‘Euphoria’ Star Barbie Ferreira Quits Show, Doesn’t Want To Be The Fat Best Friend. Retire This Trope Already!
Fat best friend trope only stereotypes plus-sized people.
Euphoria fans woke up to the news of Barbie Ferreira who essays the role of Kat in the HBO series Euphoria quitting this coming-of-age drama. She said that the makers portrayed her character merely as the main fat best friend, and there was no growth in Kat’s character. Barbie revealed this on the Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast. The fat best friend trope means that a plus-sized guy or girl is shown to be the best friend of the main character who always happens to be the beautiful and loveable guy or girl who everyone has a crush on. Here, the best friend only remains the prop who is constantly ridiculed and the hot best friend comes to their rescue always. Well, it is high time that the fast best friend trope needs to retire. Here’s why it is problematic.
The fat best friend in movies and series is always shown as the one who is the sidekick of the main character. They are portrayed to be the happy go lucky and cheery friends who are always there for their hot best friends. The fat best friend is shown to be someone who is always questioned about being friends with the hot peer.
For example, in Kal Ho Na Ho, Delnaaz Irani played the role of Sweetu, the fat best friend to Preity Zinta AKA Naina. Sweetu is fat-shamed by Naina when the latter says she will find no good guy if she does not lose weight. Movies and shows have constantly shown that the fat best friend does not find love and it is because of her size.
In Stranger Things, Shannon Purser who plays the role of Barbara, Nancy’e best friend is also portrayed as the fat best friend. Barb is the cautious friend who always protects Nancy and realises that Steve is not for her.
Also read: Raveena Tandon Shares About The Time She And Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Were Fat-Shamed, And The Success Of ‘KGF 2’
The fat best friend trope in movies and shows stereotypes plus-sized people. They are shown as unloveable and constantly unhappy with their body. Not every fat best friend is always all sunshine. Some friends are blunt and never mince their words. They are confident in real-life, and not as timid as shown in movies. The narrative needs to change. Movies and shows are a reflection of what happens in real life, right? So, change needs to be brought in real life where the plus-sized best friend is accepted by everyone. Only then will the change be shown on our screens.
First Published: April 04, 2023 5:01 PM
