Hollywood Said No — But They Redefined Beauty and Success

Hollywood practically runs on beauty, youth (or Botox and fillers), and cookie-cutter perfection. But these women didn’t fit that mold, so they were told they didn’t have “it.” The reasons were plenty and each more ridiculous than the other: hair too red, skin too pale, body too curvy, accent too strong, energy too intense. That type of treatment would’ve crushed lesser humans, but these women didn’t give up, they kept showing up and in the end they built careers that made those critics look painfully out of touch. Let’s talk about how a bunch of so-called “misfits” became Hollywood royalty.

Jessica Chastain: Not Cute Enough, Not Cool Enough, Way Too Redhead

Hollywood didn’t quite know what to do with Jessica Chastain. She had impeccable training and talent, but casting directors just didn’t think she looked like a star, whatever that means. Her red hair and porcelain skin didn’t fit the usual spray-tan, beach-wave blueprint they were using in the early 2000s for lead roles. She was also told she looks too intense for sit-coms and rom-coms.

But Jessica kept showing up, and thank goodness she did. Because finally, Zero Dark Thirty hit—and nobody could ignore her anymore. An Oscar, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and a string of powerhouse performances later, Jessica proved that whoever thought she was “unmarketable” was just unable to see that she was just ahead of her time.

Reese Witherspoon: Too Blonde, Too Bubbly, Too… Reese?

These days she’s the queen of book clubs, rom-coms, and billion-dollar producing deals. Like, she really can do it all and she does it exceptionally well. But there was a point when Reese Witherspoon was considered too short, too peppy, and too “cute” to carry a film. It’s hard to believe it now, but when Reese auditioned for a classic that Legally Blonde is now, some execs weren’t convinced she could play a smart woman and a fashion icon.

And yet, Elle Woods happened. And what’s funny is that she owns her wardrobe from Legally Blonde, she had it written into her contract, so take that, execs who didn’t believe in her. That $18 million movie made $141 million and turned Reese into a star. Then she won an Oscar. Then she took over television. She’s now one of the most powerful women in Hollywood. And all without ever giving up her Southern charm.

Meryl Streep: Too Smart, Too Serious, Too “European”-looking?

When Meryl Streep auditioned for King Kong at 26, producer Dino De Laurentiis looked at his son and said, in Italian, “Why did you bring me her?” He didn’t know she understood every word. She calmly responded (in flawless Italian) that she was sorry to disappoint him.

She was considered not glamorous enough for ‘70s Hollywood. They said she was too “European”-looking and too intellectual. And yet, she went on to collect three Oscars, nine Golden Globes, and the eternal title of GOAT.