Rebel Wilson 'deeply sorry' for plus-sized claims
- Published
image copyrightGetty ImagesRebel Wilson is "deeply sorry" after saying she was the "first ever plus-sized girl" to star in a romantic comedy.
Rebel made the comments last week, and when people pointed out that the likes of Mo'Nique and Queen Latifah had led romcoms before she initially questioned whether they counted as plus-sized.
The Australian actress now says she "neglected to show the proper respect".
"What I said was not only wrong but also incredibly hurtful."
In a couple of well-intentioned moments, hoping to lift my fellow plus sized 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.
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 5, 2018
Rebel was talking to Ellen DeGeneres about her new film Isn't It Romantic when she made the comments.
She got a big cheer from the studio audience - but people started tweeting her to say she hadn't mentioned other plus-sized women who had led romcoms.
image copyrightGetty ImagesThe 2006 film The Last Holiday starred Queen Latifah while Phat Girlz, also from 2006, starred Mo'Nique.
Some people online also mentioned the fact that both films were led by black women.
Rebel initially said there was a "slight grey area".
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
Which led to Mo'Nique urging Rebel to "know the history".
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
Hi Monique, it was never my intention to erase anyone else’s achievements and I adore you and Queen Latifah so so much x I support all plus size ladies and everything positive we are doing together ❤️
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 3, 2018
As the backlash continued, Rebel seemingly began blocking people who were criticising her.
She blocked so many that #RebelWilsonBlockedMe really began to grow.
Ha ha! We serving mimosas at the #RebelWilsonBlockedMe meeting this morning? pic.twitter.com/xgXekYNUVD
— ReBecca“Rebel Wilson Unblocked Me” Theodore-Vachon (@FilmFatale_NYC) November 4, 2018
I shared my honest & respectful thoughts on Rebel Wilson’s erasure of iconic plus sized women before her.
— Nabela (@Nabela) November 3, 2018
Her blocking a fellow plus woman in this industry is a reminder that she doesn’t want to acknowledge her plus peers but rather ignore them entirely. pic.twitter.com/icUvY9QrCR
In her apology, Rebel said that there had been some "compassionate" and "well-thought out" responses.
With the help of some very compassionate and well-thought out responses from others on social media, I now realize what I said was not only wrong but also incredibly hurtful. To be part of a problem I was hoping I was helping makes it that much more embarrassing & hard to-
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 5, 2018
And she said that the people she blocked "are the people I actually need to hear from more, not less".
acknowledge. 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.
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 5, 2018
Some people who claim they were blocked by Rebel now say they no longer are.
Rebel unblocked us. pic.twitter.com/mq4ceF7bnj
— Kayla Prefers Ham Over Turkey Marie (@Maria_Giesela) November 5, 2018
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