How come her career never took off?
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AlexeiKaramazov — 10 years ago(March 21, 2016 07:29 AM)
Those two facts aren't mutually exclusive. According to this little blurb
http://wwd.com/runway/fall-ready-to-wear-2015/new-york/naeem-khan/fashion-scoops/
she has been in meetings to get something she wrote filmed for at least a year now.
She just received her first production credit on Guidance. Hopefully her luck turns on a writing credit soon. -
heartyburgundy — 9 years ago(July 23, 2016 10:23 PM)
I think she's wonderfully talented. I also don't think she should be defined as a television actress because she did quite a good amount of films in the 2000s. I think it's a combination of two things: a.) she's taken a lot of time off from film/tv since Gossip Girl; b.) she's gained some weight. But it all most certainly stems from the last part.
She is by no means unattractive, but by Hollywood standards, she's not thin anymore. When you're not already super famous or on the jet-stream with your career, a weight problem can push you out of the limelight. She would likely be offered more auditions and placements in film/tv as a 30-year-old if she fit the mold of what successful 30-year-old women look like in Hollywood. She doesn't look like that anymore and she never stabilized enough in the industry to have her talent overcome the weight issue. Thus, she has faded.
But I hope she comes back because she is a joy. -
AlexeiKaramazov — 9 years ago(July 24, 2016 04:45 PM)
But the timeline on her fading career doesn't quite agree with your claim of it coming down to weight. Her career dropped off as far back as 2010-2011 (once Mercy was cancelled), with her the only major active thing for her being continued roles on GG, which was slipping in the ratings by that point. This happened well before her weight changed, and so my argument is that Hollywood had little use for her talents regardless of her weight.
As a partial explanation, I don't think you can ever discount the vocal, bitter, and delusional contingent of Buffy fans out there who blamed the later years changes entirely on her and continued to claim she 'ruined' GG just like she 'ruined' Buffy.
In 2013 she was nearly nominated for an Emmy in her Russian speaking role as Oswald's wife in Killing Kennedy (at least several media types had her making the nomination list). If she had been nominated, all it would have taken was subsequent media hype pointing out the willingness of her to do a non-English role and the roles could have built up for her again. She's been unlucky throughout her career (scheduling conflicts preventing starring in roles in Freaky Friday and Twilight) but hopefully that luck will change for her one day.
I just don't think (and certainly hope), it doesn't come down to weight for her. Because she's lovely the way she is, and Hollywood needs to loosen up on its obsessive standards. -
heartyburgundy — 9 years ago(July 26, 2016 06:48 PM)
I definitely see what you're saying - and, yeah, she never cemented ina24to the film industry.
However, given where she's currently at right now, her weight is holding her back.
You can't deny that she'd at least be getting offered beep early 30s female characters in films. I could see her getting offered Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates in, like, Plaza's role had she been thinner and more marketable. After all, she was just seen alongside Efron in 2009's 17 Again. Her options and every other actress's options constricted with added weight and when they're older, if they're not already established.