Actress Sofia Vergara is extra. She’s loud and candid, much to the delight of fans. I don’t think any of us were surprised when she walked onto the platform to speak to Giuliana Rancic for her E! Red Carpet interview with a blue fan attached to her iPhone. But just because Vergara is very capable of doing the most, doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a deeper message. It wasn’t planned, but by the time Vergara walked away from the platform, she had officially schooled Rancic on exactly what women have to offer in front of the camera.
In addition to questions about her outfit and accessories, Rancic pushed Vergara on what projects she has in the works. Vergara responded that she had actually just finished a movie in Europe where she plays a spy. “The hottest spy, ever,” Rancic retorts. Vergara could have easily accepted this as a compliment on her physical beauty, but not this time. “I’m not hot in the movie,” Vergara respond. So it doesn’t look like Vergara is going to be our latest femme fatale. But the cherry on top of this conversation came when Vergara added “I don't always have to be hot.” Boom!
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A deep enough search of ‘Sofia Vergara’ will unearth several think pieces about how both her public and fictional personas feed into stereotypes about “spicy Latinas” being super sexy, all the time. So it makes sense that she would want to clapback on the assumptions that she’s bringing nothing but good looks to her role. But her statement has broader implications for all actresses and performers.
Hollywood is known for being full of “beautiful people.” But while men are honored for their talents and skills before anything else, women are still judged by their looks first. Women still don’t make up the majority of lead roles in major films. And at tonight’s Emmys, women of color have been relegated to supporting roles. Now, more than ever, we need to recognize that women are full human beings, capable of conveying a range of emotions and human experiences, regardless of how they look. Vergara’s quip is something we can all stand to remember.
Check out the clip below.