Size Zero for fashion or movies - which is worse bettween these two?

Question

We've all heard about the terrible obsession with celebrities and some women starving and over exercising to become a size zero. Fine if you are naturally thin, but there are a lot who are deliberately depriving themselves or forcing exercise because they think it's attractive or fashionable.

But what about, which happens mainly to men when they starve themselves for a movie role? I saw a program on this recently and it made me think.

I watched the film the Machinist a while ago and I wondered what was wrong with the poor actor, was he anorexic or a cancer sufferer? The poor guy looked so ill and skeletal. I was absolutely SHOCKED to find out that the actor was Christian Bale!!! The gorgeous and talented actor actually starved himself and did god knows what harm to his body for this role.

http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/themachinist_christianbale1_1097866350.jpg

So what is worse. Someone doing it for fashion or someone doing it for a movie role?

Answer 1

If an actor is doing it for a movie role, odds are good that they have consulted with a physician and a trainer and various other professionals so they can be sure not to do permanent damage.   There's also the fact that this is a temporary situation and they probably work hard to plan their recovery once it's over.   If someone is starving for fashion, they probably aren't taking the same precautions.

Answer 2

I think anyone harming their body to fit in or get a job, is sick.

Answer 3

Entertainment business is about looks, so actors, actresses and sometimes other persons who works on TV like journalists are under pressure to look the best they can because that means so much more opportunities.

Answer 4

Priscilla_Hilton...it's no surprise to see Hilton in your name.  And your comment was really awful.  Here's more prejudices about how fat people are gross and nasty.  It's because of people like you that movie stars and models and people all over the country are starving themselves to reach unrealistic "goal weight"

In answer to the question, it's worse IMO for the fashion industry because the models get stuck in this idea that being rain-thin is the only way to be unless you want to ostrasized from society, where as actors go to the extremes usually for movie roles.  

That's not to say that alot of those in the movie business don't have the same mentality as dangerously thin models.

Answer 5

I would have to say that long term bad eating habits have to be the worst of the two.

If it is done for a movie role in order to make the role  convincing, losing weight below where you belong, is reasonable. I am sure that the makeup department helped to create this illusion.

It is sad that the fashion industry is so way beyond the reality of the human beauty. Looking like you are starving is not attractive.

Answer 6

Christian Bale was a model long before he was an actor.  People in sports do horrible things to their bodies to.  It's not always about being stick thin, but it is not different.  

Jockey's starve themselves.  Whatshisname who starred as the jockey in Sea Biscuit starved himself.  Tom Hanks starved himself for his role in Cast Away.  Look at Renée Zellweger and how she gained all that weight for Bridget Jone's Diary, then lost all the weight to the point of being skeletal, then put it all back on for Bridget Jone's Diary 2, then lost it all again to the point of being skeletal a second time!  That's nuts.  Body Builders load their bodies up with carbs and protein, then two weeks before they show, they not only starve themselves, but they dehydrate themselves to better show their muscles.  Apparently, having water in your system doesn't show your muscles.  It's disgusting.  Ballerina's?  Dancers in general?  Football players?

Fine, you want to pick on models and actors only?  Can you imagine being famous?  Do you remember when Brittany Spears walked into a public bathroom with no shoes on?  They made a HUGE deal of it in the tabloids.  Can you imagine being so closely scrutinized every second of the day that you can't even go to the potty without some poparazzi taking  a picture of it?  I would be pretty paranoid about my looks, too.  I'd never, ever, ever want to be seen in a bikini.  Regardless of how good I look in it, if people are taking a picture in the wrong light or the wrong angle it can make you look bad.  I have a friend who is a model.  She wanted me to take some pictures of her for her website.  Well, I'm no professional.  This girl doesn't have an inch of fat or cellulite on her.... she's a healthy model, not anorexic, just naturally thin.  Now, some of those pictures came out making her look like she's lumpy where she's not, the shadowing made her butt look funny.....  see?  It doesn't matter how hot you are.  It would be so easy to get a complex about it.  

The real problem is not what actors, models, sports professionals etc are doing to themselves.  No.  The real concern is what are they doing to our children?  Have you seen those awful "Ana" videos?  They are videos about anorexic girls teaching other girls to be "ana."  The images shows are actors and models who are stick thin.  Teenagers are starving themselves.  Elementary kids are trying to diet.  It's just not right.  The USA has a high rate of obesity, sure, but it also has serious issues with anorexia.

Answer 7

Neither. They both promote this infantile ideology that being as skinny as a pencil is beautiful.

Answer 8

Where are all these "starving" women? I've noticed both women and men getting much bigger over the past few years.

Answer 9

Well, I think if it's done for a movie role, there is the implication that it is fiction- portraying a disease, health issue or something having to do with the lifestyle.  Tom Hanks in Castaway for example, couldn't have been believable with a thick waistline.  

The model though is trying to portray what someone should look like in the manufacturer's clothes on the street.  

I'm at the point where actors and models can do what they like- for the sake of art or otherwise, and I'll continue to make the choices that affect me.  I don't turn towards pop culture to fit in.