Rebel Wilson apologized for her comments about being the first plus-size woman to star in a rom-com
Actress Rebel Wilson recently sparked backlash when she claimed to be the first plus-size actress to star in a romantic comedy while promoting her new movie Isn’t It Romantic. As Variety notes, after Wilson made her initial comments on the October 31st episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, many onTwitter pointed out that actresses like Queen Latifah, Mo’Nique, Melissa McCarthy, and Ricki Lake had all starred in romantic comedies before her.
However, Wilson responded to the criticism by doubling down on her original comments. In a response to one viral tweet, the actress wrote that there was a “slight grey area” surrounding whether or not Queen Latifah (who starred in Last Holiday) and Mo’Nique (who was the lead in Phat Girlz) could be considered plus-size rom-com stars.
Hey girl! Yeah I of course know of these movies but it was questionable as to whether: 1. Technically those actresses were plus size when filming those movies or 2. Technically those films are catorgorized/billed as a studio rom-com with a sole lead. So there’s a slight grey area
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 1, 2018
As more users, many of them women of color, noted Wilson’s erasure of black plus-size actresses, she began blocking them.
Awww, apparently I have joined the #RebelWilsonBlockedMe club. Well, that saves me from seeing her movies, buying or promoting her clothing line, doesn't it? Disappointed in her, esp as an Aussie. pic.twitter.com/CjUEQedjS0
— Jodes (@whoozqueen) November 5, 2018
::grin:: #RebelWilsonBlockedMe
(I didn't even say anything super harsh)
Where's the party? pic.twitter.com/piTogG707E
— Geek Girl Diva (@geekgirldiva) November 4, 2018
Even Mo’Nique herself took to Twitter to caution Wilson against using “grey areas and technicalities” to diminish other actresses’ achievements.
Hey my sweet sister. Let’s please not allow this business to erase our talent with giving grey areas and technicalities. Take a moment and know the history. DON’T BE A PART OF ERASING IT. I wish you the best.
— Mo'Nique Worldwide (@moworldwide) November 3, 2018
And now, in a November 5th Twitter thread, Wilson apologized both for “neglecting to show the proper respect” to her predecessors and for blocking users who tried to have a dialogue with her about her hurtful comments.
"In a couple of well-intentioned moments, hoping to lift my fellow plus sized [sic] women up, I neglected to show the proper respect to those who climbed this mountain before me like Mo’Nique, Queen Latifah, Melissa McCarthy, Ricki Lake and likely many others," Wilson wrote.
She went on to acknowledge the “very compassionate and well-thought out responses” that helped her realize that her comments had been harmful.
"To be part of a problem I was hoping I was helping makes it that much more embarrassing & hard to acknowledge," she continued. "I blocked people on Twitter because I was hurting from the criticism, but those are the people I actually need to hear from more, not less. Again, I am deeply sorry."
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Starring in a romantic comedy as a plus-size woman is indeed noteworthy (because our culture still promotes a homogenous and unrealistic standard of beauty), but it’s always important to recognize the women who paved the way for others. Hopefully, Wilson has learned her lesson and will be more receptive to feedback in the future.
