Stars—they’re every bit as human as the rest of us. Meaning that they, too, can get weighed down by body image issues.
The difference, of course, is that their figures are a literal part of their body of work, whether they’re being asked to slim down or bulk up to realistically play a real-life figure or they’re simply trying to feel their best before facing the onslaught of photographers at major red carpet events.
And, yes, they are more likely to have access to the best trainers, nutritionists, private chefs and doctors that money can buy, but they’re still sweating their ass off in the gym like the rest of us—or possibly bidding farewell to their favorite carb-heavy indulgence.
And in the most extreme of cases—take Maisie Williams’ recent task to shed 25 pounds from her already diminutive frame to portray French resistance fighter Catherine Dior who was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps—the journey can consume their entire lives.
Stars’ Best Body Positive Quotes
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The role “took over what I’m eating and how I’m moving and sleeping and thinking,” the Game of Thrones alum told Harper’s Bazaar of a process that involved waking at 4 a.m. to sweat out water weight ahead of filming.
Constantly monitored by medical professionals, “I was eating very little,” she told the mag, “meditating all the time, burning candles and incense in my apartment.”
For others, the process is more about setting fire to preconceived expectations.
Following Rebel Wilson’s self-described year of health that saw her hone in on becoming her strongest self, “I’ve lost focus on my healthy lifestyle,” the actress admitted in a January Instagram post, revealing she’d gained 30 pounds amid a packed filming schedule. “It makes me feel bad about myself…it shouldn’t…but it does.”
How’s that for aca-honesty?
And she’s not the only celeb bringing some relatable candor to the the delicate subject. Kelly Clarkson, Oprah Winfrey, Shay Mitchell and more stars are baring all about their body journeys.