America Ferrera in a Little Black Dress + Then & Now
October 13, 2009 in America Ferrera, Then and Now by Versus
Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera was spotted at “Save The Children” Benefit, held at Esquire SoHo, in New York City and she looked curvy & shapely in a little black dress on the red carpet.
Remember America at her heaviest a few years ago? No? Well then, here are some stills from her movie “Real Women Have Curves”:
More of America in her little black dress after the jump!
She looks better now, I think she has a great figure.
For someone who’s basically made her career out of being heavier than the average she’s slimmed down a sensible amount. She can still be the ‘larger’ (she’s not large if we look at American women as a whole) woman and get those roles but is also be healthier.
That dress is also a miracle worker I think.
She’s such a cutie. I love the fact she’s a normal, curvy girl
She’s an awesome rolemodel for little girls and teenager girls, cause she accepts herself in a culture where society dictates that you shouldn’t accept who you are physically
She’s a rolemodel for me, a teenage girl who respectfully flips off skin and bones and hello to curves and muscle- I wish I could have curves like her
you’re soooo right
She always looked beautiful but now her weight seems healthier, too. It suits her. She’s not meant to be really thin, she looks perfect like this. I agree that this dress is really flattering.
It’s funny, she has become famous for her curves (which is exactly what Hollywood needed), but now it appears that Hollywood’s shaping her, she looks healthy now but soon enough she is going to be just another face in the media influenced elite.
People are probably going to hate me for saying this, and I am sorry if I offend anybody, but she is not curvy, she is overweight. She has lost a few and is wearing a black dress, but she is still overweight, not “curvy.”
Also, representing the average American woman is not something commendable; the average American woman is overweight and has a lot of health problems associated with being overweight.
I just want to elaborate on my post a little. I don’t think AF herself is unhealthy, I don’t know, I am not her doctor (although I think she could lose a few and still be healthy).
She could be a “special case” where she is overweight and healthy, but that’s my problem. I don’t think she should be a role model for people that are around her size because most women are not “special cases” and do have increased health risks associated with being overweight. However, women who are bigger than her could probably see a reasonable goal and role model in her.
I don’t wont to argue with you, not at all- I think it’s kind of pathetic to get into an arguement over someone else’s weight…
BUT why do you care all that much if she is overweight? I mean, you only live once and rather than restricting yourself like so many girls do to be what one could dictate as healthy is not really living. I think she should be a role model for anyone who doesn’t want to constantly live by the scales and measuring tape. Someone real.
S’all I’m saying
x?
Steph,
To be honest I don’t really care all that much. I was just posting an opinion here much like anyone else. Like I said, I don’t think it’s a good idea for women her size to look up to her as a role model, but I can’t make anyone do anything. If I really cared I guess I would go hunt America down and force her to lose weight, but I think I’d go to jail if I tried doing that…
Why isn’t it a good idea to look up to her? She’s lost weight and looks to be at a healthy size/weight, don’t know if she falls in the “overweight” category or not, and even if she does it wouldn’t be by much and being a little overweight(if you are following a fairly healthy lifestyle) isn’t a bad thing. Don’t see why it’s so bad for her to be a role model when it comes to this issue, she’s definitely more “qualified” to be a role model now at her current size than she was a few years ago when she did “Real Women Have Curves”. You don’t know 100% that most of the women that are around her size are unhealthy at that size, you are only guessing. Not all women are going to be healthy at a smaller size, just as not all women are going to be healthy at a larger size, we need role models for ALL the (healthy)shapes/sizes that a woman can be, absolutely nothing wrong with America representing her particular shape/size. She looks healthy. If women want to look up to her and use her for their inspiration, why does it matter? It’s better to look up to a woman that is a healthy size(even if she’s “bigger” than her peers), IMO, than looking up to an obviously unhealthy sized woman(whether she’s too big or too small).
Mmm, Instant, I don’t like to claim someone is unhealthy or not since I don’t know them well enough to tell, but I think our difference of opinion stems from the fact that you see her as healthy and I see her as “possibly healthy but could stand to lose a few and be even healthier.” That’s why >I< don't think she is a good choice of a role model. There are plenty curvier, not bordering overweight, women who I think are a better choice but to each their own. If somebody looks up her, what difference does my comment make?
Casey, you’ve stated that you are thin and healthy, and you get crap for being “too skinny”, and people tell you that you “need to eat and gain a few”. How does that make you feel? How would you feel if someone said that even though you may be healthy at your size, you still need to gain a few, and you shouldn’t have people look up to you because of your size? Why is it ok for women, in your opinion, to be bordering underweight/are underweight but still possibly healthy, BUT you have a problem with women that are bordering overweight/are overweight but still possibly healthy? I think if it’s ok for you to be borderline underweight, it’s perfectly ok for women to be borderline overweight, and to be role models. No one is the same in this, what works for you won’t work for the next woman, and vice versa, so is it really fair and correct to make this issue so absolute that a woman that is on either end of the spectrum can’t be seen as ok or role models?
“If somebody looks up her, what difference does my comment make?”
Because it seems you are trying to convince these women that do look up to her that they are wrong.
Well Instant, first off I tend to be a lot harsher about the things I say on this site than in real life. That’s because I don’t think AF will ever read my comment and get hurt by it. I also try to make my comments only about the celebrity’s figure itself and try to put my comments as politely as possible so as to not offend anyone on this blog (sometimes I go overboard and I do feel sorry afterwards, but it’s usually to defend a strong opinion after getting attacked). When I said I didn’t like getting crap, I meant people going up to my face and outright insulting me, and then disregarding my feelings. I meant ER doctors sitting around for 4 hours while I’m throwing up trying to call everyone I know to see if I have anorexia only to find out I had a stomach infection.
Secondly, I don’t think anyone should look at me as a role model. I AM borderline underweight, and happen to be healthy, but a normal person would have to diet excessively to be my size. Also, even though I eat a balanced diet and exercise, I am still not in the best shape I could be even for a thin person. I believe that there are much better thin role models out there than me.
Same for AF. She may be healthy, I never said she is unhealthy, but I do feel that there are women her size who appear to be even healthier or a bit smaller who would make even better role models. But if you look at her and think she is extremely healthy, don’t let my opinion stop you…because the end goal is to get yourself as healthy as possible and there is nothing wrong with that. If you looked at AF and said, “She looks like me! She is my role model!” that would be counterproductive, because a role model shouldn’t be a mirror, a role model should be an inspiration. You CAN be borderline overweight and a role model, I’ve just seen much healthier looking women than AF to be those role models.
Oh I also want to add that the thing that upsets me most about other people’s comments towards me is their assumption that I have an ED and am unhealthy, and they are SURE about it, and even when I tell them I eat like a normal person, they don’t believe me. I don’t mind if they question my health, I would too if I was a normal size 6, but I don’t like when they are sure about it.
I am not sure if AF is healthy or not. I have my doubts, but I also see the possibility that she is. If she went up to me and told me, “Yeah I work out 3 times a week and eat veggies” I would probably believe her. But I don’t know her that well, so I do have a few doubts.
Sorry, I’m going to post once more! I figured out a much shorter and better way to put all of what I said. (I am all over the place because I just woke up ahah)
There’s a difference between insulting someone and saying someone shouldn’t be a role model. I don’t like being insulted, but I don’t mind people saying I shouldn’t be a role model.
I didn’t insult AF, I just said she’s not a good role model imo. That’s not just because she is borderline overweight, but she doesn’t strike me as someone who is for sure healthy. She may be, but she may also not be. Nothing about her appearance confirms it for me, and I don’t know her personally.
Also, role models shouldn’t be mirrors, they should be inspirations. We can have “mirror” celebrities that we like (mine is Alessandra Ambrosio b/c we have similar body structure) but she is not my role model. My role model is someone like Bar Rafeli who looks fit and healthy, a tad bit bigger, but still achievable for my frame.
I hope that clarified things. Sorry for all of the posts!
Casey, I read all of your comments and overall I think you are being pretty reasonable. I would argue, however, that America’s potential to be a role model to overweight women is actually a very healthy and positive thing. I won’t make assumptions about your past, but it sounds like you have a relatively simple time staying slim. For those of us that struggle, it can be tremendously inspiring to see someone like America Ferrara – someone at a healthy weight (and yes, I would argue that she is healthy if not aesthetically ideal) that is attainable to the average women with limited resources. I am quite slim at the moment, but that didn’t happen overnight, and seeing women who are beautiful, healthy, and larger than the average celebrity was extremely inspirational and motivating to me at my larger size.
I don’t think that you’re wrong about her weight – she would probably be even healthier if she lost a few, at least according to traditional BMI brackets. It’s just all relative, and I think that she looks great and represents one end of the healthy spectrum. I highly doubt that she has a BMI over 25, but I could be wrong.
Hey Cat. I definitely commend you for having the patience to read the chaos that are my posts on this thread. I don’t think I can go back and read them.
I think somewhere I did say that I can see bigger women looking up to her and nothing is wrong with that. I just didn’t think it was a good idea for women her size to think that because AF is that size and healthy that they are automatically healthy (what I call mirroring). If AF is an improvement to someone’s figure and inspires them to be healthier, then excellent! Getting healthy in any way is not always the easiest thing to do and everyone needs a realistic inspiration. For a bigger woman to expect to look like Miranda Kerr for example is probably not a reasonable or healthy goal. After realizing that they may never be that thin, they can get discouraged and give up so it’s nice to set an achievable goal.
I personally think AF could stand to lose a few more without sacrificing health or nutrition, but weight and beauty is all relative, like you said.
your just jealous because she is sexy and not anorexic skinny like other models they call beautiful now.
I have no idea whether she’s overweight or not but she’s definitely curvy. She’s got boobs, smaller waist and hips. You can be overweight and curvy and slim and curvy (both to an extent of course)
Sorry to disagree with you, but the standard today of underweight and anorexic actresses/actors portrayed in the media is not a healthy example either. In fact, I have struggled with my weight, and have been what the charts call a “perfect weight” and people have told me I look awful! It’s when I am about ten pounds over what the charts say that I look healthy, curvy, and beautiful, and I can tell you my husband agrees. I think before you comment on health, weight, etc, you should research a little more before you call someone as beautiful as America “overweight”. I think if she lost more she would be unattractive.
I wonder if we had her weight and height info if she was really overweight, she is definitely not skinny but I don’t think she looks THAT big, just kind of chubby. Anyway, it is uneducated to assume that anyone who is overweight (as defined by BMI) is unhealthy! There are so many other things that go into being at a healthy weight such as where the person gains weight and adipose tissue location (which clearly America does not gain weight in her midsection). I bet she also goes to the gym and eats sensibly.
I think she might be overweight, but also looks curvy, she has cot boobs and booty and somewhat defined a waist, which not all overweight women have. And i agree that a BMI over 25 doesn’t necessarily mean an unhealthy body, i know lots of people who eat quite healthily and exercise, but like to indulge and/ or eat a little bit too much to be thinner / lose weight. As long as it’s within moderation (as i’d think is the case w/ America), your body might be doing just fine, even better than if u were skinny..
she is so lovely! love, love, love her
she looks fabulous…yes she did loose some weigt but I think she is more in shape but still curvy….
She looks wonderful.
Versus should post America’s bikini pics that have been making the rounds in other blogs; it would be a better way to compare her body from then and now!
she is pretty and i like her “new” body
she looks wonderful and she lost so much weight.I’m sure she won’t stop here because there is this obsession in Hollywood you have to be 0-2 size
so I think we’ll be seeing more of her next year…30 pounds or more lighter 
She looks fantastic. End.
I also don’t get why so many people pick at her weight. She’s the one who has to live with and I don’t see the high-and-mighty weight police rushing over to to act as her nutritionist.
I despise that saying/theory/ideology of “Real woman have curves”
…….and I despise the saying “White men can’t jump”……who cares!?!
i agree as well. women of all sizes are real women.
I think America is gorgeous she represents what many women look like right now. I think whoever says she is unhealthy is very ignorant YES IGNORANT. You have no idea if she is healthy or not because in your eyes she looks overweight. My god really. At any rate i think she is probably at a healthy weight. If you have ever looked at a BMI chart it ranges ALOT. For my height at 5’5″ my weight can range from 119 to 150 and still be healthy. And that is going off weight alone not county frame and muscle and whatnot. Anyways i think this war between women has to end WHO THE HELL CARES!!!??? It is very unhealthy both mentally and physically to try to starve yourself to be skinny and fit in and it is equally unhealthy to be overweight and obese. Neither should be Ok in society because u can DIE from both. Yes thats right there is a bigger consequence than not fitting into your skinny jeans perfectly. Different is healthy and i think women from all weight ranges can be beautiful Nicole Kidman has to be one of the most ethereal beauties on this planet and yes SHE IS THIN and definitely looks all woman and yes America is gorgeous and a little chunky and that is all woman too. Women are judged on superficial levels so often that we forget that we have more important things to offer the world. Like our brains and kick ass personalities. Even the amazing ability to bear children. Women are amazing creatures and should be proud of that . Forget body shape and just be happy with the blessed fact that your not a man LMAO.
It’s a false dilemma – be overweight and happy with your weight, OR be unnaturally skinny.
As for role models, those should be people to LOOK UP TO. Not someone who makes you feel better about being not so perfect. They’re suppose to be one step (or more) ahead of you, even if you do personally can’t/don’t have the time to dedicate to reach perfection. In thinking my role model is Thomas Jefferson, not the guy who sells newspapers at the corner, you get my drift?
My body role model is Michelle Obama. She is at a healthy weight, she exercises frequently, she’s strong and fit. Her body isn’t perfect, but you can’t deny it’s healthy.
She is NOT SKINNY. She is ATHLETIC. It’s ATHLETIC vs everything else. Overweight is bad, skinny is bad (your life expectancy drops below 21 BMI, even if below 21 it’s considered normal, and actual underweight people have health problems just like overweight people).
No, it’s HEALTHY vs. everything else.
As for Thomas Jefferson vs. guy selling newspapers on the corner, well, what if the guy selling the newspaper is the owner/operator of his stand and not just a worker there, isn’t that something to look up to? Sooo, I, personally, am not looking up to AF because she makes me feel better because I’m not perfect(though she does show me that I don’t have to be “perfect” body wise), I look up to her because she is a good representation for my particular body type. I’m not athletic, I’m not slim, I’m not tall, I’m kinda thick/large framed, and AF is what I aspire to be close to for my weight loss goal.
Overweight isn’t necessarily bad, if you are leading a fairly healthy lifestyle(eating right, moderate exercise, etc…), just as it isn’t necessarily bad to be skinny, if you are leading a fairly healthy lifestyle. There’s more to it than the numbers on the scale, yard stick, and the BMI.
I get what you mean, but healthy = exercise and a reasonably trim midsection, if not anything else (thigh fat is actually good for you, heart-protective). Athletic is simply taking it further to a level of fitness you can admire. In the grand scheme of things it’s the best you can be.
Yes, for a normal joe/jane, being non-overweight (and I’m talking certified by a doctor, not by BMI crap), eating right, and exercising occasionally is good, GREAT even. But I was talking ROLEMODELS. Obviously it should be someone you look up to. Not someone who is just like you and didn’t accomplish anything special.
You can’t choose being naturally slim, or naturally tall, or naturally curvy. You can’t chose having big boobs, or gaining fat all over instead of just in the gut, or having a nice, lithe bone structure. But athletic is 100% the option of ANYONE.
I hope I’m still kicking it when I’m 60+, still strong enough, still flexible enough, with strong bones that don’t break when I trip and fall lightly, and with enough past healthy history that I don’t have diabetes, and high blood pressure and heart disease.
To get to that, should I look up to a chubby person who is mediocre in their efforts, or to someone who is obviously at the pinnacle of their fitness, and who has the most chances of getting to that ideal old age?
“But athletic is 100% the option of ANYONE.”
Sorry, I guess we just have different views as to what “athletic” is. I always think of toned, muscly builds, like Jessica Biel, Cameron Diaz and the Williams sisters, when I think of “athletic”. That’s not my body type. I don’t get visible tone when I’m in good shape, so I don’t look to the athletes/athletically built for my personal role models. AF, Christina Hendricks, women like them that are softer even when fit, those are the women I look to for role models. Just because AF doesn’t fit your ideal doesn’t mean she can’t be a role model. She may only seem “average” or “normal” to you, but to us that share similar body types to her, she is above average for us. I’m not looking at her “Real Women Have Curves” figure, I’m looking at her current figure when I say she is/can be a role model. And no, I don’t have low expectations, I have realistic ones when it comes to my particular body shape/type. Why would I look to someone outside of my particular build for inspiration/role model? That doesn’t make sense. I don’t expect you to see AF(and women like her) as YOUR personal role model, but I also don’t think it is right for you to say she can’t be a role model AT ALL because she doesn’t fit YOUR personal criteria for role models.
BTW, my grandmothers were both in different physical shape. My paternal grandmother was athletic, my maternal grandmother wasn’t and was overweight. They both lived to 60+, my paternal grandmother died from cancer, and my maternal grandmother died in a car crash. Neither one, as far as I can recall, had any broken bones in their later age. My point is that athletic isn’t the only ideal to try and live up to, and to reach old age.
Um, gaining muscle isn’t magic. It’s not a quality of a certain body type. If you eat excess calories, mostly in protein, and do strenght training, you WILL gain muscle. It’s as simple as that. and if you do cardio, your heart muscle will also strenghten and your blood pressure WILL drop, and your risk of a dozen types of illnesses WILL drop.
If you also have a low body fat percentage, the muscle “shows”, in that “toning” thing people say (there’s no actual physical process as toning, either you gain or lose muscle, and gain or lose fat).
But if you are on the higher side of normal weight, it might not show as much, since the muscle will be hidden under a layer of fat. But that doesn’t mean you can’t become more athletic. You’d still be athletic (as in strong, fit, able to run, or climb, or do strenuous exercise without toppling over gasping for air).
Notice that I didn’t say my role model is “an athlete”. Those people lower their body fat incredibly, way over what’s recommended for an amateur. It’s not recommended to do that, unless you have specialist supervision.
Jessica Biel, Cameron Diaz, they’re not naturally bulky/”toned”, there’s no such thing, for women. There’s no “toned” body type. Have you seen Jessica Biel lately? She’s a twig now. Lost all those beautiful muscles. Why? Because muscle ONLY results if you work it. Stop working it, you lose it. That’s why it’s so important to BE athletic and push your body to gain muscle and stay flexible and strong. Because as time goes by, you lose TONS of that muscle mass EASILY, and to gain it takes a helluva lot more time and energy.
If you’re naturally curvy and soft (and I don’t mean anything bad by that, I’m reffering to the look) then be happy. It means you can probably work out, be strong and fit, AAAND probably save some boobage in the process lol. You won’t get definition, but that =/= no muscle mass. And from what I’ve read, Christina Hendricks does work out 3x/week.
As for your grandparent examples – anecdotes don’t prove anything. I could tell you about my chain smoking, chain drinking, fatty food eating grandmother who lived to 90 years old. It doesn’t prove anything (except that her genes were awesome
) – scientifically speaking, it’s averages over a population which tell you the effects of your actions.
Besides, the idea of unhealthy things – it does not cause a direct effect. They only INCREASE your RISK. If your genetic make-up is particularly sturdy, you might tide that over. If you’re unlucky in that your genetic make-up is sensitive, you’ll get cancer/diabetes even if you’re a saint.
The whole point in being healthy isn’t to guarantee a healthy future (after all, your point – you might just get hit by a car, or develop cancer anyways). It’s to give you the BEST possible chance. And it might not increase your lifespan. But it sure as hell will improve your quality of life.
suzushuii, I’m not saying I can’t gain muscle, I have no problem in that respect, as a matter of fact my amount of muscle makes me weigh more than people think I weigh. I’m saying I can’t get muscle DEFINITION like an athletically built woman like Jessica Biel does(btw, when she isn’t a stick and has a healthy amount of body fat, she’s still very toned, I think that it is, actually, a natural body type for women, just as some are slim and curvy, slim and straight, thick and curvy or thick and straight). I’m strong but soft looking. So the problem here isn’t that I’m not saying I can’t be athletic, the problem here is the difference in how we view athletic. I was thinking you were using the term to describe a body type, not a healthy lifestyle. I think there’s a difference between being athletic and living a lifestyle that keeps you strong and fit. In one case, you actually LOOK like you are living that strong, fit, healthy lifestyle, and you LOOK like an athlete. The other, while you’ll still look healthy and what not, you may not make people think “Oh, she’s an athlete, cool” when they first look at you
Yeah, but I judge athleti (cness? ticity? Have no idea, it’s not my first language) by how you can hold yourself.
Can you run without getting winded?
Can you carry something heavy for a short distance?
Can you be active throughout the day – dance, and walk on a trip somewhere etc.
Can you bend down and touch the floor with your fists, while your legs are straight, and other such normal range of flexibility?
Does a hike strike horror into you, or does it sound like a fun day?
Most un-athletic people can’t do stuff like that without looking like they’ve been through an ordeal. Which is a shame. If America Ferrera was fit like that, I’d take her over 100 coke-sniffing, Redbull-as-nourishment Lindsay Lohans any day of the week.
Muscle tone? Bah. That’s mere aesthetics. As long as you’re not overweight, who cares. Definition is only recently become such a focus. Have you seen older Hollywood movies? Most men weren’t as ripped as they are now. You RARELY see a six pack. I remember seeing Spartacus and thinking – wow, he’s suppose to be this super strong guy, and his pecs are….moobish.
And now you have 300 where on top of grueling, ridiculous 6 hour workout bodies, they also added FURTHER MAKE-UP to make them look even MORE ripped. Ridiculous.
she looks great, she is so beautifull and I believe its more healthy her current weight
i really doubt that at her current size America has a BMI over 25 – its probably close to 25 but I really doubt she is technically overweight.
She’s pretty and looks soo much better than she did in the older shots, you couldn’t have called her a role model then but i see no reason why you couldn’t now
She’s beautiful, then and now.
i really appreciate the fact that America is so proud of her BEAUTIFUL body, but i don’t agree with the saying that “real women have curves”. yes, some women do have curves, while others don’t. so, does that mean that the people who don’t aren’t real women? that’s not fair. there is no size or shape to women. we come in different sizes, different shapes. people should start excepting every size!! everyone’s body’s are different, but they are ALL beautiful!! we are allll real women.
Curvy is not being above average. She is very very pretty, BUT curves are hourglass shapes, not because you are a bigger size.
And, as always, “real women have curves”, that’s just silly. Means some of my friends arent real womens because they’re not size 10, 12? Because, curvy = non slim? Why even make a movie called that? I’ve seen it, and i don’t really get it.
Kim is curvy, Becone is curvy, anyone with hourglass shape is curvy, regardless weight or size (well, not to the extreme). Please, curvy says it all. Skinny ppl can be curvy. Am i the only one thinking this way?
Even at her heaviest, she was well proportioned… so she has THAT working in her favor.
She looks a lot better now and has an hourglass figure and a beautiful face. I think she’s just fine.
You really can’t tell how she looks under that dress. She could be wearing a corset which I am sure she is. But then again many celebrities do this.
i agree with you, in fact i don’t think she lost any weight from the looks of these pictures. Shes probably wearing spanks or some other corset as you suggest because from the front she looks the same size except for one spot on her waist.
She is overweight period. Those who say otherwise are probably overweight too. Her stomach is big. Most fat people use food as their drug. Over indulging in food is sad and causes health problems.
I think she looks perfectly fine in that beautiful black dress. She looks healthy to me. I’m smaller than her and I think that she is gorgeous looking.
She’s not obese, she has a smaller waist. It’s probably her natural genetic makeup to have big hips. A lot of women out there have naturally big hips, but are healthy and have smaller waists. She’s definitely made an improvement from before. Give her credit and don’t assume that she’s unhealthy by the way she looks. All shapes and sizes can be deemed healthy and unhealthy.
I believe that as long as one is happy with their body, who cares what others think about
She’s overweight.The United States is the most obese country on the planet.Our ideas of “normal weight” has changed over the years.I was at Six Flags the other day & so many people could not fit in their seats so they were removed.Keep in mind these rides were built over 40 years ago!People have grown larger!
When I think of curvy I think of JLO,Kim Kardashian,and Beyonce-who are very toned but not stick skinny.If you look at her body she has a little fat around her.She’s not obese-just chubby.
As for Hollywood,the majority of the women are not skinny little stick figures.They’re much healthier than the average American.You have to remember since image is a part of Hollywood a lot of them work with trainers and do have a fitness plan.This just pushes them to take care of their bodies than the majority of people.
One more thing I have to add is that I have travelled to other countries before (Denmark,Romania,Japan,among others)and I have noticed that people are generally thinner.They exercise more and eat fresh foods something that most Americans don’t do.When my European friend visited America,she was blown away by American portions in restaurants.
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