10 Amazing and Successful Plus Size Actresses
10.
Mo’Nique
It’s weird, but actors and actresses with just one name don’t typically get the kind
of recognition or respect they deserve.
For Mo’Nique, a renowned stand-up comic who really got her acting start on shows like
Moesha and The Hughleys, it’s been a long road to acclaim and respect.
There’s no denying her talent after a scintillating performance in Precious, for which she won
an Academy Award in a role she took in order to raise awareness for sexual abuse victims.
It’s kind of amazing looking back at movies like Beerfest, in which she was absolutely
hilarious, by the way, and realizing that’s an actress who would soon enough be honored
with the highest award in her profession.
Unfortunately her career hasn’t taken off quite the way she probably would have hoped
since bringing home that glorious, golden statue, which she attributes to supposedly
being blackballed by Hollywood.
9.
Rebel Wilson
Now, before you say anything, yes, Rebel Wilson is basically used as “comic relief,” as
we alluded to as being a bit of typecasting above.
But while there are many actresses who could fit the bill, she’s become a standout in
the role of the weird, blunt, hilarious woman in movies like Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect.
The Australian comedienne is one of the funniest, most outrageous women working in the industry
today and certainly has no shortage of opportunities ahead of her.
Yes, her short-lived sitcom Super Fun Night crashed and burned, but she’s going to make
another splash in Pitch Perfect 3 and has branched out to steal scenes in movies like
Michael Bay’s underrated Pain & Gain, and will soon be seen in Sacha Baron Cohen’s
film Grimsby alongside stalwarts like Ian McShane, Mark Strong, and Penelope Cruz.
8.
Gabourey Sidibe
Few young actresses have burst onto the scene quite the way Gabourey Sidibe did with her
star-making turn in the movie Precious, which we already mentioned as having garnered Mo’Nique
and Oscar, and got Sidibe a nomination for Best Actress.
These days she’s continued her ascent in the wildly popular series Empire, and is also
in the upcoming movie Grimsby alongside Rebel Wilson.
Sidibe has moved a bit away from movies, appearing in television shows like American Horror Story
and The Big C in addition to her role on Empire.
Not only that, but she’s also one of the stars of the Hulu original series Difficult
People.
Basically, the former Oscar nominee is currently, quietly beginning to assert her complete dominance
over the small screen, even though most people still only think of her as “that girl from
Precious.”
7.
Shelley Winters
The late, great Shelley Winters is, more than likely, sadly forgotten by many of today’s
youth but was a tremendous talent in her day, appearing in movies like A Place in the Sun,
Lolita, Alfie, and The Poseidon Adventure, along with numerous television appearances.
For most people these days, she’s probably best remembered as Roseanne’s abrasive,
blunt grandmother on the legendary sitcom Roseanne.
Along with the films listed above, she was a two-time Academy Award winner for the films
The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue, and received two more nominations during her
50 year career.
One of those nominations came for the aforementioned Poseidon Adventure, in which she shared the
screen with Gene Hackman and stole every scene she was in, particularly with her heroic death
scene in that film.
Er, spoiler alert for a 43-year old movie, we guess?
The only reason she’s not a little higher on this list is the fact that, when she began
her career, she was a blonde bombshell and only later transitioned into “plus size”
territory as she grew older and into the later stages of her career.
6.
Jennifer Hudson
It’s kind of amazing to reflect on Jennifer Hudson’s career at this point, isn’t it?
The former American Idol also-ran has become one of the most successful women working today,
and with the incredible accolades she’s collected, the only reason she’s not higher
on this list is the fact that she’s no longer what anyone with a brain would consider “plus
size.”
But that doesn’t change the fact that, when she skyrocketed to fame, she fell firmly into
that category.
ADVERTISEMENT The now-svelte Hudson has pretty much proven
she can do it all in show business, earning an Oscar and a Grammy, putting her halfway
to becoming one of the very few people to ever pull off the coveted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy,
Oscar, Tony).
And at age 33, there’s still plenty of time left for her to pull off that feat.
Only now, she’ll be doing it as a thin performer, rather than the previously plus size superstar
she used to be.
5.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah may not be quite as accomplished an actress as some of the other names on this
list, but in terms of sheer star power, few “plus size” women are in her stratosphere.
The hip hop legend started out on the small screen in television shows like The Fresh
Prince of Bel Air and Living Single, but she really started to make a big time impression
in movies with her performance in the Academy Award-winning Chicago.
The larger than life personality and charisma Queen Latifah possesses has led to her headlining
movies with the likes of Steve Martin, Will Ferrell, and Dolly Parton, among others.
It’s also led to her running and starring in her own daytime talk show.
She’s pretty easily handled the worlds of music, television, and movies – winning
a Golden Globe and a Grammy and earning an Academy Award nomination – making her one
of the most powerful “plus size” women in the show business industry.
4.
Octavia Spencer
Over the last couple of decades, Octavia Spencer has been quietly putting together one of the
most impressive resumes of any actress working on Hollywood.
The Academy Award-nominated actress for her role in The Help made her first on screen
appearance in A Time to Kill and has been working steadily since, with movies like Being
John Malkovich, Bad Santa, Fruitvale Station, and Snowpiercer.
She’s equally adept at comedy and drama, and has proven she can shine in genre films
as well, appearing in the film Insurgent in a pivotal role, as well as the second Percy
Jackson film.
She’s one of the rare actresses who can switch back and forth between manic hilarity
and somber seriousness at a moment’s notice, which is just one of the reasons she’s become
one of the go-to actresses of her generation.
3.
Margo Martindale
You know how people refer to character actors as “That Guys”?
Well, Margo Martingale definitely qualifies as the female version of a “That Girl”
after appearing in projects like Lonesome Dove and Million Dollar Baby before really
gaining fame with her Emmy-winning turn in the second season of the television show Justified.
It was in that show she became a genuine critical darling, later evidenced by her Emmy nomination
for her guest role on the acclaimed series The Americans.
While she hasn’t had the big movie appearances some of the other actresses on this list have
on their resumes (though she had a high profile role opposite Meryl Streep in August: Osage
County), her talent is undeniable.
Her performance as Mags Bennett in Justified is revered as one of the greatest villainous
turns in recent TV history, her combination of power, charisma, vulnerability, and intimidation
lighting up the screen with every appearance.
2.
Kathy Bates
Perhaps no other “plus size” actress has enjoyed as acclaimed a career as Kathy Bates,
who first really emerged as a major Hollywood force with her starring role in the movie
Misery, and has kept churning out great performance after great performance for the past couple
of decades.
Her roles are legendary and far ranging, from portraying “The Unsinkable” Molly Brown
in Titanic, a memorable guest turn on The Office, and most recently, a high profile
starring turn on American Horror Story.
Bates is so revered that you can pretty much count on any performance she gives earning
her some kind of nomination, be it of the Golden Globe, Emmy, or Academy Award-variety.
She received her first Tony Award nomination in 1983, and has steadily been raking in the
accolades ever since.
Kathy Bates has basically become the type of actress who, when you cast her, you’re
automatically adding a “prestige” tag to your production.
1.
Melissa McCarthy
The reigning box office champ among plus size actresses, Melissa McCarthy is pure gold whenever
she’s on screen.
She’s earned Oscar and Emmy nominations for her performances in Bridesmaids and Mike
and Molly, respectively, and was the featured star in the recent smash success Spy, in which
she held court alongside the likes of Jason Statham and more than held her own in a film
that was both critically and publicly acclaimed.
The 45-year-old actress may have risen to fame a little later than she probably deserved
(compared to her famous cousin, Jenny, who gained fame early and then showed people that
she was basically an insane person as she got older…and yes, they’re actually cousins),
but has been working steadily over the past few years.
She’s not just a comedic talent, either.
Sure, she’s great with pratfalls and physical comedy, but she’s also great at nuanced,
subtle choices in movies like St. Vincent, and is the featured attraction in the Ghostbusters
reboot.