Lena Headey - too thin for Terminator?
Lena Headey, the British actress who plays Sarah Connor in the new Terminator TV series, has been criticized for being too thin for this role.
While the show made an impressive debut, with more than 18million US viewers last week, Headey’s lean physique has quickly been put under the microscope, with some deeming her unsuitable for the part.
The role was first made famous by iron-pumping Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Hamilton turned the character into a “butt-kicking inspiration to millions of women,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
But now a critic writing for the paper says: “Some who worship at the altar of Sarah Connor detect heresy in the casting of Headey, who’s healthy-looking and attractive but not exactly Ms Olympia.”
Movie critics, Terminator fans and feminists claim Lena was an uninspired choice for this role, because Sarah Connor was supposed to look muscled and tough.
Boston Herald critic Mark Perigard wrote: “I’d like to give her time - and some pasta - to help her grow into her jeans. Headey looks remarkably like actress Lara Flynn Boyle. She’s a twig of an action heroine.”
The Sarah Connor Charm School, a Terminator fan group which focuses on “physical feminist empowerment”, is also unimpressed by the choice.
The group’s spokesperson Kym Lambert said: “We were very upset to find out that a very thin and non-athletic actress had been chosen out of, supposedly, hundreds to play a role that we as physical feminists found so inspiring.”
British feminist and novelist Bidisha echoed the group’s concerns.
She said: “I am shocked to find out that the producers are clearly sanctioning a new, weedy silhouette in such an iconic and genuinely groundbreaking role. There are two issues here: having a toothpick-thin, feeble-looking Sarah Connor is a crime against the iconography of the character; and presenting a clearly emaciated actress as a heroine is a crime against women.” [Source]
I understand the fact that Terminator fans want a more athletic Sarah Connor (maybe they should have picked Michelle Rodriguez if they wanted the tough type), but I personally don’t think Lena Headey is too thin. What’s your opinion?
Here’s what the original Sarah Connor looked like (played by Linda Hamilton back in the 90s):
Photo source: Daily Mail
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January 21st, 2008 at 7:25 pm
she just needs to buff up her arms a bit. right now she probably has to take breaks while filming to put down that heavy gun.
January 21st, 2008 at 11:27 pm
[...] Lena Headey too thin for terminator role? Celebrity Body Gossip Or how about maybe she was just grossly miscast and that no one should be supporting this tragic [...]
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:48 am
Lena’s slim, she’s petite, but hardly emaciated or skin and bones, please. I do agree, she just needs to buff up the arms. Also, after seeing the first 3 episodes, I now believe they could not have cast Sarah any better.
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:25 pm
EMACIATED? if she’s emaciated, then im dead! WHO THE FUCK (excuse me) says this. a 600 pound whale mamoth? PULEASEEEEE. but true sarah connor was the best (cuz she looked manly) give me a break society. hahahahaha emaciated. hahahaha
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Lena looks HOT! She’s great in the role too. Go Lena!
February 1st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Give me a break!
Here’s a direct quote from Lena Heady off of the contactmusic.com website:
‘British actress LENA HEADEY is prepared to snub Hollywood for British movies - because she is sick of Tinseltown’s obsession with weight. The sexy star of 300 and THE BROTHERS GRIMM finds it too stressful staying slim enough for US casting directors - even though she’s a svelte size 8 (US size 4). Headey says, “You’re surrounded by it out there, you really are. It’s all hyped, whereas here it’s more relaxed. “I’m just glad I’m not a size zero! I’m about a size 8.”
Ha. So there.
February 15th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Body-wise she isn’t too great for the role - she looks like someone who’s naturally skinny that never works out. Her arms are very slim but pretty soft looking. She needs to do some weight training. It would help her to fit the character better - look what Jennifer Garner did for her role in Alias. She worked out a ton and it paid off because she looked really fit - it was appropriate for her character and made it more believable.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:43 am
There is some resemblance between Lena Headey (LH) and Linda Hamilton (LH) — in fact I think Headey and Hamilton could pass off as sisters.
Seen Headey working out in one of the episodes? She did a couple of bar pulls so at least she can raise her own body weight.
I think the casting crew got this one spot-on. A bit thin for my liking but ain’t she sexy?
April 15th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
heady is great for the sarah connor role, some just cant stay away from the original. hamilton looks to tough for a woman. yes she just needs to buff the arms, after the first episode, i couldnt imagine anyone else for the role.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am
What makes you think, Slimboi, that she’s actually doing chins in that scene? As a woman who CAN I have to say I would doubt it. Total miscasting. Especially as she can’t act either.
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
i think lena looks good for the part. she made be thin but she has muscle & she looks right for the part. so whoever says she is too thin they are talking out of their arse cause they don’t know what healthy & unhealthy look like.
December 21st, 2009 at 2:11 am
Rip brittany murphy