I remember the time Julia Roberts didn't shave her armpits when premiering for one of her movies so when she lifted up an arm to wave at her fans, everyone was aghast. People thought she forgot. But because it's expected of women to be completely hairless, if you don't shave, you would have to be making a fashion statement. There's just no way you can consciously choose not to shave if you have eyes and spend any time at all immersed in Western culture. Julia Roberts as an A-list celebrity was in the thick of it, so she was probably making a statement. So subversive, I know! (Just for trivia, some women have also organised a charity event called Armpits4August, similar to Movember.)
But damn, you sound so serious, like you're about to solve a mystery or something haha. To be honest, I think I'll be able to sleep at night without knowing the answers to that question haha. But even if the real Jentsch didn't shave, it wouldn't make her any less attractive.

Haha yeah, wouldn't that have shocked some viewers if she hadn't shaved them for premieres and award ceremonies.
She wouldn't hear the end of it.From the media anyway.
I too heard it was a European thing,but more the French women who I heard were rather hairy.
Im guessing Julia just didn't shave them before,I mean,there is technically nor rule saying that a woman has to right? although its still alittle unusal when one doesn't.

So, Jentsch was unshaven in both of her big early roles. This raises the question: Did Jentsch go unshaven expressly for the roles of Sophie and Jule, or did Julia Jentsch (as Julia Jentsch herself) not shave her armpits until after making these movies?
Both scenarios are plausible.

1. Sophie Scholl probably didn't shave because it wasn't that common in Germany at the time. And Jule wouldn't have shaved because of her alternative/activist personality.
2. On the other hand, maybe Jentsch simply didn't shave until she became an international star and started having to wear strapless/sleeveless gowns on the red carpet.

Yep.And you can JUST see them in Sophie Scholl too when she is strip searched.Actually its pretty weird that I was looking there in the first place.What was I thinking?

A lot of people responding to my original post commented that they hadn't noticed Jentsch's unshaven armpits in the movie. So, I looked again on the DVD. I admit, the few times they are visible, it's very brief, but she does spend much of the movie wearing a tanktop. So, they are visible. Here are some examples:
Chapter 3, 18:25
as she's answering her mobile telephone
Chapter 3, 19:00
as she raises her arm and puts it on Peter's (Stipe Erceg's) shoulder
Chapter 4, 32:00
as she raises her arm to affix wallpaper to the wall of the apartment
Chapter 8, 1:11:33
as she's putting on her jacket

For an educated and highly evolved person; your language skills are atrocious. Your comments are from the dark ages. Perhaps you were educated in the 60's
Body builders are very well known for waxing. Sexual preference has no bearing on this practice. The superficial comments of being highly evolved "take your word for it" Perhaps words from an ancient harlot?

The human body changes overtime, due to both natural & sexual selection.
It's called neoteny, humans as a species have been evolving towards neoteny, youthful or prepubescent looking.
Global Warming, it's a personal decision innit?

Nigel Tufnel

"I would be insulted to be called "superficial" as I am a well read and educated person with many things on my mind and many interests. With that being said, I find underarm hair disgusting and don't want to see it on anyone."
Oxymoron?
I wonder what/where are the roots of your 'disgust'? You don't fancy the way the human body was designed by nature? Is nature 'wrong'?
"Why is hairlessness prized?, could be a couple of anthrpological reasons 1) it harkens back to youth and youth conveys health, health makes for successful mating,"
Disagree. 'Youth' does NOT make a successful mating, quite the contrary. NO hair means pre-pubescent 'look', right? Pre-pubescent has little to do with 'successful mating', wouldn't you agree?
What about Peter Pan syndrome? Not wanting to grow up? Forever 'young'?
Well, if anything on planet, that IS 'superficial' (NOT natural), tee-hee
"2) seems more highly evolved. I for one am HIGHLY EVOLVED. Take my word for it."
Yeah right! And so is Gillette, LOL.
To stay on topic of this film, 'Long Live Capitalism!' (and 'feminine ideal' in the North American culture).
vivaLuis
http://imdb.com/board/10053967/board/thread/97124879

Wading thru a jungle of hair of any kind is sickening. Therefore, sucking is best.
Nothing is more beautiful than nothing.

"2) seems more highly evolved. I for one am HIGHLY EVOLVED. Take my word for it."
what on earth is that supposed to mean??

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Seeing as she's an activist, I'd see it as part of her role.
Thanks for replying to my question. You're probably right, but I think it is interesting that the director even thought of such a small detail.
As to those commenting on how women who don't shave are
non-hygienic, is it any less hygienic that men don't
shave their bodies bald?
Ha ha! Good point. (Keep in mind that even though I started this thread with the original question about Julia Jentsch's armpits, I never suggested that it was unhygienic. I would think that bathing is more important than shaving in terms of hygiene. The rest is aesthetic opinion.)

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Hmmm, I normally notice things like that, but I guess I missed it in this case. I would go with others, and say it must have been something for the role, although I'm not quite sure why, but I guess they just decided it was part of her character. Or it was just shadow on her armpits which looked like hair. It seems shaving there is common in most places now.

Ah ok, that makes sense actually.

The lower arm. Everything below your elbow hands not included. But I think underarm is not commonly used for this, however itd be the literal German translation thats why it may confuse.
I badly sunburnt one of my underarms as child but not my armpits. ^^
Lincoln Lee: I lost a partner.
Peter Bishop: I lost a universe!

I'm confused by people's definition of 'armpits' vs 'underarms' - in my country we call armpits 'underarms' - we don't refer to it as an armpit. So what's an underarm in your definition?
Global Warming, it's a personal decision innit?

Nigel Tufnel

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Thanks for clearing that up.
While we're at it though, in German "Unterarm" doesn't mean "the underside of one's arm", but forearm. That's where the confusion came from.

Many respondents to my questions have noted that Germans, Austrians, etc. shave their legs and their "armpits" but not their "underarms." I think that there has been a misunderstanding.
"Underarm" is another expression for "armpit" ("Achsel" auf deutsch). "Underarm," in American English, does not mean the underside of one's arm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axilla
Sorry for the confusion.
Nonetheless, you have answered my question. It seems likely that this was for the role and that Julia Jentsch does shave her armpits (Achseln).

i don't think it was part of the role. i live in germany, and every girl i know, including myself, shaves her legs/armpits. but nobody i know shaves their underarms. maybe some do, but it's a minority, i think. it's just not as "important".
Daria: Damn. I must make my own breakfast. [Pushes toaster level down]
Now I'm too tired to eat.

I live in Austria and although I do not pay particular attention to things like that, I still believe that most females (also younger ones)
do not
shave their underarms. However, most of them do shave their armpits and legs. I do not believe it is that different in Germany.
Was this part of her role?
Or did Jentsch just happen not to shave her underarms at that time?
I don't know if Julia Jentsch does not shave her underarms, but it definitely fits her role. If she played a character who is more concerned with her looks (which I would call superficial), it would probably not fit the character.
Im Kino gewesen. Geweint.
Franz Kafka

Actually you shave them because they start to smell bad pretty quickly, no matter how often you bathe. Anyway since you live in Sweden, the average temperatures there might make shaving less obligatory. Saying that, no one is forcing you to not smell bad

Im an 18-years old boy from Cologne, Germany and every Boy and Girl in my age shave their underarms and the girls shave their leggs, too.
Furthermore older women do it, too.
You're gay, small wonder with you coming from the gayest city in germany.