[UPDATE] Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Casting Call Reminds Us Hollywood Can Still Be Pretty Gross

This casting call that recently went out for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 reminds us that, for any and all progress we’ve made, Hollywood can still be pretty gross (click to enlarge):

via Alethea Kontis on Twitter

There’s a lot going on in this call, but the entire thing can be summed up as: “Guys, come as you are. Women, you better be hot.” Here, let me break it all down for you.

To start off: I know that “this is how Hollywood/movies work,” and that they’re hoping to get some specific looks. It bugs me, though, that guys are asked to show up in pants and a dark t-shirt or tank top. Women on the other hand are asked to show up in a form-fitting skirt or dress. Ugh.

This isn’t even getting into the fact that there’s two different calls for men only, one of which seems to be a bit of a catchall for “those that don’t fit” the beautiful/model alien call. There’s opportunities for all types of men. But if a woman wants to be an extra in this movie? She had better be hot, apparently.

The footnotes below also send off some bad vibes. Specifically speaking, the one asking attendees to not bring “others that are not one of the types above” is kind of literally othering, isn’t it?

The casting call on the agency’s website requests headshots be sent via e-mail if you can’t make it to the in-person casting, and the subject line they’re asking people to use is very telling of the weird classifications they’re putting on people. The first one for men who are “tough, quirky” types?  They’re the “Galaxy Gang.” The models? “Tall and Attractive.” And there’s one more category that’s mentioned separately as though no one should have assumed it could be naturally included in the “attractive” qualifiers: bald women. Because apparently bald women can’t be tall and attractive without specifically being told it’s OK. What a limiting notion of attractiveness.

If this is what women have to put up with to break into Hollywood, then it makes sense why we’re lacking in representation of body types and looks on the big screen. The problem starts here at the source, at the entry-level work that’s being offered to women. If you can’t fit in to some ideal form, then there’s just no opportunities out there for you starting out. It becomes that much more difficult to gain footing.

This lack of opportunity ripples throughout the entire industry, and movies are often weaker for it. And that’s a real shame.

UPDATE: James Gunn commented on the casting call on Twitter, saying that there’s going to be dozens of cultures in Guardians of the Galaxy 2. This call is apparently only for the first two groups that they’re shooting.

(via Twitter/Alethea Kontis @aletheakontis, featured image via Marvel Entertainment)

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Jessica Lachenal

Jessica Lachenal is a writer who doesn’t talk about herself a lot, so she isn’t quite sure how biographical info panels should work. But here we go anyway. She's the Weekend Editor for The Mary Sue, a Contributing Writer for The Bold Italic (thebolditalic.com), and a Staff Writer for Spinning Platters (spinningplatters.com). She's also been featured in Model View Culture and Frontiers LA magazine, and on Autostraddle. She hopes this has been as awkward for you as it has been for her.

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