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No Rebel Wilson, You're Not the First Plus-Size Rom-Com Lead
More plus size representation is great, but that doesn't mean you should erase those who came before you.
During a recent appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show to promote her upcoming movie Isn't It Romantic, Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect star Rebel Wilson made the claim that she was the first plus-sized actress to lead a romantic comedy.
"I'm kind of proud to be the first-ever plus-sized girl to be the star of a romantic comedy," she told Ellen about her new film, a body postive twist on the typical rom-com fare.
While we're obviously glad that a new movie is coming out starring a plus-sized woman (especially since people of size hardly, if ever, get much representation), we can't ignore the fact that what Rebel said about being the first plus-sized actress to lead a rom-com is just plain false.
As people on Twitter were quick to point out, prominent actresses like Queen Latifah and Mo'Nique have already starred in rom-coms in the past.
\u201c*squints in Queen Latifah*\u201d— Rebecca Theodore-Vachon (@Rebecca Theodore-Vachon) 1541099908
\u201cQueen Latifah didn\u2019t quit her job, liquidate all her assets, head off on a solo European adventure and marry LL Cool J to be erased in this way.\u201d— \u2728Miz\u2728 (@\u2728Miz\u2728) 1541076889
\u201cAnother example of folx not counting anything until WW do it. Queen Latifah & Mo\u2019Nique starred in hella rom-coms but this asshat has the Caucacity to say she\u2019s the first.\n\nAnd ironically, she isn\u2019t even the first White woman. This omits Toni Colette, Nia Vardalos & *Ricki Lake*.\u201d— There are no \u201cbad\u201d foods! (@There are no \u201cbad\u201d foods!) 1541095594
\u201cQueen Latifah has been a visibly plus-size romantic lead since 'Living Single.' Not to mention 'Just Wright' and 'Last Holiday' which is PEAK rom-com. \n\nBut go off, sis.\u201d— Britni Danielle (@Britni Danielle) 1541170597
\u201cI love @RebelWilson as much as the next girl, but she isn\u2019t the first plus sized woman to play the lead in a romantic comedy. Queen Latifah and Mo\u2019Nique have both played romcom leads \ud83e\udd14\u201d— Halfapintdoll (@Halfapintdoll) 1541100392
The more representation, the better! But there's no need to erase the groundbreaking work of people who came before you...
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
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