Myria said:
Happyninja42 said:
But I don't get upset if the hero doesn't match that body type, [...]
Perhaps so, but I strongly suspect that if they had cast a heavyset and not particularly attractive woman, rather than a hyper-thin model, she'd find far fewer defenders, regardless of acting skill, despite the same logic applying.
Possibly, but I don't agree with that mindset. I'm willing to allow for the restrictions of reality, when it comes to an actual human being, who is trying to audition for a role for a fictional, stylized, ideal personification of a specific ideal. Again, I prefer to have a good actor. With the technology we have today, we can easily shore up any discrepancies for minor things, like their lack of actual martial skill (just use a CGI version of them like they do with all the high action stuff in comic book movies), and just let the
actor focus on the
acting. To demand that they be equal parts good actor, physically perfect, match the source material perfectly, I think is just unrealistic in most cases. You have to make allowances for reality. So I don't mind if they get someone who "according to fans" doesn't look accurate to the character, a character that couldn't pull off what she does physically anyway, no matter how much training she's done. She's a fictional, mythological being, with powers beyond human capability, period. To nit pick that her arms aren't buff enough to throw a tank, just seems silly to me.
mecegirl said:
Happyninja42 said:
I've never understood the need to have a character have physical muscles to justify them doing the feats of strength they do. NONE of the superheroes with super strength, can pull off what they do just because they've got guns. You could be as ripped as Arnold at the peak of his physical ability, and you still can't lift up a semi truck and hurl it 30 yards. So NONE of the heroes actually are as "realistically" muscled as they should be, to pull off what they do. They are all tapping into powers beyond the mere physicality of their body. So who cares if they look like a Mr. Universe weight lifter, or Steve Urkle? It's all completely fictional and unrealistic.
Maybe, MAAAYBE heroes like the Hulk could pull off some of the things they do, given they are inhumanely proportioned, and are like 10 feet tall, and have muscles thicker than most human torsos. But even then, I would doubt some of the stuff they pull off.
In the case of Wonder Woman though she's been training since childhood. That's just a part of Amazonian culture. So its not a simple matter of her having muscles because she has super strength. It would be a reflection of her training. She'd have muscles for the same reason that Batman has muscles.(In some versions the Amazons don't have super strength and Wonder Woman only gains super powered abilities once putting on her costume because it's been blessed by the gods.) And it makes more since for her to have muscles than Superman. But an actor playing Superman or Batman wouldn't be considered without having a certain amount of bulk. So why is it so weird for it to be a consideration for the actor for Wonder Woman?
Because I think it's equally unrealistic for the actors playing Batman or Superman. Because again, I don't care how much training they do, the fact that they can pull off the feats of strength they are famous for, has zero to do with their actual muscles. It's all superpowers. I personally wouldn't care if they got a Clark Kent who actually looks like a regular dude, if he can act the part well. To say "ok man, all of the depictions of Superman have him in the Rob Leifeld level of insane, steroid filled muscle mass, so you have to sell that look. So go train for 9 months and gain 50 pounds of pure muscle or else you don't get the part." Yeah that's a shitty work ethic in my opinion. Actors and actresses shouldn't be forced to gain, or lose weight for a role. If the viewing public is so fucking nitpicky, that they will throw a hissy fit because the actor doesn't exactly fit their ideal (an ideal that can vary from artist to artist in the comics) of the character, then it's the fault of the fan, not the actor.
If the actor CHOOSES to do that, for example Gal Gadot decided she wanted to bulk up a bit for the role, then fine, that's her choice, and I'm certainly fine with it. I would also have been fine with Henry Cavil, or Ben Afleck saying "nope, I'm not going to do that drastic of a body change, as the long term effects of it are harmful if I don't maintain it", I would be fine with that too. But to demand it of them, and if they don't, the fan base brings out their torches and pitch forks? Yeah, fuck those people.