Cribbed from MSN Movies... Interesting

From Corkers to Porkers: Absolutely Flabulous

So I'm at the press screening for Denzel Washington's new action adventure flick Déjà Vu, which also stars Val Kilmer, and it suddenly occurs to me that numerous men in this movie are carrying extra pounds. Seriously, it's like being at a Weight Watchers meeting. Some of the supporting actors filling out (geddit?) policemen and FBI roles are just plain fat; the star of the film is noticeably fleshier and encases his rounder body in a series of tent-like baggy shirts in a futile attempt to hide it. And as for Val Kilmer? He's either the world's first pregnant man (eating for two hundred, rather than two) or he's past caring.

Now I'm not having a pop at chubby actors (or overweight people, come to that) per se; I don't mind if Denzel Washington puts on even more weight (although he probably should) and I'm not bothered if Val Kilmer's wearing parachutes in ten years time. What annoys me is the age-old Hollywood double standard regarding the appearance of men versus the appearance of women.
While the two biggest (as in stature) stars in Déjà Vu have definitely seen leaner days over the years (Val Kilmer especially going from a corker to a right porker), actress Paula Patton who plays Denzel's love interest, has the typical build of a Tinseltown actress: slim.

She's not carrying an ounce of extra fat anywhere. Would she be cast as a leading man's bit of fluff if she looked as if she'd had been gorging on fried chicken? Of course not. It's one rule for men, another for women.

For example, one of the more high profile actresses to gain weight in Hollywood is two-time Oscar-winner Dame Elizabeth Taylor. In addition to being the butt of so many jokes, her heavier build cost her certain film roles; casting agents and producers were of the opinion that overweight women were not attractive in leading roles. They were fine when it came to playing the 'best friend', of course. It was ever thus. More than twenty years on, what's changed? Not much.

Unlike our Liz, Renée Zellweger's weight gain was for a film role: Bridget Jones. Thanks to a diet of milkshakes, pizzas, burgers and loads of calorific desserts, she filled out (acquiring bigger boobs, which she admitted to missing) and became Helen Fielding's hapless heroine. It was all in the pursuit of verisimilitude - but it paid off (it's hard to imagine anyone else in the part now). And she gamely put her body through it twice too.
However, incredibly, her voluptuousness cost her the cover of Harper's Bazaar. In addition, irrespective of what anyone might say to the contrary, the reality is that there's no way she would've been considered for Hollywood leading roles (especially romances, which are bread and butter to actresses) with her Bridget Jones build. So each time, within a matter of weeks, she rapidly went back to skinny Renée. Apparently, visiting a gym daily for two-hour workouts, watching her food intake (mainly fish, salads and raw vegetables) and checking into a spa helped her get her slight frame back.

Actresses are continually assessed by their body type - even if they've just had babies (I've lost count of the number of articles purporting the post-pregnancy diet of actress A, B or C). We know their bust measurements, their waist in inches, their dress sizes - but what do we know about the Hollywood men who've let their bodies go (apart from their names)? Do we know what size jacket they wear? Or their collar size? No.

And by the way, when was the last time you saw an A-list movie featuring an overweight actress playing the love interest? And don't say Bridget Jones - it doesn't count because Renée put on weight specifically for the role. And yet, I can reel off films with men carrying an extra pound or two who still get to do the romancing. More than that, they still get to work. The likes of Vince Vaughn, John Travolta and Alec Baldwin are as busy as ever - their extra weight is only a dent to their own ego, but not their bank balance. And that's just not bloomin' well fair.