Bryce Dallas Howard, known for her recent turn in Jurassic World Dominion and numerous other projects, has recently spoken about her treatment on the set of the film. While she credits director Colin Trevorrow for defending her, Howard says that she was asked to lose weight for the role by an unnamed person or persons.
Jurassic World Dominion performed well at the box-office, but received a tepid response critically. The film, which reunited franchise stars Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill (all of whom reprised their roles from the original trilogy), has been cited as one of the worst Jurassic Park movies. Most of the complaints centered around the plot, which most fans found lackluster alongside the newer characters.
In an interview with Metro, Howard revealed a negative aspect she had to deal with while filming. "What being in this third film allowed, how do I say this, how do I say this, how do I say this…[I’ve] been asked to not use my natural body in cinema," Howard said. "On the third movie, it was actually because there were so many women cast, it was something that Colin felt very strongly about in terms of protecting me…because the conversation came up again, ‘We need to ask Bryce to lose weight.'”
She credits Trevorrow with speaking out against the treatment she received, stating that he responded to the request by stating that there were many different types of women in the world, and he would be representing that in the film, which featured several key female actresses like DeWanda Wise. Howard says that, had she been on a diet as requested, she would not have been able to do as many stunts as she ended up doing. She further stated, proudly, “I’m really thrilled [at] all the action I got to do, and I got to do it with my body, she was at her maximum strength, and I hope it is just yet another indication of what’s possible.”
Howard's treatment is part of a larger conversation that can be had about the misogynistic treatment many women face in Hollywood. Even in a film that's supposed to be light-hearted entertainment, and which received reviews calling Jurassic World Dominion the worst of the franchise, Howard was asked to put her body on the line to fit the standards of what a studio deems appropriate for a woman's appearance. Howard is a consummate actress, well in-demand and known to the general public for decades now, and even she faces this sort of treatment.
What might that say for an actress who's just starting out, or who does not have a colleague willing to tell executives 'no'? Even in this era - an era which many say is an incredibly progressive time to be alive - there are many challenges for actresses in Hollywood that need remediation. Howard has also spoken out about the pay gap between her and Chris Pratt on the Jurassic World sequels, and stated that Pratt went to bat for an increase in her wage, which shows the struggles actresses still face in Hollywood. And while some argue that the rich and famous will be fine despite this treatment, it should be remembered that these issues are just a microcosm and reflective of much larger systemic failures in society that affect other socioeconomic classes.
Jurassic World Dominion is available to watch on Peacock.
Source: Metro