Each of us has faced various body image and insecurity issues. Celebrities, in particular, read and hear hundreds of negative comments every day about their weight, shape and appearance. But, most of them don’t let those who do physical things drive them away, they often say strong or negative words to show us the power to love ourselves. Here are some famous people who have stood up to internet trolls.
Lili Reinhart
Being a star of teenage dramas often brings a lot of attention to actors, and Reinhart, who’s known for her role on Riverdale, had to experience that firsthand. A few years ago, an unflattering photo of her made people think she was pregnant, when it was, in fact, false. The speculation got under the actress’s skin, but she didn’t leave it alone.
In response to the pregnancy rumors, Reinhart wrote, “It’s unfortunate that one unflattering photo of my stomach circulating the internet causes hundreds of people to think that I’m pregnant. Nope. Not pregnant. This is just my body… My body is something that I will NEVER apologize for. My body will constantly go through change. And so will yours. And that’s fine. So let’s not put so much time and effort into caring about a stranger’s figure.”
Ashley Graham
Being the first plus-size Sports Illustrated model comes with high expectations, and Graham always delivers. Graham often shares her experience of being a plus-size woman and a mom, showing other women that they’re not alone. She’s also not afraid to respond to body shamers and explain to them what self-love means.
Graham once responded to trolls, explaining, “Every time after I post a workout video I get comments like, ’You’ll never be skinny, so stop trying,’ ’Don’t work out too hard, you’ll get skinny,’ ’Why would you want to lose what made you famous?’ Just for the record, I work out to: stay healthy, feel good, get rid of jet lag, clear my head, show big girls we can move like the rest of them, stay flexible and strong, and have more energy. I don’t work out to lose weight or my curves because I love the skin I’m in.”
Florence Pugh
Pugh is at the height of her movie fame at the moment after starring in films like Midsommar, Black Widow, and Don’t Worry Darling. Of course, she had to raise the topic of body acceptance, and she nailed it.
The actress got vulnerable in her Vogue interview: “We are human, we are bodies. Yes, I can put makeup on and look good for a premiere. But at the end of the day, I still have hair on the top of my lip and I still smell after a workout and I still get spots when I’m stressed. I think that attitude definitely has trickled down from when I was a child.”
Billie Eilish
In 2021, Billie Eilish did a beautiful photoshoot with British Vogue, in which she embraced her curves and showed more skin than usual. Before that, the singer was known for her baggy T-shirts and outfits, so her fans were surprised to see this new version of her. Unfortunately, Eilish received some criticism for dressing more daringly, but she had the perfect response.
The music star said, “Suddenly you’re a hypocrite if you want to show your skin, and you’re easy… If I am, then I’m proud… Let’s turn it around and be empowered in that.”
Emma Stone
Most people might think that only bigger people get body-shamed, but that’s false. Emma Stone has experienced the other side of body shaming, and it’s not nice either.
The actress once opened up about her feelings on it: “I’ve seen a lot of comments that say, ’Eat a sandwich,’ or ’She looks sick.’ I’m not sick. I eat sandwiches… We’re always too skinny or too fat or too tall or too short… I’m trying to figure my body out. It bothers me because I care so much about young girls. We’re shaming each other, and we’re shaming ourselves, and it sucks.”
Chrissy Teigen
Despite being a famous model and obviously gorgeous woman, Chrissy Teigen often has to deal with people who have too many opinions about her body. Once, Teigen posted a video in a swimsuit, which prompted body shamers to activate and dissect her proportions. She instantly shut it down in the best possible way, saying, “It’s okay I’ve been a rectangle my whole life, and it’s gotten me pretty far!”
Selena Gomez
Sometimes it feels like Selena Gomez has to deal with critics every few months. The most recent body shaming incident happened after Gomez appeared at the 2023 Golden Globes. While the singer looked beautiful, some people online noted that she’d gained some weight. Gomez then came online and cleverly responded, “I’m a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays.”
Lady Gaga
The Born This Way singer has always been known for pushing boundaries and helping other people embrace their true selves. But her strong personality can often cause just as strong of a reaction. Once, after hearing some criticism about herself, Gaga took to her Instagram to beautifully address the questionable comments.
The singer wrote, “I heard my body is a topic of conversation, so I wanted to say I’m proud of my body, and you should be proud of yours too. No matter who you are or what you do. I could give you a million reasons why you don’t need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That’s the stuff of champions.”
