Lena Headey too 'emaciated' for role in the TV Terminator

[Tati]

Isn't is also a "crime against women" to use an actress with bodily proportions of muscle mass that most women will never achieve without costly specialty intervention, such as intense dieting, strategic weight training and a little bit of "vitamins"? And that some women will never achieve period?

I don't think so. We were never supposed to think Sarah Connor's physique just came to her with minimal effort. In fact we first saw her as a much daintier little thing. The character clearly bulked up quite deliberately and sought training in a lot of other areas as well to face the enormous threat she was up against. I think she was always supposed to be an exceptionally strong female - not just someone who was "sort of in shape" - and one who had worked very hard to get that way. Even in the institution we saw her doing chin-ups and struggling to find ways to exercise. I don't think women as a whole were ever supposed to feel like we should look like Sarah Connor (I know you're playing Devil's Advocate though, I just wanted to respond to that argument ).

Now this woman does look fit, and I don't think she's too thin. However, as someone who weight trains I can assert that it's not that difficult to gain a little bit of visible "bulk" - nowhere near the realm of looking masculine, nor even at the Linda Hamilton level, but some visible muscle, especially in the biceps, doesn't take that much time or effort to gain, and would have been appropriate for the role. This woman looks tight and I'm sure she works out in some fashion, she clearly is much fitter than the Mischa Barton type, so I'm not knocking her. But she doesn't look like she's ever lifted weights in her life. If she's supposed to actually portray Sarah Connor, I'm not sure it's the best fit. I know I certainly would have increased my muscle mass a bit if I was supposed to play someone like her.

[MsDark]

ITA with all that. If you're playing a badass like Sara Connor, pick up a weight already.

[ariesallover]

(I know you're playing Devil's Advocate though, I just wanted to respond to that argument ).

Yes, that's what it was, in regard to the approach taken by the article. Casting-wise, this movie may well be getting around a B-, if that.

[angelais]

As if it matters. The show will be probably be cancelled anyway.

[MrsMarsters]

She just isn't right for the role.

[mistify]

I actually like the show and think she is good in it.. She is beautiful and to me pulls off the strong woman thing really well.. You do not have to be ripped to be strong.. I have watched all the episodes that have been on.

[cherrypye]

Her weight seems appropriate to her bone structure. She seems to be a small-boned female.

[bellini]

She looks good in the role. Linda Hamilton's physique may have been a little overdone. She was working with Arnold so maybe he gave her some tips.

Summer Glau looks awesome, imo. Very good android or whatever they're called.

[Karistiona]

I think this woman looks far too skinny to play this role, and just in general. She looks like she's not eaten a carbohydrate in years. I think they should have had someone fit rather than skinny in this role. It's probably gonna get cancelled anyway, not much seems to be surviving on TV lately.

[frazzled]

Emaciated or not, she's a terrible actress on this show. It honestly makes me want to pop in my DVD copy of T2 and watch Sarah Connor done correctly by Linda Hamilton.

[january]

She doesn't look emaciated, but she looks really weak. I think I could even take her, and I'm far from tomboyish. Sarah Conner should be a hardass, and I think they should have casted as such. It doesn't mean she's got to be built like a linebacker, but she should at least look like she could kick some serious ass, if not by body then by attitude.

She has a rough time though by being compared to Hamilton. That chick rocked that look, I remember in T2 when she was doing the pull-ups, she was really badass, she sold me on the fact that she could kick ass. She looked rough.

[Fluffy]

^Lena Heady says she used to box, but I don't what that means if she doesn't seem athletic on the show. I would think that she would look more convincing in fights. Doesn't sound like it from this thread.

[Laurent]

I read once that Linda Hamilton got that body for T2 by working out every single day for a year for 3 solid hours. I guess she did it by keeping that one goal in mind and knowing it wouldn't go on indefinately.

No way in hell I could.

[bellini]

I read once that Linda Hamilton got that body for T2 by working out every single day for a year for 3 solid hours. I guess she did it by keeping that one goal in mind and knowing it wouldn't go on indefinately.

No way in hell I could.

I remember reading about that. She also had a super strict diet.

[sweetness]

^Lena Heady says she used to box, but I don't what that means if she doesn't seem athletic on the show. I would think that she would look more convincing in fights. Doesn't sound like it from this thread.

What she really meant was she used to do naked jello wrestling.