Sarah Paulson To Play Late Linda Tripp In New Series Instead Of A Real Plus-Sized Actor 

Instead of hiring a plus-size actor, Sarah Paulson was hired to play the role of late Linda Tripp in the upcoming series American Crime Story: Impeachment.

The series will revolve around Bill Clinton and his sex scandal with Monica Lewinsky, and Paulson will portray Tripp, the former White House employee that played a role in Clinton’s impeachment. Photos of Sarah Paulson on-set in character as Linda Tripp circulated on social media. In order to look like the plus-size Tripp, Paulson reportedly wore a fat suit and used facial prosthetics. Instead of doing so much effort why not just hire a plus-size actor?

Creator and producer of the show Ryan Murphy defended the decision of casting Paulson. In an interview, he said that “She wanted to do it naturally and she gained weight to play Linda Tripp.”

Whether or not Sarah Paulson wore a fat suit or used facial prosthetics, the images of her in character as Tripp raised several questions about plus-size characters and their representation in media.

Twitter Reactions To Sarah Paulson As Linda Tripp

This could have been a fat actor. This could have been their big breakout role. This could have been their Golden Globe or their Emmy nod. This could have been their paid off student loans or their first house. Instead it's Sarah Paulson in a fat suit. https://t.co/TKh8EBi45F

— Kristin Chirico (@lolacoaster) April 28, 2021

fat actresses NEVER get opportunities like this unless either A) it's a role ABOUT fatness, which is gross, or B) they've somehow managed to accrue enough Hollywood power to produce their own shit and give themselves decent roles, which is WILDLY rarehttps://t.co/3fVqklgw4Q

— Claire Willett (@clairewillett) April 28, 2021

Representation In Media

The way plus-size people are depicted on screen is usually stereotypical. The “Fat Best Friend” trope is often seen in media. Plus-size characters are generally sidelined and exist solely to provide comedic relief. Instead of providing the characters with depth, they tend to remain as side characters with minimal plot relevance.

If by some chance a plus-size character does have a story arc, it tends to revolve around their weight.

Why Should Plus-Size Actors Be Hired?

“To be a princess, you had to look like a princess,” ">said actor and screenwriter Jen Ponton. She was speaking about how when she auditioned to be a Disney World princess she didn’t even make it past the admission paperwork. After all, the roles of protagonists or princesses rarely go to plus-size women. Roles for plus-size actors are narrowed to stereotypical roles and the actors are generally typecast as comedic relief.

The misogyny entrenched film Kabir Singh had one scene where the titular character told the female lead to become friends with a chubby girl, as they are loyal and get along with pretty girls. Once again pigeonholing plus-size people as secondary characters that have no purpose other than being friends with the main character.

Casting actors that require undergoing a drastic change in weight negatively impacts their health. Actor Renee Zellweger had put on around 30 pounds to play the role of Bridget Jones. She said that “I had a panic attack with all the specialists talking about how bad this is for you long-term, putting on that much weight in short periods of time.”

After George Clooney lost nearly 30 pounds for his role in The Midnight Sky, he was hospitalised with pancreatitis. Clooney said that “I think I was trying too hard to lose the weight quickly and probably wasn’t taking care of myself.”

Registered dietitian and director of Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s nutrition clinic Keith Ayoob said that “it's often not the best thing for their metabolisms and bodies.”

The Big Fat Company: An Organisation For Plus Size Actors In India

A Bengaluru-based theatre group The Big Fat Company (BFC) was founded in 2017. The organisation brings together plus-size actors that do not fit the conventional standards required for a Bollywood protagonist. BFC has put on several productions with its group of plus-size actors.

The director of BFC Anuradha HR created the organisation after several years of constantly being typecast. Another member of BFC Sushma SV said that “Because we are fat, we always get stereotypical roles, such as comic roles or really drab ones.” Only being cast in specific types of roles and as side characters meant that the actors were not able to explore their own potential.

Feature Image Credit: Metro