While Impeachment: American Crime Story doesn't premiere on FX until September 7, Sarah Paulson's portrayal of Linda Tripp has already caused a fair amount of controversy.
Paulson is a frequent collaborator with Impeachment producer Ryan Murphy, having appeared in several seasons of Murphy's anthology series, American Horror Story, played the title role in his Netflix series Ratched, and won an Emmy for her portrayal of Marcia Clark in the first iteration of American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson.
But not everyone was pleased with Paulson's casting as the late Linda Tripp, the whistleblower who exposed President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.
In addition to donning a prothetic nose and teeth, the svelte Paulson, who is also one of Impeachment's executive producers, reportedly gained roughly 30 pounds for the role, aided by an additional five pounds of padding from a fat suit.
Initial images of Paulson wearing the fat suit as Tripp, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2020, were met with trepidation and anger on social media.
I like Sarah Paulson but far suits are dehumanizing. Hire fat actors.— Sara (Sah-ra) The Costume Nerd (@Sara (Sah-ra) The Costume Nerd) 1619577679
This could have been a fat actor. This could have been their big breakout role. This could have been their Golden Globe or their Emmy nod. This could have been their paid off student loans or their first house. Instead it's Sarah Paulson in a fat suit. https://twitter.com/FilmUpdates/status/1387141438853373952\u00a0\u2026— Kristin Chirico (@Kristin Chirico) 1619648220
This has been so disappointing as someone who\u2019s always really liked Sarah Paulson\u2019s acting. How many times do we have to have this conversation? Why can I think of ten chubby guy character actors everyone raves about off the top of my head but fat women exist only in comedy?https://twitter.com/lolacoaster/status/1387531319517745154\u00a0\u2026— Louisa \ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc6d (@Louisa \ud83c\udf08\ud83d\udc6d) 1619651457
An op-ed for Refinery29 by Erica Russell also questioned why an actress closer to Tripp's actual size couldn't have been cast in the role, and that Paulson's casting only added to the stigma and plus-sized stereotypes in Hollywood.
"When fat people are poorly represented on screen or treated as costumes for non-fat actors, they're not just being willfully excluded or made the punchline of a tired joke."
"They're being actively harmed by a hostile system that upholds the status quo and makes it okay to mistreat those whose bodies don't fit the conventionally attractive or socially acceptable mold."
"Because when fat people aren't seen as real people, they aren't treated like real people."
Responding to the criticism in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Paulson admitted the controversy surrounding actors wearing fat suits was "legitimate".
"I think fatphobia is real."
"I think to pretend otherwise causes further harm. And it is a very important conversation to be had."
"But that entire responsibility I don't think falls on the actor for choosing to do something that is arguably—and I'm talking about from the inside out—the challenge of a lifetime."
But the Emmy winner went on to say an actor's physical appearance should not have been the deciding factor when it came to casting Tripp.
She felt no obligation to turn down the role.
"I would like to believe that there is something in my being that makes me right to play this part."
"And that the magic of hair and makeup departments and costumers and cinematographers that has been part of moviemaking, and suspension of belief, since the invention of cinema."
"Was I supposed to say no [to the part]? This is the question."
But Paulson did admit she regretted not thinking about the issue more clearly beforehand and this will likely be the last time she will don a fat suit for a role.
"You can only learn what you learn when you learn it."
"Should I have known? Abso-f*king-lutely. But I do now. And I wouldn't make the same choice going forward."
Paulson's response to the backlash met with a mixed response on social media.
Many people were still surprised Paulson was comfortable taking on the role despite admitting how dangerous fatphobia is in Hollywood, finding her response a tad insincere.
https://www.huffp.st/FzNLqGh\u00a0\n\nSarah Paulson, I'm glad to see you say that you've learned your lesson and wouldn't do it again.\n\nThe idea that there is something innate to you that makes you able to play this part, though, implies that fat people can't act. So that's p sucky of you— Soleil (@Soleil) 1630325523
So...Sarah Paulson knows fatphobia is harmful, but she still took the role and put on a fat suit. \n\nLike...sis...wut?https://twitter.com/BrookeObie/status/1431013601863606276\u00a0\u2026— Britni Danielle (@Britni Danielle) 1630015461
The size-ism in Hollywood is severe and needs a reckoning. Folks like Harvey Weinstein have given many actors eating disorders bc he thought they were "too fat for camera." It keeps many healthy-but-not-size-00 actors from roles. Paulsen acknowledges this with her question.— Velvet Hydrangea (@Velvet Hydrangea) 1630272797
However, others felt Paulson didn't need to apologize and her gifts as an actress alone were enough to justify her being cast and accepting the role, fat suit or not.
Can someone explain to me what the big deal is? Nobody is ever going to look exactly like the real person without some help.— Kate E (@Kate E) 1630266821
What? If you needed to look fuller to play the role, than who cares? It is called ACTING, which means you are pretending to be something you are not.— jnavarra (@jnavarra) 1630281791
Sarah Paulson is a great actress. She was cast for this role because she is so good. Who do you suggest play the role?— Spam Again (@Spam Again) 1630269273
Interestingly, when discussing her preparation for the role at the 2019 New Yorker Festival, Paulson declared she would not wear a fat suit.
"I'm going to take about three months off to eat some food, because I'm going to gain some weight to play her."
"I don't want to wear a suit because I think it will feel very strange."
As reported by The Huffington Post, the need for the fat suit was reportedly due to ongoing production delays as a result of the pandemic.
