Think of it this way: most of us are terrified that if we appear old on-camera, it will limit our ability to play roles our own age (or younger) in the future. Female actors strive to look as young as possible to compete, and work hard to live up to the perfect image that gets portrayed on the screen. We compete against the professional makeup, camera filters and fancy lighting, which will always beat out natural light, “street“ makeup and the naked eye in observation.
But if you watch what Kate does: Kate always appears fabulous off-screen because she she doesn’t pretend to be perfect on-screen. It’s kind of brilliant (and I say that tongue in cheek, because I think it kicks ass.) As evidence, take a look at this set of photos:
Kate on-screen in her last 2 big films:
Kate off-screen, likely at an industry event:
WHOA! You end up saying to yourself, “Wow- Kate looks amazing!” With many other female actors off-screen, the context of the photos would be flipped. People will think, “Well, she looked great in that movie, but in real life she’s looking old,“ or, ”Wow, she looks like she’s gained weight.“ Kate has pretty much guaranteed that she will look more sleek, more polished, more radiant... just stunning... because she doesn’t have to live up to some kind of unrealistic perfection. Other examples: Charlize Theron in ”Monster.“ America Ferrera on ”Ugly Betty“ - I wish the list could go on and on, but there aren’t many people who are confident enough to break down these barriers.
I found myself really inspired by this realization. It should be noted that the main way Kate gets away with this is that she is captivating to watch, and give a performance of a lifetime each time she takes on a role. The beauty of this realization (pun intended): Because of my ”light bulb“/”ah-ha“ moment, I am no longer afraid of how I might look on screen. What really matters is the quality of the work, and someone who presents themselves as joyful and fearless in everything they do. THAT is the real reason people think Kate, and Charlize and America are beautiful. Their work can do the speaking for them, and they just have to show up in a pretty dress.
Who wants to commit to joining the ranks and further break down these barriers? =)
Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has toured nationally with plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. For more information, please visit http://www.erincronican.com.
