The female A-listers spreading body positivity (2024)

It is no secret that A-listers face an insurmountable pressure to look a certain way.

However, this weekKate Winsletproudly revealed she had'refused to conceal her belly rolls' during filming for her latest film Lee.

The Oscar-winning actress, 48,revealed a member of the crew suggested she sit up straighter to hide her tummy, to which the star hit back: 'So you can't see my belly rolls? Not on your life! It was deliberate, you know?'

But Kate isn't the first female celebrity to vocalise their opinions on unattainable body standards as fellow Hollywood stars band together to celebrate their bodies.

Here MailOnline takes a look at the A-listers who have shared their body positivity messages and are inspiring future generations to stop 'wasting energy' worrying about their bodies.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has been very vocal in 'not complying' with Hollywood's body standards and has condemned the 'shocking' expectations placed on young women in the industry.

Speaking in an interview with ELLE magazine last year, the actress, 28, confessed: 'I'm not trying to hide the cellulite on my thigh.'

Opening up about how she accepts her body and is comfortable and happy in her own skin, she said 'I speak the way I do about my body because I’m not trying to hide the cellulite on my thigh or the squidge in between my arm and my boob: I would much rather lay it all out.

'I think the scariest thing for me are the instances where people have been upset that I’ve shown ‘too much’ of myself.'

In July 2023, Florence faced criticism after she wore a nipple-baring, hot pink gown to the Valentino Haute Couture show in Rome.

Despite wowing in the show-stopping look, the star was faced with a backlash of comments from 'vulgar' men who took to social media to point out her 'flaws' and 'tiny t**s'.

Hitting back at trolls on Instagram, Florence wrote: 'What's been interesting to watch and witness is just how easy it is for men to totally destroy a woman's body, publicly, proudly, for everyone to see.

'So many of you wanted to aggressively let me know how disappointed you were by my 'tiny t**s', or how I should be embarrassed by being so 'flat chested'.

'I've lived in my body for a long time. I'm fully aware of my breast size and am not scared of it.'

The star has also been vocal about how she refuses to diet for roles and put her foot down when working in the Hollywood industry.

Speaking to Vogue she said:'Women in Hollywood, especially young women in Hollywood, are obviously putting themselves in all these ways in order to get whatever opportunity that they need to get because that's just the way that it's been.

'When I went and I did that project it was expected that you would be on whatever diet you needed to be on and for me that was shocking because I'd never done that before.

'It's not to say other people can't do that but I think I definitely put my foot down in that aspect. I love food.'

Gillian Anderson

Gillian Anderson is known for being unapologetically herself and has admitted while in her younger years she was 'completely obsessed about her weight' now she her attitude has shifted.

Appearing as a guest on Elizabeth Day's podcast How To Fail, the Sex Education actress, 55, revealed she no longer cares about her body image and doesn't beat herself up for her appearance.

Reflecting back on her twenties she said: 'There were photo shoots and the pictures that I see today are so lovely but I was completely self obsessed about my weight, completely distracted.

'Now [when I look at them] I see youth and beauty and I think "God I remember how tortured you were inside your head at that time"

'I think back at the time wasted in that time of beating up of self and for nought.

'And I could be doing the same today, something shifted at some point and I thought "I'm not doing this anymore. I am not doing this beating up anymore".'

'I was suddenly like "I am not going to care anymore" as life is too precious to be stuck in that self obsession and if I walk out of the house and I haven't brushed my hair for a week then so be it.'

Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson has preached that it is a 'waste of our time and energy and life's purpose' to worry about our body image.

The award-winning actress, 65, spoke candidly about her relationship with her body back in 2022 while promoting her movie Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, which included her own nude scene.

Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she admitted: 'We're not good at accepting our bodies, and particularly women whose status is related to body image and iconography and blah blah blah it's all very boring and a waste of our time and energy and life's purpose.

Opening up about her deep rooted insecurity with her body, she confessed: 'I think that I started hating my body when I was about 14.

'I think those neural pathways are kind of well carved into my soul. I know we laugh, but you think of all those eight-year-olds out there going 'I don't like my thighs.'

Asked if she had a message for 14-year-olds who are experiencing poor body image now, Emma told them to 'not waste their time'.

In an inspirational message she said: 'Don't waste your time, don't waste your life's purpose worrying about your body.

'This is your vessel, it's your house, it's where you live, there's no point in judging it, absolutely no point, but it's very hard to do.'

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez has been an incredible advocate of body positivity for young women after discussing her body image over the years.

In January, the former Disney star, 32, shared a throwback snap of herself in a tiny zebra bikini from 2013, followed by a current bathing suit photo from 2023 which saw her displaying a fuller figure in high-waisted bikini bottoms and a white tube top.

She wrote: 'Today, I realized I will never look like this again... I'm not perfect but I am proud to be who I am... sometimes I forget it's ok to be me.'

Back in 2022 she displayed her 'don't caring' attitude as she told fans on TikTok: 'So I be trying to stay skinny but I went to Jack In The Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings and a spicy chicken sandwich,'

'But honestly, I don't care about my weight because people b***h about it anyway. "You're too small. You're too big, That doesn't fit. Meh Meh Meh."

'B***h, I am perfect the way I am. Moral of the story? Bye.'

Selena has also hit back at trolls after she explained her lupus medication often causes her to gain weight as she admitted she would 'never be a model'.

The Lose You to Love Me singer - who has previously been vocal about her autoimmune disease diagnosis and mental health journey - also said: 'When I'm off of it, I tend to kind of lose weight.'

While continuing to celebrate body positivity, she expressed that the minor side effect is incomparable to her health: 'My medications are important, and I believe they are what helps me.'

In response to the haters, she told them to 'go away, 'cause, honestly, I don't believe in shaming people for [their] body or anything.'

'So, yeah, not a model,' she said, adding, 'Never will be.'

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga was recently forced to deny rumours she was pregnant after she was hit withspeculation after she wore a tight fitted black dress to her sister's recent wedding in Maine.

Taking to TikTok to directly shutdown the online chatter, the Just Dance hitmaker snapped back: 'Not pregnant – just down bad cryin at the gym.'

Referencing Taylor Swift's lyrics, Lady Gaga, 38, hit back at the unrealistic expectations on woman's stomachs to be completely flat.

Back in 2012 Lady Gaga revealed she thought it was 'f*****g ridiculous' when pictured of her gaining weight were pictured on the news.

She told Stylist Magazine at the time: ' I was acutely aware of some photos on the internet – my mum called me and was like, “Did you gain weight?” – everybody was telling me about it, and I didn’t really care.

'But when I heard it was on the news, where they talk about wars, the economy crashing and the election – I just thought, "This is f***ing ridiculous."'

She added: 'I mean, what kind of example is that to a young girl sitting at home? I thought, well I don’t really care if they think I’m fat, because, quite honestly, I did gain about 30 pounds.'

Nicola Coughlan

Nicola Coughlan was recently hailed an 'icon' for her 'clever' comeback to a question about nudity as she took part in a promotional event for her upcoming Bridgerton series.

The actress, 37, who stars in a series of racy scenes and even a naked sex scene in her role as Penelope Featherington, hit back ata female journalist who commented that she was 'very brave' to take on the part.

As some regarded the statementas a 'backhanded comment', Nicolabrilliantly responded herself saying: 'You know, it is hard because I think women with my body type - women with perfect breasts - we don't get to see ourselves onscreen enough!'

'And I'm very proud as a member of the perfect breasts community. I hope you enjoy seeing them.'

Fans of the star were quick to respond to the moment that has begun circulating on social media as they said: 'It must have been one of those insulting, backhanded comments. Nicola's clever!'

'Great response, shame we don't see Luke's reaction lol'; 'Brilliant! Next question!'; 'Icon behavior'; 'She's my queen.'

Serena Williams

Serena has also discussed her feelings on body image after she said how she felt like her sister Venus had a body deemed more acceptable by society when they were growing up as she was more slender than her younger sibling.

Speaking to Vogue the tennis champion, 42, said: 'When I was growing up, what was celebrated was different. Venus looked more like what is really acceptable: she has incredibly long legs, she’s really, really thin.

'I didn’t see people on TV that looked like me, who were thick. There wasn’t positive body image. It was a different age.'

Serena, who is mother to daughter Olympia, two, who she shares with her husband Alexis Ohanian, explained she is 'thankful' for the body she has.

She said: 'How amazing that my body has been able to give me the career that I’ve had, and I’m really thankful for it. I only wish I had been thankful sooner.

'It just all comes full circle when I look at my daughter.'