I should, as someone who repeatedly complains about the objectification of women, have some sympathy for a young male actor who complains that they feel bad for actively participating in the whole objectification process. Richard Madden, who had the lead role in the BBC drama Bodyguard, says he has been told to lose weight, has to go to the gym twice a day and do the no-carbs thing when he is preparing for nude scenes.
Difference is men have to work hard down the gym to build muscle, not exactly what the women have to do 🤷♂️
Actors aren’t models whose looks are meant to be aspirational to sell products. As far as I remember, actors are storytellers of humanity. And humans come in all kinds of shapes. Don’t care how tight someone’s abs are but how much depth they bring to a role.
suzanne_moore 🤔 I mean... actors having to maintain a certain body image would be a bit more like writers having to handwrite their sentences, essays, novels, etc... using a calligraphy hand.
ShakyraDowling Just get er done
What a pointless crap article.
jameelajamil you’re needed, this makes me nauseous
And her point is...? Incoherent bollocks.
What a way to teach the world about 'body positivity'!? Absolutely disgusting.
Such bollocks. And so badly written.
🤦🏻♂️
What a load of bull
What an incoherent dungheap of an article
Even though this would be totally unacceptable for any other job, because we're actors, it's fine Bullshit. It's grossly physically unhealthy for actors, and damaging to the body-image of every person watching This '''article''' is the biggest pile of wank I've read in weeks...
In the 1st sentence to say you campaign against objectification of women. Then to write. “Part of these actors’ job is to be lusted after and objectified. That is what cinema is.” Is surely total double standard ShentonStage suzanne_moore
Surely it should be about a persons acting ability, not what they look like?🤔
Looks more a Daily Mail article to me, remember folks The Guardian takes a different approach
Well, let's not be naive here. Films are not just about telling stories they're also about entertainment, escapism, and our vicarious living and so forth. Predator starring Arnie is a heck of a lot different than Predator starring David Mitchell (though I'd watch that too!) 1/2
Like saying you can’t be a mum and have a job, be a nurse with health issues, be an athlete with disabilities you can be one thing while also dealing with something else too. Stupid woman. Please tell me she really isn’t quite so dumb?!
An actors job is to act not be lusted over. And bravo to the actor in question in the article for speaking out about body image and how it is wrong to show an unrealistic account of how you should look. Eating disorders affect men too.
This is the sort of rubbish that gives feminism a bad name. Stop it please.
What an utterly disgraceful article, you put all decent journalists to shame
What a load of crap!
Awful article! Something I'd expect to see in the daily mail!
Erm I think you’ll find they can actually Suzanne
Dear Suzanne, Do you realise suicide is the biggest cause of death among young men? Do you realise your toxic article could worsen someone’s mental well-being? Do you realise the damage you could do?
Sorry luvly, but writing sentences shouldn’t be physically or mentally draining to you, although ya article could do w/ some more editing😬 Redefine your understand of what an actor is would be my advice. No one should be exploited like this; not models, not actors.
This is the most double standard idiotic article. Cinema is the art of storytelling. SOME roles genuinely require a certain physique but lots of castings ask for ‘muscular’, ‘attractive’ or ‘sexy’ for e.g doctor! This article says a lot more about the bitter writer than actors.
What a load of crap
Bethany for reading later
ShakyraDowling By retweeting, do you agree with the content of this article ShakyraDowling ?
Wow how incredibly ignorant this article is.
suzanne_moore 'Richard Madden is the latest star to reveal the stress of having to shed weight and tone up for a role. But isn’t that his job'. If he CHOOSES that role, then yes. If he doesn't want the 'stress' of the job, don't apply for the job. Just like any job for anyone!
Oh man this article is just bad. It’s in no way empathetic, completely ignorant and I don’t understand what she’s trying to achieve - it literally doesn’t make sense. SHITE.
Er, no. An actor's job is to portray real or imagined characters. Characters that the audience can identify with, empathise with, feel a connection with, or just be entertained by. You're getting confused with models.
A short sighted article that contradicts itself ..not helpful in current climate of our industry
Stop giving jobs that require interaction with the public to toxic people. She’s been paid for this. Shame on your entire organisation
This is such a terribly written article. So disappointed in the Guardian for releasing it. Clearly she does not understand the role of an actor. We represent real people. We are not models.
the98percentpod
This article is awful. Imagine a man wrote this about a woman! Its not Richard Madden's job to 'look nice' it's his job to tell a bloody story jesusssss
Still not over how ridiculous this article is. Acting is not about sex Suzanne, jesus. “Part of these actors’ job is to be lusted after and objectified. That is what cinema is. That is what sex does.” What?!
What a disappointing and misandrous pile of 💩
yes my dear it is
What an arsehole
Yes you can. The end.
Way to encourage eating disorders suzanne_moore
Sometimes, weird little moments restore my faith that things will be ok in the end. Like the fact that all/most of the replies to this article agree that this is trash not worthy to be publish, and that the author is wrong, mean spirit, and horrible. Thank you Twitter.
Sorry what is the point of this? Is the argument that unrealistic bodies are are part of the job or that acting ability supercedes physical attributes? Which contradictory assertion is the take-away?
Why do you still employ this idiot? I know mindless drivel & clickbait drives traffic etc but you're supposed to be a serious newspaper.
Such a lazy, unfocused article, that manages to miss the entire point whilst seemingly making many. Would love to know jameelajamil’s thoughts...
All genders are equal but some genders are more equal than others
The doublethink in this article makes little sense. I'm sure others have pointed out. Even worse, it uses the word 'yonks'.
Except you can.
Stupid pig of a women showing her hatred of men, and yet crying over the exact same issue when inflicted on women. Im starting to rapidly tire of the Guardians shit
Oh but when an actress does it, it becomes a national issue. Clearly highlights the writer's hypocrisy and double standards.
I guess this applies to women as well as men as women should be considered 'actors' too. So either this is saying part of women actor's job is to maintain a good body image or that women are acressess not actors. Either is sexist.
What is a job of an actor?
Really lazy, tired article, she even has to fill it out by recycling the ancient Olivier/Hoffman anecdote yet again
Articles like this are why there is such a high suicide rate of young men
More Liam Neeson interviews please
Yes, you can!
Sure they can, they can moan about anything they want just like you or I moan about anything we want. It's part of life.
No Bond role for Madden then. 🤷🏻♀️
Watch me
No Suzanne it is not his job, anyone remember Christian Bale in The Machinist. That poor buggar looked like a skeleton for that role. Suzanne STFU love
Suzanne Moore; the thinking man’s amoeba
but an actor i thought changes with each part that's the deal but a celebrat it's all about them their image. clearly he's complaining to play a dirty old man or a hunchback you've got to be jesus THE BLONDE ONE...
Has there been some personnel crossover recently between Independent Online, The Mail and the Guardian ?
No lies told!
This week in 'If the gender was flipped'
This article is pure bs.
I’ll probably get the PC Brigade and the NCA_UK doing a SWAT raid in the early hours for this comment,but people do like attractive people with nice body’s, Male Female or Whatever Their Gender,not that I fit that criteria ‘unfortunately’ 😂
Incredibly misguided.
I tend to agree. Why should we only see people in the nude or clothed on TV who have gym bodies. I want to see people of all shapes. Some of them look ridiculous. A toned 10 stone beanpole isn't fooling anyone.
What if your Adam, they're killing Eve, it's lent and they keep offering you free sausage, really your named Jonathan, but like a true Hebrew your face down in Egypt only nobody knows yet that your Elvis so your very teeth are falling out like witch? Joseph? What a picture!
Geez, can you up your standards a bit, Guardian ? When I read your opinion pieces recently, I never know if it will be journalism or a mopey 5 minute google searched whine.
This article is in need of a severe edit...as in every word removing 🙄
Isn't this a bit like a footballer moaning about training? He could play accountants or IT technicians instead. Leave the 'Bodyguard' roles to someone who can handle the stress.
suzanne_moore's a bad TERF.
One look at her picture and I see why the author would write a hypocritical article like this. I wonder if she blames men for being unfuckable? Or media’s portrayal of attractive women?🤔 Probably both.
No, that would be his job if he was a fashion model. He's supposed to portray different characters on screen or stage.
Poor Men....
So wait, it unacceptable and infuriating when women are told this but because women have been putting up with it, men should too? What? Just what? So is the whole point of metoo also disregarded as a part of the acting gig for you then?
Assumed from the headline this would be tongue in cheek but nope. Just nonsense instead
Utter shite. He's not a model. He's an actor. Ridiculous sexist nonsense.
This is a clickbait article designed to pit men and women against each other. Don't fall for it. The Guardian is insufferable these days.
We want our heroes to look good on screen. Just look at Poldark. Without Aidan Turner, what was it People like to look at those who are pleasing to watch.
The Bodyguard would've been so much more interesting had they cast a woman in that role.
Another journalist part of the problem 🙄 jameelajamil
What a mean spirited article.
Of course you can.
Yes Suzanne, you can. 🙄
chicletariaa 🧐