The issue of studio executives trying to control women’s bodies in the movie industry is a worrying trend, and something that Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard has had to deal with recently.
Howard has had a starring role in the new trilogy of Jurassic Park movies, and is a key fixture of the disaster movie franchise now alongside Chris Pratt. She has also worked in the world of Star Wars, as a director on the Star Wars series The Mandalorian.
In an interview with Metro, Howard revealed she was told to lose weight before filming the third instalment in the latest trilogy of monster movies. Luckily, director Colin Trevorrow stepped in to protect his star.
“What being in this third film allowed, how do I say this, how do I say this, how do I say this…[I’ve] been asked to not use my natural body in cinema. On the third movie, because there were so many women cast, it was something that Colin felt very strongly about in terms of protecting me… because the conversation came up again, ‘We need to ask Bryce to lose weight,'” Howard explained.
“[Colin] was like, ‘There are lots of different kinds of women on this planet and there are lots of different kinds of women in our film.’ I got to do so many stunts that wouldn’t have been possible if I had been dieting. I’m really thrilled [at] all the action I got to do, and I got to do it with my body, [Claire] was at her maximum strength, and I hope it is just yet another indication of what’s possible,” Howard concluded.
It’s a shocking situation to hear about from the outside, but one that is sadly all too common in the industry. Hopefully more filmmakers stand up for their actors like Trevorrow did here, and we can see the tide turn on this archaic practice of needing women to look a certain way on screen.
If you’re a fan of the Jurassic Park movies, you might want to take a look at our list of the best ’90s movies for a blast from the past. Or, check out our list of the best adventure movies for more epic action.