Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black starred in the lead roles in the 2001 rom-com Shallow Hal. The movie explores Black’s character Hal Larson, who has been hypnotized to see only a person’s inner beauty. Hal meets the obese Rosemary but sees her as a thin blonde, played by Paltrow. The Iron Man actress had to wear a fat suit for her role.
However, for a few close-up shots of obese Rosemary, which showed only below her neck, Paltrow relied on a body double, Ivy Snitzer. Snitzer was an aspiring actress, who never returned to Hollywood after Shallow Hal.
Ivy Snitzer Was Excited To Act As Gwyneth Paltrow’s Body Double
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Ivy Snitzer opened up about her experience on the sets, where everyone including Jack Black, Gwyneth Paltrow, and directors, the Farrelly brothers, were nice to her. Paltrow was supportive of Snitzer and even encouraged her acting skills, though she was just a body double. Snitzer felt welcomed and at ease while filming her scenes. Snitzer’s arms, thighs, and torso were filmed for fat Rosemary. Snitzer shared:
“It was so exciting. It was just fun to be part of a movie – there are so few people who actually get to do that.”
Snitzer went on to share that all the excitement surrounding her role made her oblivious to the film’s jokes aimed at her body. The Farrelly brothers defended the fat jokes in the movie stating that the movie had a much deeper core message about inner beauty. Snitzer felt like she was actually funny in the movie. However, once the movie was released, Snitzer recalled that no one was telling her she was funny.
Ivy Snitzer Was Scared Out Of Hollywood By The Movie That Gwyneth Paltrow Hated Filming
Ivy Snitzer was invited to the promotions and interviews of the movie. Initially excited by the fame, Snitzer soon realized that there were downsides to the fame. She recalled strange people approaching her with unsolicited advice on weight loss or just fat-shaming her saying she was promoting obesity. Snitzer shared:
“It didn’t occur to me that the film would be seen by millions of people. It was like the worst parts about being fat were magnified. And no one was telling me I was funny.”
Snitzer revealed that some people even found out her address and sent her letters, along with diet pills. All of this proved too much for the young actress who decided to quit Hollywood. The years following Shallow Hal were difficult for Snitzer, as she had to undergo some major surgery. She has since transitioned to a career as an insurance agent and is no longer overweight.
It’s interesting to note that Gwyneth Paltrow hated filming the movie, as she dreaded wearing the 25-pound fatsuit and prosthetics. Times have changed, and a movie like Shallow Hal might not make it to the screen these days, but during its release, the film grossed $141 million at the box office.
Shallow Hal is available for streaming on Starz.
Source: The Guardian
