• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Emma Thompson Wearing ‘Degrading’ Fat Suit In Matilda Is Offending People

Home> Entertainment

Published 10:04 22 Jun 2022 GMT+1

Emma Thompson Wearing ‘Degrading’ Fat Suit In Matilda Is Offending People

Since the trailer has come out, the decision to make Thompson appear larger than she is has been criticised by many online.

Lisa McLoughlin

Lisa McLoughlin

Emma Thompson has sparked a furious debate online after she was pictured wearing a ‘fat suit’ in the Matilda adaptation, which some had branded ‘offensive’ and ‘disappointing’.

The actress, 63, portrays Agatha Trunchbull, the terrifying headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School, in Matilda the Musical, which is a modern take on the 1996 family favourite movie based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name.

However, unlike her co-stars, Thompson underwent a major transformation to play the feared school principal and looks almost unrecognisable sporting heavy prosthetics as well as a ‘fat’ suit in the flick.

Since the trailer has come out, the decision to make Thompson appear larger than she is has been criticised by many, including Metro columnist Emmie Harrison-West.

Advert

She wrote: “Fat suits have been so normalised that some people probably haven’t even noticed – and that is what is so frustrating.”

The writer added that this isn’t the first time the Nanny McPhee star has sported body-altering prosthetics, having previously worn fake bingo wings and jowls in The Legend of Barney Thomson and a was fitted with a similar suit to play Karen in Love Actually.

Emma Thompson stars as Miss Trunchbull.
Netflix/Sony

Speaking about Thompson portrayal as Karen, the Harrison-West wrote: “You know, the presumably size 16, ‘frumpy’, comfortable-shoe-and-floor-length-skirt-wearing middle-aged wife that was inevitably cheated on?

“As a bigger woman, I find this caricaturisation of my body type utterly dehumanising, and degrading. It’s not ethical, authentic or representative of any lived experiences whatsoever.”

Advert

It’s not only the columnist who is getting angered by the characterisation of Trunchbull but many online, who have branded it ‘offensive’ and ‘gross’.

One wrote: “Yes, it's offensive about Emma Thompson wearing a fat suit in the Matilda movie. But the initial failure is that almost every woman Dahl wrote is either a sugar-sweet, pretty, good natured Miss Honey or a haggard evil (and in his mind, physically disgusting) Miss Trunchbull.”

“It has been really disappointing to see Emma Thompson put on a fat suit for this role. I’ve always loved her work. But this is just so gross,” another shared.

“Either hire a fat actor (they exist! Really! They could even have A-list careers if you’d actually cast them in fat roles instead of giving them to thin actors in bad makeup!) or just make Trunchbull thin. It’s a stereotypical fat role anyway”.

Advert

A third added: “the new matilda adaptation looks fun but did we have to put emma thompson in a fat suit with facial prosthetics...... I'm sure there are thousands of talented actresses that could play ms trunchbull who actually fit the role's body type” (sic).

While on Wednesday’s Good Morning Britain, Peckham’s Finest star Queen Mojo argued the importance of representation in a debate about ‘fat’ suits after the characterisation was branded 'dehumanising and degrading.'

She said: “She's a good actress, I can't take that away from her. However, when you're plus-size, there's a beauty to that and when you walk into a room or carry that weight there's an energy sometimes actors can't bring to that.

“I think that needs to be highlighted because if there was someone was less able-bodied or had a different gender to us, we represent those on screen.

Advert

“Why are fat people's bodies not as important to do that?”

Featured Image Credit: Netflix/Sony

Topics: TV and Film, Netflix

Lisa McLoughlin
Lisa McLoughlin

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Fourth season of Netflix’s Monster series ‘in the works’ with killer revealed

    The anthology series has covered the Menendez brothers and Jeffrey Dahmer

    Entertainment
  • 8 hours ago

    Why Stephen King book will never be printed again and was pulled from all shelves

    The world-renowned author later said it was a 'good thing' that the novel was no longer in circulation

    Entertainment
  • 9 hours ago

    Jennifer Lawrence revealed why first ever nude scene in film on Netflix was ‘no big deal’

    The R-Rated 'raunchy' comedy is available to watch on Netflix

    Entertainment
  • 9 hours ago

    Rihanna ‘concussed’ Michael Cera after he ‘slapped her a**’ while filming movie

    The Superbad star certainly didn't seem to mind

    Entertainment
  • Little known Netflix hack shows you exactly how good every show is
  • E.T. child actor reveals shocking amount he made from film as it is added to Netflix
  • Every Simpsons character who has died after Marge is 'killed off' in new episode
  • Black Mirror fans can't get enough after discovering Netflix's 'mind-bending' mini-series starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone