To Thy Own Self Be True. Here Are 6 Times Actors Were Given Advice About Their Looks And How They Handled It
Being a celebrity comes with the expectation to look, act, or dress a certain way, be it for the camera or public relations. It takes a brave individual, and in some cases, advice from those who have been there themselves to buck the trend and allow the world to accept the little imperfections that make us who we are. Here are a few times celebrities faced a choice and learned to live their truth.
John Travolta
John Travolta has always been known for his swagger, personality, and incredible head of hair. But like so many men, the latter has been an issue for him for years, using an array of hairpieces to cover up the issue. Now, remember he did fully shave his head for the film From Paris With Love (2010), but it took some convincing to keep it that way.. While on Jimmy Kimmle Live! with guest host Lena Waithe, Travolta and his daughter Ella Bleu discuss how meeting singer Pitbull, also bald, changed his look for good.
I became friends with Pitbull-you know, all of us guys who do this have got to stick together. Both he and my family encouraged it.
And we are happy they did.
Kirsten Dunst
A powerful actress since a young age, Kirsten Dunst faced the same kind of hurdles so many burgeoning actresses face when being told they have a flaw that needs a fix, in this case her teeth. Enter director Sofia Coppola, who cast Dunst in the coming-of-age drama The Virgin Suicides (1999).
[Coppola] just gave me a lot of confidence that I carried throughout my career in terms of producers wanting to fix my teeth. People just trying to change and manipulate young actresses in a way to make them the same. She made me feel beautiful for who I was. That was a very pivotal time in my life to feel that way and to be given that.
Steve Buscemi
Again with the teeth. Character actor Steve Buscemi has always been known for his interesting appearance, a look that has made him a big player in the world of acting. But part of his charm is his imperfections and he is not shy about them. When asked by several dentists to see about having his teeth straightened, he simply replies,
You're going to kill my livelihood if you do that!
We wouldn't have him any other way.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Talk about your silver foxes! Actress Jamie Lee Curtis has always been a stunner on screen and when it came time to grow old gracefully, Hollywood had something to say about her decision to embrace her graying hair. But as we know, the original Scream Queen wouldn't take it lying down.
Oh, I had people who were emphatic in their disapproval, insisting it would age me. Now they're all eating crow and saying how right I was to do it.
Natural beauty is a commodity we should all strive for and Curtis is a shining example of that.
Alec Baldwin
While guesting on Saturday Night Live, actor Alec Baldwin got some advice, of sorts, from Pete Davidson about who to slim down and stay in great shape. 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups a day. Later Davidson admitted that he was joking,
I didn't want to be rude and just say, like, "I still have metabolism. I'm not in my mid-50s. I just wake up like this."
Davidson was surprised that Baldwin took it to heart, following the advice of his co-star and it made a noticeable difference. About a 100 pound difference!
Meryl Streep
Hollywood icon Meryl Streep is not only one of the most celebrated actresses in the world but she can also thank her talent for languages, namely Italian, for her decision to love herself no matter what even the most famous filmmakers might have to say about her looks.
While auditioning for Frederico De Laurentiis' remake of King Kong (1976) at the behest of son Dino, she was taken aback when the elder muttered,
Che brutta (Italian for "How ugly").
The then 26-year-old actress replied back in a hint of snarky Italian,
...I'm sorry I'm not beautiful enough to be in King Kong.
Even as a young starlet, Miss Meryl Streep was ahead of her time.
The long and short of it, at the end of the day being who you are is the more important than being what others want you to be. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
