In a candid interview published on February 9, Margot Robbie opened up about one of the most uncomfortable moments of her early career: receiving an unsolicited book on weight loss from a male co-star. The Australian actress, best known for her roles in films like Barbie and The Wolf of Wall Street, shared the story during a joint conversation with singer Charli XCX for Complex magazine. "Very, very early in my career, an actor I worked with, a male actor gave me a book called French Women Don't Get Fat," Robbie recounted. "And it was essentially a book telling you to eat less."
Robbie, who debuted on screen at age 17 in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, didn't hold back her reaction. "I was like, 'Whoa, f--k you, dude,'" she said, emphasizing the inappropriateness of the gesture. The book, she explained, was a clear implication that she needed to lose weight, leaving her stunned. When asked about the identity of the actor, Robbie was vague, stating she has "no idea where he would even be now," suggesting the incident occurred years ago and the individual is no longer relevant in her professional circle.
This revelation comes amid ongoing discussions in Hollywood about body image and the pressures faced by women in the industry. Robbie has previously voiced her frustration with the overemphasis on appearance in reviews and interviews. In a 2017 interview with Wonderland Magazine, she said, "It frustrates me when I work so hard to build the characters, creating childhood experiences for them that affect the way they react as an adult. All the reading, all the acting coaching, and then someone reviews the movie or interviews you and all they do is focus on the aesthetics." She added, "You think, 'F--k you.' You've totally discredited the work I did and it's not fair."
Robbie's experience is far from isolated. Veteran actress Kate Winslet shared a similar story from her own early days in acting. During a December appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, the Titanic star, who made her debut at age 15 in the BBC series Dark Season, recalled being told by a drama teacher that she would only land "fat girl parts." "I was a little bit stocky," Winslet said. "When I did start taking it much more seriously and got a child agent, I really remember vividly a drama teacher … and she said to me, 'Well, darling, you'll have a career if you're ready to settle for the fat girl parts.'" Reflecting on it now, the Oscar winner quipped, "Look at me now. That wasn't very nice, was it? It's appalling the things people say to children."
The issue extends beyond traditional Hollywood sets to social media, where public scrutiny is relentless. In May 2024, Ava Elizabeth Phillippe, the 24-year-old daughter of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, addressed body-shaming comments on TikTok. "NBD but I just achieved a major milestone as a woman online," she said in a video. "I saw 2 different strangers commenting on my body. The first said I should get on Oz*mpic because I'm too fat. The second accused me of starving myself because I'm too thin. My weight did not change in the time period between their comments." Ava emphasized empathy, noting, "You don't always know what someone's gone through or what they struggle with. But no matter who you are... Your beauty exceeds such superficial measures."
Singer Lizzo has been vocal about her frustrations with body critics. In a June 2023 tweet, the Grammy winner, then 33, wrote, "I know I got fat. I'm just so sick of people talking about it. NEXT!!!!!!" She followed up, explaining, "Human beings go through weight fluctuations. It's life and you don't know what people are going through. Meds, disease, etc..." Lizzo's response highlights the personal toll of public commentary on weight, especially for artists whose bodies are constantly under a microscope.
Anna Faris faced backlash after posting an Instagram photo in 2019 that some deemed too revealing. The House Bunny actress responded firmly, writing, "I know I don't need to do this but in an effort to spread some awareness and shed some light on body shaming tactics i felt the need to share. After the barrage of some really inappropriate comments left on my pic I posted yesterday I was left really bummed cause I was really enjoying the silly pics I took." She continued, "Coming for me in my comments and telling me how I'm too skinny or I need to eat is absolutely not helpful and extremely body shaming. Body shaming of any kind is something I will not stand for." Over a week later, Faris posted a bikini photo with a defiant caption: "For the haters….with love and gratitude kindly [kiss emoji] my [peach emoji], I'll keep smiling regardless [peace sign emoji]."
Pregnancy rumors have also fueled body-shaming narratives. In February 2021, Margot Robbie herself addressed speculation about her pregnancy based on set photos from Australia, where she was filming. In an Instagram Story, she wrote, "Hey, so I'm totally not pregnant...but apparently, it's still OK in 2021 for anyone to speculate and comment on a woman's body shape whenever they want? Do better @nypost." The incident underscored how even high-profile stars like Robbie, whose career has spanned over a decade, remain targets of invasive commentary.
Reality TV star Christina El Moussa, known from Flip or Flop, spoke out against trolls judging her post-baby figure. In an Instagram Story video, she said, "People are commenting that I look really skinny or that I need to eat. This is actually the weight I've always weighed... You guys have just watched me have babies and then go back to my original weight. So don't worry, everything's fine." Her comments reflect the double standards women face after childbirth, where weight loss is both praised and policed.
Singer Nelly Furtado took a more visual approach to clap back during her performance at Manchester Pride in 2025. She wore an oversized T-shirt featuring a silhouette of a woman in a cropped tank top and black pushup bra, a subtle yet powerful statement against body scrutiny. Furtado's choice of attire during the event, held in Manchester, England, resonated with audiences tired of the constant focus on female performers' appearances.
LeAnn Rimes, following her 2019 split from Jim Edmonds, addressed online messages urging her to "eat a burger." In an Instagram post that December, she admitted, "I'll be real with you: I'm too thin. But please, I deserve some grace. I am doing the damn thing with all of the dignity I can muster as I put my kiddos before anything else." Rimes' plea for understanding highlights the emotional strain of public judgment during personal hardships.
Even icons like Cher have endured such criticism. After being called "too skinny," the legendary singer told Entertainment Tonight, "Is there anything wrong about my body? I've always been very thin. I do ballet. I do a lot of stretching and I work out because it helps my mind, body and soul." She added, "If you don't want to be criticized, you are in the wrong place. I take what's good for me. I leave behind what is not good for me." Cher's philosophy of selective engagement with detractors offers a model for resilience in an unforgiving industry.
Lizzo revisited the topic in a June 2020 TikTok video, asserting her autonomy over her fitness journey. "Hey, so I've been working out consistently for the last five years, and it may come as a surprise to some of y'all that I'm not working out to have your ideal body type," she said. "I'm working out to have my ideal body type, and you know what type that is? None of your f--king business, because I am beautiful, I am strong, I do my job and I stay on my job." Her message empowers others to prioritize self-defined standards of beauty.
Demi Lovato has long advocated against body shaming. In a 2016 Glamour interview, she shared, "If somebody calls me fat, even in a vulnerable moment, I laugh to myself and think, I'm doing everything I can, so there's nothing I can do about it." She elaborated, "I don't have a six-pack. Maybe I don't even want a six-pack. It doesn't sound very appealing." Lovato's candor challenges the homogenized ideals perpetuated by media.
The conversation around body image took a humorous turn with Halle Berry in 2023, when a critic tweeted about her posting nudes in her 50s. Berry responded wittily, "Did you guys know the heart of a shrimp is located in its head?" Her deflection underscores a refusal to engage seriously with ageist and sexist barbs. Similarly, Camila Cabello addressed body-shaming headlines in an Instagram Story, writing, "I'm writing this for girls like my little sister who are growing up on social media. They're constantly seeing photoshopped, edited pictures and thinking that's reality... It's fake. AND FAKE IS BECOMING THE NEW REAL." She affirmed, "Girls, cellulite is normal. fat is normal. It's beautiful and natural."
In 2019, Lizzo again defended her body after a social media user commented on her weight during a performance at Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Replying to the tweet, she simply said, "I gained weight get over it." That same year, she criticized the fashion industry on Instagram for designers refusing to dress her for the Grammys due to her size, stating, "Empower women to love their bodies instead of making girls and women feel less then [sic] by their size. We are beautiful any size! Small or large! Anddddd My size 8 ass is still going to the Grammys. #LOVEYOURBODY."
Ayesha Curry faced pregnancy speculation in a family photo after her husband Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors won Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. When a follower asked if she was pregnant again, she replied, "Absolutely not LOL. My 30 lb son is just breaking my back in every photo." Addressing a follow-up comment about her son's weight, she shut it down: "Excuse you? No. Just no."
Podcaster Kristin Cavallari vented her frustrations just a week after giving birth in December 2018. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "A few things because honestly I'm so frustrated and I need to vent this... Why do we women have to compare ourselves to each other and then shame? ... Can we be kinder to ourselves and know that every women has a different journey but yet we are all beautiful?" Cavallari detailed her post-C-section recovery, including prior surgeries for appendix and gallbladder issues, to illustrate the diversity of women's experiences.
Candace Cameron Bure responded to a troll in April 2018 who commented on her weight in a dinner photo with her son Lev. "If a 25 inch waist looks big to you…then you're looking through an altered lens. Be well," she replied, promoting a healthier perspective on body standards.
These stories from Robbie, Winslet, and dozens of other women illustrate a pervasive culture of body shaming that spans generations and platforms. As Hollywood continues to evolve with movements like #MeToo and body positivity campaigns, the pushback from these stars signals a demand for change. Industry experts note that while progress has been made—such as more diverse casting—unsolicited judgments persist, affecting mental health and career trajectories. Looking ahead, advocates hope for stricter social media guidelines and greater accountability from media outlets to foster a more inclusive environment for women in entertainment.