Oscar-winning film “The Whale” is taking some flack on social media from some pretty big-name commenters. After Twitter user and “fat/queer/performance researcher” @KBHeylen posted about their disappointment that the flick opted to put Brendan Fraser in a fat suit — beauty giant Dove quickly jumped on board to agree.
“So disappointing that The Whale won the Oscar for best hair and makeup. Fat suits are harmful – they are not your opportunity to win awards. Our identity is not your costume. Cast fat actors to play fat characters. #TheWhale #fatphobia #fatsuit #Oscars,” shared @KBHeylen, in a now private tweet, according to Evie Magazine.
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Once the tweet went viral, Dove caught notice and replied: “Stop giving fat suits awards. We want better representation in Hollywood. #LetsChangeBeauty.”
Actor Brendan Fraser won the best actor award for his role as Charlie, a 600-pound recluse, wearing a reported 330 pounds of faux flesh. Fraser told The Guardian that it taught him that “severely obese people are ‘incredibly strong.’”
“Charlie’s physical mobility is limited to his home space, which is his couch. His story is told behind closed doors. He’s a light in a dark space. I think it’s poetic that the trauma he carries is manifest in the physical weight of his body,” Fraser shared with The Guardian.
The film’s director Darren Aronofsky previously responded to critics who said “The Mummy” star’s portrayal of Charlie was “frightening” due to the prosthetic body, telling Yahoo, “actors have been using make-up since the beginning of acting — that’s one of their tools.”
As the controversy rages on, not everyone agrees with Dove. YouTuber and “Red State” blogger @TheBrandonMorse tweeted, “so you want people to win because of their identity and not their acting ability. Got it,” while @Kiel-Robinson proclaimed, “seriously just stop it. You are embarrassing yourself talking about an industry you do not understand.”
The soap brand has yet to clap-back at any of the haters on its Twitter feed. Meanwhile, it appears Fraser himself hasn’t responded to the controversy, but is surely enjoying the shiny, new trophy on his mantle.
