’It’s Utterly Insane’: Laverne Cox And The Uglies Cast Talk Beauty Standards They’d Go To The Smoke For

As a long-time admirer of Laverne Cox and her groundbreaking work in Hollywood, I found her insights on beauty standards during our interview for the upcoming Netflix movie “Uglies” particularly enlightening. Having grown up in an era where societal norms often dictated my self-worth, I can wholeheartedly relate to her sentiments about the toxicity of diet culture and the ever-changing standards of beauty.

A more chilling prospect than a typical dystopian sci-fi setting might be one that seems eerily familiar to our own reality. Among the upcoming 2024 Netflix releases is an adaptation of Scott Westerfield’s Uglies, where people undergo cosmetic surgery at age 16 to enter a world called the “Pretties.” However, as the protagonist Tally discovers, those who refuse these societal norms escape to a place known as The Smoke, which embraces all individuals.

When TopMob sat down with the cast to learn more Uglies movies details (such as the wild long time Joey King has been trying to get the movie made), they spoke about the beauty standards in our current world that they would escape to another world for. Here’s what Laverne Cox said:

Wow, it’s all captivating. You know, I have a soft spot for aesthetics, and it’s intriguing because when it comes to the men I find attractive, I need to be quite discerning, don’t I? I’m drawn to handsome men. I appreciate a specific facial structure, but I must admit that our society’s focus on weight is harmful, especially in the context of diet culture and fat prejudice. I would venture to say that such an environment could be found in The Smoke.

It’s plausible to say that Ms. Laverne Cox often emphasizes beauty standards due to her frequent appearances on camera, whether it’s for films, TV shows, magazine covers, or as a prominent LGBTQ+ activist. Notably, she was the first transgender individual to grace the cover of Time magazine and has been instrumental in numerous firsts within the trans community, most notably her groundbreaking role in Orange is the New Black.

In my chat with her, Cox confessed that, in all honesty, she adheres to a particular ideal of beauty – a sentiment I believe many can relate to. However, she strongly criticized diet culture as the greatest culprit undermining our self-perception and body image.

I do know that the toxicity of diet culture is… I hate it so much. And, the standards are always changing in terms of slim, fit – it’s insane. It’s utterly insane. And it’s really just, it’s about making us feel bad about ourselves so people can make money.

As a gamer, it feels invigorating when celebrities express their anger about issues that impact us all, given the shifting social standards. We’re all grappling with the challenges of adapting to these changes, and sometimes our self-worth can become entangled in it.

Contrary to Dr. Cable’s role in Cox’s Uglies, her character in the new Netflix movie takes a completely different stance. Instead of challenging the societal norms like she did as Dr. Cable, this Pretty is determined to preserve the status quo of the dystopian world as it stands. According to Cox, the character embodies elements of both Darth Vader from Star Wars and Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada.

When TopMob spoke to the main stars of Uglies, they also had more ideas about beauty standards to go to The Smoke for. Here’s what Brianne Tju said:

Just, the pressure. And, obviously social media heightens that and makes it kind of in your face all the time. And I just think that there are a lot of other aspects that deserve our full attention and energy, and I just think that these beauty standards just take too much energy and distract us in a way. And, it’s just not achievable for most people. And so, it makes you feel like you’re not good enough as you are. So, I would probably say that.

In the story, Tju portrays Shay, who swiftly forms a strong bond with Joey King’s character, Tally. This is after Tju’s former best friend (portrayed by Chase Stokes) transforms into a ‘Pretty’ before her. Shay opts against cosmetic surgery and encourages Tally to join her in ‘The Smoke’. Joey King, in agreement with Tju’s portrayal, also emphasized this:

Indeed, it’s worth noting that the film’s relevance seems quite apt, given the current context. It’s a bit ironic because the source material was published such a long time ago.

2005’s beloved novel “Uglies” is now a live-action film for fans to enjoy, but as King notes, even two decades later, we still grapple with beauty standards that resonate in the story. You can now stream this movie on Netflix with your subscription.

2024-09-13 16:38

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