Rumer Willis: I want to be a positive body-image role model

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Rumer Willis’s publicity tour continues! Last week we heard Rumer’s musings on her career, where Rumer somewhat disingenuously claimed, “If you’re talented you’ll get work. If you suck then you won’t.” I don’t have a hate-on for this girl like some people (no judgment, I get it) but I do find her mildly amusing/sad.

I find it a little sad how she wants to be thought of as both a real actress, and perhaps a unique celebrity, apart from her parents – and how she fails on both counts. I also think that it’s a little sad (and amusing) that she’s the second booked guest on The Late Showafter Howie Mandel, and even then, she gets bumped. Then last night I was watching the trailer for Sorority Row (which is the film Rumer is promoting) and I noticed something strange – she’s only in the trailer for a split second. It’s as if the producers of a crappy B-list film don’t even want people to know Rumer’s in it – and yet she’s out there trying to promote the hell out of it.

But she still sticking with it, so I have to give her some credit. She’s not going to take “no thanks, we really aren’t interested in anything about you” for an answer. She’s going to force us to be interested. Now Rumer’s flexing her sisterhood cred in a new interview, talking about the struggles her younger sisters have had with body image:

Rumer Willis has blasted “stick-skinny” actresses. The 21-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore is disgusted by “young Hollywood” because it promotes the idea you need to “see your bones through your skin” to be considered beautiful. The actress told BANG Showbiz:

“I think that in general, especially in the last few years in the younger generation, the idea of perfection that has developed in Hollywood is wrong. There needs to be a shift in that.

“I have two younger sisters in high school and they talk about image all the time. Girls need to have a better body image. The stars out there now, they don’t need to be stick-skinny to the point you can see their bones through your skin. It’s not a good look.

“You don’t need to be like that to be beautiful or perfect or to fit in. What you are is exactly what you should be. You can’t let other people dictate your life or tell you how to feel about yourself because then you’re not living.”

Rumer – who stars in upcoming horror film ‘Sorority Row’ – has vowed to devote her career to being a “positive” role model for “normal” girls. She explained: “One of the most important things that I would love to do if I get to continue doing this job is to be a really positive role model for young women about their body image and about eating.

“I want to start giving girls a better body image.”

[From I’m Not Obsessed]

Meh. I get what Rumer’s saying, I know the message she‘s trying to put out there, and there’s a good chance she’s being totally genuine. But I’m not sure if she’s the “role model” most young girls want or would ever choose for themselves. Can you imagine? Some 13-year-old girl saying, “I want to be just like Rumer Willis!” In my opinion, I tend to think young girls would look up to this identical message from someone like Scarlett Johansson, Ellen Page or Kristen Stewart. Someone young, beautiful, unique, talented and credible as an actress, celebrity and as a feminist. Not some pushy, entitled celebrity daughter starring in a budget slasher film that most likely features (and I’m just taking a wild guess here) scantily-clad girls running around, dying horrible deaths.

And one last point: as for the whole healthy body image thing, doesn’t it seem like Rumer has dropped a lot of weight in the past year? Guess she felt the need to fit in to Hollywood’s size standards after all.

Here’s Rumer and mom Demi at the Los Angeles Red Carpet Screening of “Spread” on August 3rd. Images thanks to Fame Pictures .

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27 Responses to “Rumer Willis: I want to be a positive body-image role model”

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  1. mila says:

    It sounds a bit silly from the mouth of a person whose mother spent fortune on adjusting her body to the hollywood standards.

  2. Ellen Smith says:

    Role model for fuglies.

  3. Jake says:

    I don’t think Potato Face should aspire to being a role model. She is not only ugly, but extremely stuck up, and not very bright.

  4. Neelyo says:

    She’ll have a better chance at that than becoming a credible actress.

  5. kelbear says:

    I didnt like her in The House Bunny

  6. Firestarter says:

    The most positive thing she can do it put a bag over her head.

    Okay, I am being mean, but that is how I feel.

  7. BitterBetty says:

    She’s a very positive face-image role model for trannies and carnies.

  8. fizXgirl314 says:

    did you really claim Scarlett Johansson is really talented?? Besides, wouldn’t it be more credible and genuine coming from someone who doesn’t exactly have the best genes?

    I kind of like the fact that she’s odd looking.. but she should really get out of show business… the public is going to be BRUTAL toward someone who looks like she does… I hope she’s made of steel :/

  9. LolaBella says:

    We’ll remember her saying this in a few years when she’s had her chin surgically shaved down, her lips injected with collagen and she’s skinny like Rachel Zoe.

    STFU Rumor!

  10. Annicka says:

    Her body isn’t the problem. It’s her face. No one ever says anything like, “Oh my god Rumer Willis has such a pancake ass!”. No, it’s always “Oh my god Rumer Willis has such a potato head!”

    Focus on the real issue, Rumer. And stand up straight. She’s always hunching, isn’t she?

  11. Zoe says:

    I don’t know, I think she’s a great role model for NOT crumbling under the pressure to look a certain way. Imagine the pressure on her (just read the comments above) to look beautiful and yet she hasn’t gone under the knife.

    Kristin Stewart, Scarjo and Ellen Page are already beautiful. Rumor, being average looking, in a very unrealistic, cruel shallow industry, is the only one actually PUTTING HER MONEY WHERE HER MOUTH IS by embracing her looks as they are.

    I think it’s awesome and it means WAY more to me than Kate Winslet, et al, blathering on and on about how they’re just your average, normal woman with *gasp* “curves” and how they never diet, etc.

    In Rumor’s case, it’s the real thing. Brava to her.
    Now she just needs to shut up, take some acting lessons, work hard and stick to her guns.

  12. Jeane says:

    Zoe, I agree.

    I think Rumer deserves some credit for sticking with her looks even though she gets harshly mocked and bullied on the internet. See comments above. Must be fun to have the entire world call you “potatohead” (thanks, Perez Hilton).

    By the way, I don’t even think she is that ugly. She has a very interesting face and can look totally gorgeous, but it all depends on the hair, really.

  13. Susette says:

    She once said she was teased in school because of her looks, and I believe it. I’m sure it left a mark on her, and I believe she’s genuine when she’s making these statements. Sadly, still delusional, but genuine.

  14. AJ says:

    I wish someone would explain to me what makes it okay for Perez Hilton to call women names while he cries a river over being called the f word. The logic completely defies me.

  15. tooey says:

    I’ve just got a soft spot for this girl! When she was born, I named my dog after her. Rumer, an AKC-registered German Shepherd; all that quality breeding (allegedly) and still she just looked like a plain ole Lab, lol. But she was a good dog who passed away in 07 at 14.5 years, so I just hold a soft spot for plain ole Rumer Willis…

  16. maddie says:

    @ AJ:

    I wish someone would explain to me what makes it okay for Perez Hilton to call women names while he cries a river over being called the f word. The logic completely defies me.

    Because he is an asshat bully who is not only judgmental but a hypocrite to boot.

    She not beautiful as Hollywood goes, but what does Hollywood know when most of those beauties are injected with silicon, saline, plastic cheeks, crap injected into your lips, forehead and your whole face stretched and pulled until your eyebrows are meeting your hairline for the first time.

    She has a quirky look to her, and she looks best when she has the pixie hairdo to frame her face.

  17. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    If people are supposed to genuinely believe that neither Winslet nor Johannson have had loads or rhinoplasty (or whatever else they may be doing in that clandestine way), I will buy you an ox. I will buy you an ox and have that ox raise Charlemagne from the grave.

    But far be it from me to judge a book by its contents.

  18. Spooge says:

    If she really wanted to be a positive body image she’d stay indoors… ew..

  19. tasteT says:

    She looks JUST like her mother BEFORE all of her SURGERY–she claims she NEVER had..

    yup, Demi said she has not had ANY surgery–she won’t even own up to those plastic balls on her chest..

    She should have surgery just like her mother did…starting w/that chin and jawline.

  20. GatsbyGal says:

    Rumer can’t afford to have a positive body image with THAT face. Her curves better be kickin because that’s the only that will possibly be able to sell her in Hollywood.

  21. RaraAvis says:

    Excuse me, but she isn’t “putting on a brave front”. She keeps putting herself out there because she has an ego as large as both her parents combined. Hey, airhead, get your ass back to school and learn something. That’s the type of “role models” we need.

  22. Kevin says:

    Well, at least she’s not a mashed potato head. Or even a scalloped potato head.

  23. Alexa says:

    Very disturbing commentary . . .

  24. Kayleigh says:

    Scarlett talented? Are you high?

  25. Victoria says:

    Rumor could have had a fantastic first-class education, instead she wants to be famous and get mocked for her looks.

    She gets to be in movies but they hide her face. Quick shots of her for one second and she is always hidden by glasses or other items.

    She has 2 wealthy parents, why have they allowed their daughter to be mocked? Aren’t they hurt for her?

  26. dee says:

    Stop hating on this young women.
    You all should be ashamed on yourselves.

  27. GatsbyGal says:

    Come down off your pedestal, Dee. You’re the one skulking around a gossip website, nobody’s a saint here. Don’t you have a potluck dinner or a knitting circle to be getting to?