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| Rebel Wilson spoke out on Twitter after declaring herself the first plus-size actress to star in a romantic comedy. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI |
By Annie Martin, UPI
Rebel Wilson is responding to fans who criticized her recent comment about being a plus-size actress.
The 38-year-old Australian star spoke out Thursday on Twitter after declaring herself the first plus-size actress to star in a romantic comedy.
Wilson, who stars in the new movie Isn't It Romantic, responded to a fan who pointed out Queen Latifah and Mo'Nique have previously played leads in romantic comedies.
"Hey girl! Yeah I of course know of these movies but it was questionable as to whether: 1. Technically those actresses were plus size when filming those movies or 2. Technically those films are catorgorized/billed as a studio rom-com with a sole lead. So there's a slight grey area," she wrote.
Wilson had made the remark while celebrating her new role on Wednesday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
"I'm kind of proud to be the first-ever plus-sized girl to be the star of a romantic comedy," she told host Ellen DeGeneres.
Fans called out Wilson on social media, with many citing Queen Latifah and Mo'Nique as the true trailblazers for plus-size women in romantic comedies. Other mentioned Melissa McCarthy, Kathy Bates, Ana Garcia and Ricki Lake.
"Oh we just ignoring the string of films Queen Latifah did where she cast herself opposite every fine black man imaginable? Don't get me wrong, her movie looks cute but what we're not going to do is erase a romcom pioneer," one person wrote.
"Here we have another example of the work of black women who did it first being erased. Queen Latifah and Mo'Nique both starred in romantic comedies," another added.
Isn't It Romantic opens on Valentine's Day in February. The movie co-stars Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine and Priyanka Chopra, and released a first trailer this week.
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