Embrace Your Quirks: The Industry Will
Think you won’t be able to land a modeling job because of that pesky imperfection that you wish you could change? Definitely won’t land that acting gig, because of your look pins you to a specific role and that role only? Think again.
Here’s a new flash – no one is perfect. But, those who are most successful in entertainment have embraced their “flaws” and quirky personalities and many have actually chosen to make these more noticeable to industry professionals because they help them to stand out. Don’t believe it’s true? Consider these A-listers who did just that.
Oprah Winfrey. A well-known industry icon, Oprah is genuinely empathetic. So much so, that she was rejected from a career as a news broadcaster because she got “too emotionally attached” to the stories she reported, crying over the most heart-wrenching ones. But, she refused to give up. She decided to use her heart of gold to her advantage and started her own show instead.
Owen Wilson. Owen’s stand-out feature is fairly noticeable. He has a prominent nose which he said was broken twice in his younger years. Owen jokes, however, “You know, my nose probably wouldn’t have been that great even if it hadn’t been broken.” It certainly hasn’t stopped him from landing many featured roles.
Cindy Crawford. Cindy was rejected time and again for a small mole on her face. However, she refused to remove it. In fact, she embraced it and made it her trademark instead. One of the world’s most recognizable supermodels, she knew this stand-out feature would propel her to the top.
Jennifer Lopez. Jennifer Lopez knew she would never be a size 0, and this didn’t bother her. The beautiful Latina triple-threat singer, dancer, and actress has not only accepted this, but she essentially started a trend in Hollywood for curvaceous bodies. Now stars with larger-than-normal glutes, especially, happily flaunt their gift.
Salma Hayek. Salma was forced to audition many times before making it big because of her Hispanic accent. She reported that she was harshly told by directors it would remind Hollywood insiders of their Mexican housekeepers.
Padma Lakshmi’s scar. Padma has a seven-inch scar from on her right arm from a car accident she got into at age fourteen, but the Top Chef icon never covers it up for filming. She has said, “My body is a blueprint of my life, of every tragedy — emotional or physical. I love my scar…my scar has singled me out and made me who I am.”
Joaquin Phoenix. Speaking of scars, this A-lister has a micro-cleft lip that is commonly mistaken for a surgical scar. Truth be told, he was born with it, and it makes him all that more unique.
Tyra Banks. A top model and America’s Next Top Model host was rejected repeatedly in the modeling world for her large forehead before becoming uber-recognizable. She was also criticized when she put on a few pounds. Yet, we can’t look away, and she hasn’t slowed down!
