While Hollywood continues to promote thinness and tighten beauty standards instead of loosening them, some actresses are raising the average height on set. While the world knows Irish actress Nicola Coughlan from "Bridgerton," one of her colleagues is also advocating for more inclusive cinema: Megan Stalter. Discovered in the Netflix series "Too Much," where she plays a slightly more eccentric version of herself, she is bringing curves back into the spotlight.
Megan Stalter, the rising star in "Too Much"
Under the bright lights of film sets, thinness is a key selection criterion. According to casting calls, you need prominent collarbones, visible bones, and a BMI bordering on deficiency to land major roles. This is the typical profile regularly touted on screen: that of a willowy woman without a single roll of fat. In these Hollywood "star silhouettes," fat is only tolerated in the décolletage.
For the past few months, with the rise of Ozempic and the decline of the self-acceptance movement, several renowned actresses have been showcasing their weight loss as a personal achievement. Rebel Wilson, once hailed as a body-positive icon and proclaimed the official representative of curvy women in film, has succumbed to this pressure to be thin disguised as an "aesthetic trend." Actresses with so-called "generous" figures, who refuse to settle for a simple apple for a meal and to transform themselves solely to land a role, are relegated to stereotypical characters: the "funny best friend," the "clumsy woman," or the "tormented character" whose entire plot revolves around her weight. These consolation prizes speak volumes about the pervasive fatphobia.
In "Too Much," Megan Stalter, on the contrary, is the main character in a progressive romantic comedy, far removed from the usual idyllic storylines. Her love story isn't presented as exceptional or improbable because of her appearance. She's simply a fully realized romantic heroine, but more unconventional and authentic than those who came before her in this saccharine genre. Her body, curvier than what Hollywood usually shows, is, in fact, a non-issue.
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She plays roles that almost never exist in Hollywood
While Megan Stalter shines in the film "Too Much" and strives to familiarize audiences with a body often considered "abnormal," she was first discovered by the public in the HBO series "Hacks." There, she makes a striking appearance as Kayla Schaefer, an eccentric assistant in charge of the career of a fading stand-up comedian.
The actress is completely at ease in these roles of loud, demonstrative, and self-assured women. This isn't acting, but rather her natural temperament. Attracting attention effortlessly comes naturally to her, and she doesn't have to try to captivate those around her. A free spirit in the film industry, and also a shining example of self-confidence, Megan Stalter is the very antithesis of the word "complex."
The heroines she brings to life in her work are these alter egos, in amplified versions. She therefore shares several similarities with the aptly named "Jess," who is the heart and soul of the series "Too Much," created by Lena Dunham. The protagonist, contrary to what stylists might dictate, wears vibrant colors, kitschy patterns in abundance, and maximalist outfits that stand in stark contrast to the imposed discretion.
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She refuses to make her body a problem
In real life, Megan Stalter is also unaffected by the judgment of others. She has such enduring and powerful self-esteem that she never feels like she's "too much" or "not enough." She embodies everything society discourages women of her stature from being: imposing, confident, brimming with imagination, and above all, inspiring. "I'm so lucky to love my big butt," she told Glamour US , proud of her physique, which is otherwise ostracized by the film industry.
Megan Stalter doesn't present herself as a traditional body positivity activist. Yet, despite herself, she works for body diversity in a highly selective industry that still too often equates thinness with elegance and curves with neglect. While the film world is uncompromising with "extra pounds" and "weight fluctuations," Megan Stalter rebels against this tyranny of appearance with her disarming good humor.
In the series "Too Much," Megan Stalter stars alongside Emily Ratajkowski, the very embodiment of the feminine ideal, which makes the narrative even more symbolic. Because the cast should be diverse in body type, not a single body type.
