very ordinary looking, instead of Dynasty/ Dallas aspirational gloss.
Fair enough. But what strikes me about American productions is how often they feature an actress who is outstandingly good looking even when the script centres round the fact that she is not. It is as if they literally daren't put a genuinely plain actress in a romantic/ lead role, even in a story about a plain woman.
Exhibit a: The Truth about Cats and Dogs: Man amusingly falls in love with radio vet believing that she is the beautiful Uma Thurman and not the plain Janeane Garofolo. See how shockingly unattractive Janeane is? No? Because she is pretty, isn't she?
Exhibit b: Bones. And the endless jokes about this actress being fat. Because here's the awful thing: she is very slightly larger than the other female lead. What a tub, eh?
Exhibit c: Hermione. We all know it. Hermione had bushy hair (not prettily crimped; bushy); she had too-big teeth; she was awkward and not very popular. So they cast the prettiest girl in the school, a natural prom queen. See the scene where she comes down the stairs at the ball and everyone gasps because she is ACTUALLY PRETTY? In the films they must gasp because the prettiest girl in the school has unaccountably gone to the Disney store for her prom dress, and that is all.
Fair enough. But what strikes me about American productions is how often they feature an actress who is outstandingly good looking even when the script centres round the fact that she is not. It is as if they literally daren't put a genuinely plain actress in a romantic/ lead role, even in a story about a plain woman.
Exhibit a: The Truth about Cats and Dogs: Man amusingly falls in love with radio vet believing that she is the beautiful Uma Thurman and not the plain Janeane Garofolo. See how shockingly unattractive Janeane is? No? Because she is pretty, isn't she?
Exhibit b: Bones. And the endless jokes about this actress being fat. Because here's the awful thing: she is very slightly larger than the other female lead. What a tub, eh?
Exhibit c: Hermione. We all know it. Hermione had bushy hair (not prettily crimped; bushy); she had too-big teeth; she was awkward and not very popular. So they cast the prettiest girl in the school, a natural prom queen. See the scene where she comes down the stairs at the ball and everyone gasps because she is ACTUALLY PRETTY? In the films they must gasp because the prettiest girl in the school has unaccountably gone to the Disney store for her prom dress, and that is all.
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Because apparently this is what an unpopular nerdy girl looks like
Ditto Alyson Hannigan in Buffy.
I always wondered if Lindsay and Jenna weren't axed from the show to boost Melissa Joan Hart's looks because she was plain next to them and the actresses who followed were never that pretty from season four onwards.
I'm joking a bit when I say that but I suppose there could be some pressure put on tv producers to cast reasonably good looking people for some roles just to appeal to the audience.
American tv is much more looks obsessed than our tv.
I totally get what you mean, but sometimes an actor is so far removed in terms of their looks when it comes to the character they're playing it can be spoil any potential realism just a bit.
I think this is an interesting thread.
She is played by Sharon Small http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/pa/2009/02/pa554410_175x175.jpg
To be fair, the whole movie was ridiculous though!
Often at work youll see someone in their uniform and then you see them socially and they look a completely different person.
I guess its the same sometimes with this. Dodgy facial hair / haircut / clothes / bit of extra weight really can change someones desirability.
I don't know, I appreciate realism rather than some American-imported ideal of beauty, which tends to be identikit and fake. It's why I'm thankful UK TV isn't so looks-obsessed; the people who populate our programmes are distinct and recognisable and tend not to be hidden behind the gloss of fashion.
I love a bit of gritty Bafta faces, me.
Then there is the classic example of the incorrectly titled Ugly Betty; America Ferrera is of course anything but, and the producer's idea of Betty's "ugliness" is equally out of line with any aesthetic context. But they do try, the US Lands do. Unfortunately even the concept of ugliness is just too eww.
Re America Fererra - I do think though she isnt beautiful, dont get my wrong she isnt unattractive, but she will never be cast as the gorgeous, desired for female lead in a movie, but agree the yanks would never have anyone really ugly cast!
I haven't seen it but in one of her earlier movies Scarlett Johannson plays one of the outsiders/hated by the popular crowd in Ghost World!
In the real world, I completely agree.
However, this is Halle Berry. To have her even try to play plain and mousey is insulting towards the audience, in my opinion.
It's as bad as when they put big ugly glasses and a bad wig on an actress who is very obviously beautiful and then give her a "make over" and suddenly she has a lot of boyfriends and is Miss Popularity with everyone. TV shows used to d this a lot, much to my irritation.
This is a really good one!
Though I don't know about Lindsay and Jenna being dispatched with. Jenny, Sabrina's first bestie was less good-looking than Sabrina and was replaced by Valerie.
That one annoys me, she is better looking than her "rival" Quinn, who looks pretty bland and basic hot as in, blonde hair, blue eyes yawn compared to Rachel.
I know it's part of the humour that people always make fun of Liz's appearance and her ugliness/ weight but Tina Fey is actually a very attractive woman! Although she does write those insults herself so I guess she's just playing it for laughs.
She didn't used to be (if you've seen her school pics), its like Tina hasn't seen her transformation from average looking back in the day to attractive older woman and still sees herself as the chubby teen with all the jokes about her eating and being gross.