Being an actor means putting yourself in the public eye – an eye that can be very critical, as many actors and other celebrities have discovered. Even image conscious super-celebs like the Kardashians aren’t immune from fans who critique their look on a daily basis.
There seems to be nothing that will stop the tide of negative comments. But, some celebs, like Lizzo, have taken the haters on with a flair all their own. More and more, actors are clapping back at comments about their looks and appearance.
These actors took the heat of public opinion, and some of them turned it into a statement.
10 Carey Mulligan Called For An Apology
Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan, was a hit, but a critic in Variety wrote, "Mulligan, a fine actress, seems a bit of an odd choice as this admittedly many-layered apparent femme fatale — Margot Robbie is a producer here, and one can (perhaps too easily) imagine the role might once have been intended for her. Whereas with this star, Cassie wears her pickup-bait gear like bad drag; even her long blonde hair seems a put-on." Mulligan objected to the put down and Variety apologized, but the actress and her fans weren’t having it.
9 Temuera Morrison Was Body Shamed As Boba Fett
Star Wars fans were excited to see the rumors come true when Boba Fett appeared in The Mandalorian, having survived the dreaded Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi. Some fans, however, despite his kickass performance in the show, took to social media to criticize actor Temuera Morrison’s physique – a rounded Dad-bod typical for a man his age at almost 60. Morrison himself didn’t jump into the discussion, but a solid number of fans came to his defence as the debate raged on Twitter.
8 Lili Reinhart Shut Down Comments About Her ‘Unflattering’ Pic
In 2018, Lili Reinhart appeared in a photo, obviously on a night out with friends. Unkind commenters pointed out the bump in Lili’s tummy, and there was immediate speculation about whether she was pregnant. It was a rumor Lili shut down immediately on Instagram Stories. "It’s unfortunate that one unflattering photo of my stomach circulating the internet causes hundreds of people to think that I’m pregnant. Nope. Not pregnant. My body is something that I will NEVER apologize for,” she wrote.”So let’s not put so much time and effort into caring about a stranger’s figure.” 👏
7 Gabourey Sidibe Was A Magnet For Hate Comments At The 2014 Golden Globes
Gabourey Sidibe made waves in the 2009 movie Precious, for which she earned an Oscar, a Golden Globe and other awards. It didn't stop the haters from comments on her weight, however, when she made an appearance at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony in 2014.
It wouldn't be the first or last time, but she fired back on Twitter. "To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I [most definitely] cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night. #JK.”
6 Vin Diesel Got A Taste Of Body Shaming...And Didn’t Like it
Musclebound action and fantasy star Vin Diesel doesn't seem like a likely candidate for public body shaming, but it goes to show that it really can happen to anyone. On a holiday trip in 2015, Vin Diesel went shirtless, and pics showed up on the internet showing him with what many were calling a Dad bod. "Well, I was a new dad and that was my bod. That stupid episode gave me an idea of how bad body shaming can be," he told Men's Health.
5 Kristen Bell Was Criticized For Her Post-Baby Body
Some fans seem to expect pregnant women’s bodies to return to pre-pregnancy weight and shape almost immediately – especially if they are actresses. Kristen Bell was no exception, and she talked about it in 2013 in an interview with Redbook when she was still carrying extra baby weight. "I am not a woman whose self-worth comes from her dress size...Comparison is one long, agonizing death and does not interest me at all." Since then, she’s been very vocal about body acceptance, and loving that post-baby bump.
4 Sasha Pieterse Emphasized Surrounding Yourself With Support
Sasha Pieterse landed in the spotlight with her starring role in Pretty Little Liars. Back in 2015, trolls saw a picture of her where she’d gained a little weight, and she fought back calmly in an IG post. "I am currently under construction...thank you for your patience," she wrote.
“Getting healthy isn't just about working out and eating right (however extremely important) it's also about surrounding yourself with those who care about you and want to see you succeed and become the best you can be."
3 Leonard DiCaprio Never Reacted Publicly
Leonardo DiCaprio never responded to the torrents of body shaming abuse he went through in 2014 after he was pictured on vacation with model Toni Garnn kissing on a beach on Bora Bora. “The 21-year-old German model didn’t seem to mind the love handles and pot belly DiCaprio is sporting this spring,” noted Page Six. The headlines and jabs ran from “The Great Fatsby?” to “Leonardo DiFlabrio” and "What's Gilbert Grape Not Eating?" DiCaprio has never so much as acknowledged any of the comments.
2 Alyssa Milano Took The High Road Against Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr decided to make fun of Alyssa Milano on a radio show after they'd attended the same awards event. “It seems like she had a baby and said, ‘I don’t really give a s**t’ ... I read it on her gut... Somebody sat in the director’s chair and was not wearing Spanx and I was like, ‘Jesus Christ.'" Milano, though, decided to take the high road, Tweeting, “@jaymohr37 So sorry you felt the need to publicly fat-shame me. Be well and God Bless. Please send my love to your beautiful wife.”
1 Ben Affleck Said He Was ‘Just Fine’
Ben Affleck became the subject of countless memes after a 2018 piece in the New Yorker titled, “The Great Sadness of Ben Affleck.” The piece pointed out his “gut pooching outward" in unstaged photos, and mentioned Homer Simpson comparisons. Ouch. But, the DCEU’s past and perhaps also future Batman didn’t seem to be all that put out by the unflattering assessment, and he took to Twitter to write his response. “@NewYorker I’m doing just fine. Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos.”