# Casting bias against busty actresses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 7, 2010, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253 "2010-04-07T07:18:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/21 "2010-04-07T15:09:39Z")
Kind of a nice reversal of all the years the only Hollywood types that got screen time were busty women. Back when starlets all got boob jobs. I like it and was happy to see the pendulum swing the other way! Don’t sweat it, it’ll swing back before too long, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/22 "2010-04-07T15:13:26Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > As an actress or as busty? You pick. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/23 "2010-04-07T15:30:26Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > You pick. She’s [definitely busty](http://goremasternews.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/patricia-arquette.jpg) in some of the pics I found of her. I personally don’t think she could act her way out of a wet paper bag, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/24 "2010-04-07T15:47:47Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > She’s [definitely busty](http://goremasternews.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/patricia-arquette.jpg) in some of the pics I found of her. I personally don’t think she could act her way out of a wet paper bag, though. I think her work in _True Romance_ was excellent and we follow _Medium_ regularly but not for her acting chops so much. She do have some bodacious ta-tas, though! ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/25 "2010-04-07T15:57:32Z")
As the OP it has been my duty to look at all these links and search for pics of those not linked. I agree that Christina Hendricks appears busty although I had not seen/heard of her previously. Very few of the others would be what my wife or I would consider so. It seems to me that there is a difference between having breasts and having large breasts. It may be that my perception is somewhat skewed by…local circumstances. I didn’t like to think of an actress being taken less seriously for a role because her breasts were too big. And thinking about Lost, True Blood, 24, Flash Forward, Criminal Minds as well as uk stuff like Spooks and Dr Who, not to mention Hollywood, it seems that unless you want to be the kooky best friend or wise-cracking support staff - you better get to the gym. But you argue powerfully that there’s enough diversity within the sample to allay my fears. If you have further proof - feel free. MiM ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/26 "2010-04-07T16:11:39Z")
Having an awesome rack never seemed to harm Dame Helen Mirren’s respectability. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/27 "2010-04-07T16:16:10Z")
I bet it would make for some fun research to rank the Oscar winning actresses, lead and supporting, in descending order of bust size. Sophia would be near the top and Elizabeth Taylor not too far behind. Anybody up for the challenge? ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/28 "2010-04-07T16:17:07Z")
If you turn over to ABC while you are watching _Criminal Minds_, you’ll find [Sophia Vergara](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005527/mediaindex) on _Modern Family_. Definitely curvy, might even be considered a little “fat” by Hollywoodland standards. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/29 "2010-04-07T16:29:07Z")
Don’t forget Elizabeth Mitchell on V. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/30 "2010-04-07T16:50:24Z")
> [@Made\_in\_Macau](#): > > As the OP it has been my duty to look at all these links and search for pics of those not linked. > I agree that Christina Hendricks appears busty although I had not seen/heard of her previously. Very few of the others would be what my wife or I would consider so. This is pretty vague. We’ve been pretty specific - including providing pictures. Without some sort of counter-argument to base your comparison on, I’m not sure what you want. And if you consider Christina Hendricks to just “appear busty”, I don’t think there’s going to be much common ground. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/31 "2010-04-07T17:06:53Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I bet it would make for some fun research to rank the Oscar winning actresses, lead and supporting, in descending order of bust size. Sophia would be near the top and Elizabeth Taylor not too far behind. > > Anybody up for the challenge? [Marie Dressler](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Marie_Dressler_portrait.jpg/250px-Marie_Dressler_portrait.jpg) and [Geraldine Page](http://filmfanatic.org/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/Page.JPG) were fairly plush. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/32 "2010-04-07T17:18:13Z")
[Mariska Hargitay](http://fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/mariska-hargitay7.jpg) also goes a long way in refuting the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/33 "2010-04-07T17:21:43Z")
Anne Hathaway is considered busty. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/34 "2010-04-07T17:37:15Z")
I’m beginning to wonder if the OP isn’t in fact the late Russ Meyer. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/35 "2010-04-07T18:31:11Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > This is pretty vague. We’ve been pretty specific - including providing pictures. Without some sort of counter-argument to base your comparison on, I’m not sure what you want. > > And if you consider Christina Hendricks to just “appear busty”, I don’t think there’s going to be much common ground. I’m sorry if I’ve been vague - I tried to be lighthearted in the OP and point out that it was a subjective judgement not a peer reviewed bit of research, and I tried to give examples of what I meant but must not have been clear. I dont really want anything other than the q of whether any dopers had a view on whether busty actresses were discriminated aginst and many have posted their views - thanks! (and for the pics too) As for Christina Hendricks; as I said above I’d never heard of her before, googled, saw images in which she appears to be busty. What can I say?! I haven’t met her nor did i see any topless pics, but if you have some.. Sadly we may not reach common ground - but I wasn’t looking for any, just canvassing views. Alessan - ‘I’m beginning to wonder if the OP isn’t in fact the late Russ Meyer.’ 😃 MiM ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/36 "2010-04-07T18:44:37Z")
> [@Made\_in\_Macau](#): > > Sadly we may not reach common ground - but I wasn’t looking for any, just canvassing views. OK, but your views seem to be that every actress who doesn’t have a 48ZZ chest is a waifish stick figure. I don’t think that’s reality. And I guess I’m also wondering who these busty babes of yore were. I know there were a bunch in the 40s/50s/60s, but wasn’t a lot of that look the result of a padded bra? ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/37 "2010-04-07T19:03:08Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > OK, but your views seem to be that every actress who doesn’t have a 48ZZ chest is a waifish stick figure. I don’t think that’s reality. > > And I guess I’m also wondering who these busty babes of yore were. I know there were a bunch in the 40s/50s/60s, but wasn’t a lot of that look the result of a padded bra? If that seems to be my view then I haven’t been clear because only an idiot would think that as it is indeed not reality. Reality is a vast range of shapes and sizes, skin conditions and varients from the average. But I wasn’t asking about reality, I was asking about casting - about which I know next to nothing. My question seems to have been answered by a number of dopers saying lots of busty actresses work successfully. Thanks for your views. (and your pics) As I said upthread, my view of what equates to ‘busty’ may well be skewed so it would be nice to be without the snark. I don’t know to what babes of yore you’re referring - I haven’t mentioned any longing for the old days but aceplace57 did. MiM ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/38 "2010-04-07T19:09:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > It’s basic logic - women who aren’t thin can get thin; women who don’t have large breasts (which is the vast majority of them), can’t get large breasts, at least without surgery. Hence, in show business (where women are paid to look good), you get a lot more thin women than busty women. > > That said, here’s a 2007 list of the top-paid actresses in Hollywood: > > 1. Reese Witherspoon > 2. Angelina Jolie > 3. Cameron Diaz > 4. Nicole Kidman > 5. Renee Zellweger > 6. Sandra Bullock > 7. Julia Roberts > 8. Drew Barrymore > 9. Jodie Foster > 10. Halle Berry > > Of these, I’d consider three - Jolie, Barrymore and Berry - to be busty. 3 out of 10 isn’t bad; better than the general female population. Reese is stacked as well. She’s done some topless work that confirms this. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/39 "2010-04-07T19:15:48Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Pam Anderson is the typical silicon faker that’s on tv these days. I get so tired of the plastic boobies. So many women ruin their looks with that fake crap. Is your internet connection so slow that wrote this back in the 90’s and it just now posted? Pam Anderson hasn’t been on TV with any regularity, and certainly not as any sort of trend setter, in a decade. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253/40 "2010-04-07T19:17:03Z")
> [@whole\_bean](#): > > Reese is stacked as well. She’s done some topless work that confirms this. Cite? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casting-bias-against-busty-actresses/535253.md?page=3)