There’s been no shortage of social movements that have made waves at the Oscars. Black Lives Matter, #metoo, and #timesup have all been called out directly from the stage. Some highly regarded, Oscar-nominated actors have also been vocal in the body positivity movement, spreading messages of body acceptance and self-love on the red carpet, in press interviews, and even in their acceptance speeches. We have even seen advocacy for health organizations.
Here are three A-list, Oscar-nominated actors who have made their stances for body positivity.
Melissa McCarthy
Talented comedienne, Melissa McCarthy, has been nominated for two Oscars: in 2012 for Best Supporting Actress in Bridesmaids, and, recently, in 2019 for Best Actress in Can You Ever Forgive Me? She is known for her work in TV shows like Gilmore Girls and hit comedies like The Heat and Spy.
Melissa has faced her share of body shaming over the years, which makes it all the more heartening that she continues to promote a message of body acceptance. “There’s an epidemic in our country of girls and women feeling bad about themselves based on what 0.5% of the human race looks like,” she told Redbook Magazine. “…enjoy and embrace whatever body type you have.”
Melissa even launched a clothing line called Seven7, telling People Magazine that she wanted her clothes to be sold on main floors. “I know what it’s like not being able to go shopping with my friends because ‘women like me’ have been hidden away on a different floor,” she said.
I can’t agree more with the normalization of clothing and body types too, Melissa!
Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill, known for his appearances in Judd Apatow comedies, then his shift to more serious roles, has been twice Oscar nominated for Best Supporting Actor: in 2011 for Moneyball and 2013 for The Wolf of Wall Street.
Over the years, Jonah has been open and honest about his weight issues. Long typecast as a schlubby sidekick, he lost 40 pounds in 2011 in an effort to steer his career in another direction. But as he revealed in an Instagram post in 2021, Jonah has finally reached a place of comfort and acceptance of his body, no matter what weight he is.
“I don’t think I ever took my shirt off in a pool until I was in my mid-30s,” Jonah posted. “I’m 37 and finally love and accept myself… This isn’t a ‘good for me’ post… It’s for the kids who don’t take their shirt off at the pool. Have fun. You’re wonderful and awesome and perfect.”
Thanks for spreading such a great message, Jonah! Acceptance is certainly key!
Kathy Bates
Prolific actress Kathy Bates has been nominated three times for Best Supporting Actress: in 1999 for Primary Colors, in 2003 for About Schmidt, and in 2020 for Richard Jewell. She won her Oscar for Best Actress in 1991 for the film Misery. In recent years, she’s become known for her showstopping turns on American Horror Story.
Kathy is a two-time cancer survivor who became an ambassador for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) after her own health scare. In 2012, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. As a result, afterwards, she developed lymphedema: painful swelling in her arms caused by her cancer treatment, which compromised her lymphatic system leading to the accumulation of lymph fluid that remains stagnant and causes swelling.
Kathy addressed the stigma of women’s health issues in the film industry and how standards are changing in an interview with WebMD. “Back in 2003, when I had ovarian cancer, my agent told me not to tell anyone about it,” she said. “When the breast cancer diagnosis came, I knew I wanted to be honest about it.”
Now, she is outspoken about the challenges of living with lymphedema and her mastectomy. She doesn’t use breast prostheses in daily life, only putting them on when a role requires it. “I’ve joined the ranks of women who are going flat, as they say. I don’t have breasts – so why do I have to pretend like I do?”
Your resilience and advocacy for the awareness of women’s health issues that you are helping to spread is inspiring and such a support to the body acceptance movement, Kathy!
At this year’s Oscars, we’ll all be looking for even more motivational messages to influence the audience to support body positivity towards themselves and others. Be sure to follow my journey at Curvygirlbeth across social media and join my email list for more body positive inspiration and the latest news about lipedema, women’s health, and body acceptance.