Queen Latifah in Chicago

Not one but TWO BBW in "Chicago" -- Catherine Zeta-Jones is definitely weighing in heavier than the average screen skeleton these days. In a preview the Queen's next flick, co-starring Steve Martin, one character refers to her as a "cocoa goddess." More! Give us more!

Sorry, Amy, but there's no way in hell I'd consider Zeta-Jones a BBW in Chicago. Next to Zellweger, she is... but otherwise, no way.

Slightly heavier than the average screen skeleton hardly qualifies as a BBW. I know Zeta-Jones keeps getting held up as an example of Hollywood's openness to a range a sizes. Yeah, from 0 all the way up to 6. Indeed, rumor has it she's had to diet for her role in Chicago.

If Catherine Zeta Jones is a BBW, I'm a monkey's uncle. However, it wouldn't surprise me to know she has been dieting. If can't imagine anyone in the entertainment industry who isn't.

P.S. Queen Latifah ROCKS.

I had read somewhere that Zeta-Jones is around 128 lbs at 5'8", which would make her a BBW by Hollywood standards...and one of the few actresses with a BMI over 18. No wonder she keeps getting pregnant; she's probably one of the few actresses out there that actually has enough body fat to ovulate regularly! But it doesn't make her BBW by normal standards, of course. I just saw _Chicago_. Liked it a lot. There's some buzz about Queen Latifah possibly getting an Oscar nom for best supporting actress for her _Chicago_ role....

I saw Chicago last week, and I loved it! I have had a mad crush on Queen Latifah for years--she is easily one of the sexiest women out there to me--and to see her do her sexy number made the whole movie for me! I hope that role lands her an Oscar--or at least many more projects that I can go see her in! And by the way, I thought Renee Zellwegger looked horrible in that film--she looked like a prisoner of war! Catherine Zeta-Jones looked very ripe and sexy, but I would hardly call her BBW--and judging from a recent article I read about her, she would probably sue you for calling her that!

I'd suggest that Zeta-Jones couldn't even really be held up as a Hollywood standard BBW. A Hollywood standard BBW would be a size 10 or 12, like Sara Rue. Zeta-Jones is just on the high-end of Hollywood's range of acceptibly thin. Certainly, she faces no comparable pressures and prejudices to a "real world" BBW. So long, of course, as she remains with the acceptibly thin range. It occurs to me that it should be mentioned that Zeta-Jones is quite pregnant at the moment so anywhere you've seen her promoting Chicago would not be the most accurate assessment of her size.

There was a point recently when Zeta-Jones claimed to be a size 10-- I think it was a People or Us magazine reporting that the acceptable size in Hollywood was climbing from the zero it had been to something healthier, and holding her up as an example of a good size to be. I did hear she lost weight for Chicago and pregnancy will of course change things.

Before we continue to lionize Ms. Zeta-Jones, we might want to consider that she and her husband are suing Hello! Magazine in the UK for printing unauthorized photos of their wedding. Among Ms. Zeta-Jones' chief complaints about the photos is that they make her look "chubby" which could be "detrimental to her career." Hmph.

But Dreama, looking "chubby" *could* be detrimental to her career. Just because we don't like it doesn't mean that's not the current reality. We can try to change it, but pretending that an actress can just decide to allow herself to be a normal average size and she'll keep getting jobs is just playing ostrich.

What interests me about Zeta-Jones' meteoric rise to the status of "hottie" is that she has such a round face. Growing up, I was always told it was too bad I had such a round face, since round-faced people always looked that much more chubby, and never photographed well. Supposedly, models are only supposed to have oval faces and nothing else. Yet look at older pics of Zeta-Jones and you will see her face is *quite* round, and her cheeks look almost chubby. Yet she still got modeling and television acting jobs! I think her cheeks are starting to thin out a bit as she gets older, though. She's not quite so apple-cheeked any more.

There's also the factor of CZJ being quite beautiful anyway. Her face is perfectly symmetrical- and it's a scientific fact (aparently, though it has merit), that people with symmetrical faces are deemed far more attractive than those who aren't quite so perfectly shaped. Round face or not, she's got that classic dark eyes, dark hair, pale skin that people love. But she is not an advocate for fat people. No way, no how. She might not be the hollywood-stick standard, but she is certainly no BBW. She's just a BW. However, Queen Latifah? Definitely. I think she's wonderful and deserves any awards she gets for that movie - and anything that she's in.

Ren, who determined that CZJ's face was perfectly symmetrical? Not doubting you, just asking.... "Round face or not, she's got that classic dark eyes, dark hair, pale skin that people love." Heh, not when you're fat. I have all of those features too....plus the fatness. Anyway, congrats to Queen Latifah for her Oscar nom!

BRAVO, my girl, miss Queen Latifah is nominated for an Oscar. She was SUPERB in 'Chicago', what i absolutely loved about her is that she doesn't allowe the trends and flavours that are goin on at the time to have any impact on her, she is a natural queen, and an natural actingtalent for DAMN sure. I hope you win the oscar, cause you deserve it, you go Latifah!!!!!

I too am beyond thrilled that the Queen has received a nom! The Academy has just been handed the opportunity to prove that it's only talent - not clout, size, or ethnicity - that matters. Not that they care, really...we know they don't...but imagine Latifah pulling a Camryn-at-the-Emmys on Oscar night. *grins at the thought*

Actually, I think the Queen Latifah nomination was at least partly ethnically/PC-motivated. She really was fantastic in the film, but her part was infinitesimal compared to Catherine Zeta-Jones's part, and CZJ is also nominated in the same category. I think nominating Queen Latifah was a sop to appease those who would otherwise protest that all the major nominees were white. I bet anything that CZJ wins.

QUEEN LATIFAH....YOU ARE THE BEST! I love the way you talk to young kids ot teenagers like me, abotu certain things, or oyu help them out if there mom or dad wasnt there for them. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

They're all good!

I think that Catherine Zeta-Jones looked perfect. She has by far the figure most women would kill for and as far as dieting for Chicago, who wouldn't have to after having given birth only three months prior to making the film. Renee Zellwegger is very thin, but she is naturally that way, she had to work to gain the wait for Bridgette Jones' Diary and Queen Latifah is always stylish and dresses very well for her shape and size. Her clothes compliment her. I think each are gorgeous in their own way, though I am a particular favorite to Catherine.

I also wanted to congrat Queen Latifah on her nomination for the Oscar. She is an excellent actress as well as singer. However, I am very proud of Catherine Zeta-Jones and her role was awesome. With all of the hard work she put in, she deserved the award by far and I want to say way to go!!!

I thought Queen Latifah was awesome in "Chicago." Queen is a stunning BBW. I wouldn't consider Catherine Zeta-Jones a BBW by any standards. I was amazed at how much cleavage Queen showed off in the movie. It surely kept my attention! Can't wait to see her in "Bringin' Down the House."

I loved the queen in Chicago. I loved the whole movie period. I expecially loved her feathers. You can tell she enjoyed it, and had fun with it. I was also shocked at the clevage she showed. I can't wait to download...... i mean go see Bringing Down the House. :)

I also loved Queen Latifah in Chicago and she very much deserved the Oscar nomination. If she had been given more screen time, she might have won. This brings up something I've been working on in my doctoral studies in American Culture Studies. I am taking a Female Bodies in Film Class this semester, and needed to come up with a final project that went beyond what was discussed in class. We talked about fat bodies very briefly, primarily because they are so under-represented on both the big and small screen. It seems that generally you can have a motherly character who is fat, or possibly an asexual or lesbian character, but that is about it. After I saw Chicago, though, I started thinking about sexualized fat bodies. Sometimes you do see them, after all. So, I am looking at these representations and whether they are done for "real" or more for camp. I think in the case of Ricki Lake in "Hairspray", for example, it is all camp. Of course, everything John Waters does is for camp. I think the representations may be on the level for movies like "Chicago" and "Babycakes" (also Ricki Lake). I just need some more representations to help make my point. Anyway, that's a long explanation, but it's what I'm working on. I was wondering if any of you have ideas for other films or TV shows that depict fat women as sexual or erotic? I am looking at "The Road to Wellville," "Exit to Eden", and the two above. However, I know there must be others out there! Although I don't plan to quote anyone here, the possibility does exist if you say something really great. If you would prefer I didn't, just let me know. Thanks for giving this some thought! heather