Amy: “I’ve never been given a role because of my looks”
Comedy actress Amy Schumer on finally feeling comfortable in her own skin and how she found true love thanks to her latest movie
In the glitzy world of showbiz, comedian and actress Amy Schumer is unapologetically herself. She refuses to bow down to the Hollywood size-zero pressure, and once proudly declared, “I’m not going to look like a malnourished bird”.
But even though she’s only a UK size 12, the star admits she’s not always been so comfortable in her own skin and reveals her journey to self-confidence has been a battle.
The 36-year-old New Yorker – who found fame on American TV as a standup comedian in 2007, before moving into comedy acting – reveals, “You have to realise what makes you feel good and attractive and that’s usually got nothing to do with the mirror.”
BODY SHAMED
She adds, “I’ve had moments of overinflated self-esteem, where I go, ‘Oh, I am amazing,’ and then something happens and suddenly you don’t feel so good and that brings you back down to earth. I’ve always tried to hang on to the feeling that came from that time where, as a young girl, you never paid attention to your appearance. It’s only when you get older and kids start to make fun of you and body shame you that you start to lose your confidence.”
In her new movie, I Feel Pretty, Amy plays Renee – a woman who struggles with self-esteem until she wakes up from an accident in the gym with a newfound confidence. And the star revealed recently that filming for this latest role not only made her feel empowered, but also helped her find love with her cookbook author husband Chris Fischer. The pair wed in a surprise Malibu ceremony in front of 80 guests – including A-list pals Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal – in February this year, after just a few months of dating.
READY TO LOVE
Amy gushed in a recent interview, “I met him when we were done filming I Feel Pretty. I felt really empowered and I loved myself. I was ready to love somebody.”
Opening up about married life, she said recently, “It feels f***ing good! … But it’s still like, a novelty. Somebody went to sit next to [Chris] and he’s like, ‘My wife is sitting here,’ and then I got back and he was excited to tell me that he said that. I have been overusing it to a degree that’s insane. Like, when it’s completely uncalled for.”
Now Amy insists that it can be “dangerous” to admit you’re confident when you work in an industry with such impossible beauty standards.
She explains, “I’ve never been given a role because I look that great. One time, a casting agent told me to either lose 20 pounds or gain 20 pounds. If you’re skinny, you get the lead role; if you’re really fat, you can play the funny neighbour!”
DANGEROUS
She adds, “But I actually feel good and I feel happy and that’s very dangerous as a woman to say that. It’s almost as if people can’t understand why some people who do not have ideal bodies can still be happy and feel good about themselves.
“I feel good about who I am and I think that having self-confidence has helped me not be afraid to admit that I’ve messed up in life the way we all have. Put it this way: I look good enough to stay in business. And I won’t have a problem with ageing.”
Amy gained notoriety during her standup career for her no-holds-barred sense of humour – speaking explicitly about
men, dating and sex. Defending her brand of risqué comedy – which often left audiences shocked – she insists, “We all have the same bodily functions and we’ve all had embarrassing sexual experiences. I think we should try to be less ashamed about our bodies and feelings and I’m trying to help people in my own way to feel less apologetic and to feel a bit better about being in our own skin.”
CALMER
In 2015, she made headlines when she played a prank on Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, falling flat on her face in front of them on the red carpet at the Time 100 ceremony. At the time, she said she did it because, “I think falling down is the funniest thing, so I took a dive in front of them. [Kanye] did not crack a smile at any point… and there’s no way either of them had any idea who I am”. But she admits she’s started to tone things down now she’s older, adding, “I’m no longer as maniacal as I used to be when I was trying to shock audiences every night. As I’ve grown older, my stage self is a little bit calmer and closer to who you would find if you met me in person.”
‘We have all had embarrassing sexual experiences’