On talent vs appearance in Hollywood...

Don't know what happens this month, but I've been so busy running around like a headless chicken. It's almost end of March, and this is my first journal entry of the month! Unbelievable. My thoughts come and go, but whenever I read news on the web, and come across something that I'd like to write about, I'll bookmark the links for journal entry later. Just now, I check my bookmarks and I have over 20 of them for this month. Most would probably fall on the wayside, but that's quite ok. Afterall, they are not really earth-shattering; only my thoughts of the day, as I read along.

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Couple of weeks ago, the results of Oscar came out. I don't really follow entertainment news. But since I like watching movies, netflix being my main, probably the only, entertainment for me, I would check out new movies from time to time as well. I don't bother paying full price going to theater. I don't have the time to do it afterall. More importantly, none of the movies is compelling enough for me to go to the theater, even matinee shows. I can always wait for the DVD to come out.

Oh, I'm digressing again.... :)

In any case, there was this new movie release called Precious. I haven't seen the movie yet, but all talks are on the talent of Gabourey Sidibe who was nominated for the Oscars this year, for leading actress. She didn't win - the award went to Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side - but she generates more discussions than anybody else...for the wrong reason. The talks are not on her talents (which seem to be beside the point), but on her size. Yes, if you check out her picture, you'll see that she's in the plus-size category. Does it really matter to me? Not really, as long as she works well in a role that demands it, both in talents and in physical requirements. It might be politically incorrect to point to the fact that Sidibe is black and big. These days, anyone will tell you that we have a black president (Obama), so the race card shouldn't apply anymore. As much as anyone hates to hear it, Howard Stern said it, pointing to the white elephant in the room, that it doesn't really matter how Sidibe might be, but she's not likely to be seen much in a few years time.

Hollywood is surreal place. People, myself included, watch movies to get some escapes from reality. Of course, I watch documentaries, drama and thrillers that can be more real than reality, but I also enjoy the 90-minutes of Hollywood escapes that are not too taxing to the brain. Is it likely that people are going to look up to Sidibe for Hollywood escapes? The truth might not be pretty, but it's likely to be a no. No one would doubt why Vanity Fair would choose an all-white under-30 females up-and-comers in its "New Hollywood" issue. Albeit criticism that it's not representative of the real world, that half of America is now obsess, and we have more diversity than Vanity Fair would ever imagine, the reality is that, that's the kind of escapism that audience would pay ticket price to watch in theater. Would anyone ever doubt how it would be like, replacing Amanda Seyfried with Sidibe in Dear John? I don't think so. Would the movie sell if Sidibe is the leading lady?

The ugly truth is that, it's not just Sidibe who might have a potentially short Hollywood lifespan, given her appearance, but indeed gorgeous most female actresses who pass the age of 40 (thank God, 40 is the new 30!). While male actors reach their prime between 35-50, even pairing with female leads 20+ years their junior, their female counterparts start disappearing when they turn 40 because there are so few chick flicks to be had, let alone chick flicks catering to the graying crowd. Meryl Streep and, in some ways, Diane Keaton, are indeed one classic act, because they are still around, acting their age, no less, which is one rare, rare, rarity.

So, yes, Stern might be crass in his language, but he's pointing out the obvious. I hate to admit it, but I sometimes wonder out loud if my behavior is reinforcing this very discrimination that I so much abhor. Just now I check my netflix movie queue and realize that Dear John is indeed ahead of Precious. I took some comfort that, while admitting to the subconscious hypocrisy on the issue, I enjoy movies like Something's Gonna Give that I bought the DVD (which I rarely do).

Ain't I desperate in justifying for myself or what... :-S