I was just watching the entertainment show Hollywood Heat on Tru TV and they had a segment about Botox in Hollywood. Botox, it seems, is a no-win situation for actors and actresses. Hollywood puts so much pressure on actresses to look young and wrinkle-free and perfect, and there’s nothing that achieves the wrinkle-free look better than Botox! Of course, the only problem with Botox is that it disables you from making certain facial expressions - frowning, anger, excitement, etc. When I had Botox, my boyfriend thought it was hilarious (or freaky) that I couldn’t frown at all for three months. I bet Botox is popular among professional poker players!
HD is a nightmare for actresses!
I don’t have HD television (which is 6 times sharper than regular TV), so I’ve hardly ever seen it. However, the few times I’ve caught it at a friend’s house, I’ve been astonished at how people look “real” or even hyper-real! I watched CSI: Miami and could see every pore and zit on this young actress’ face. Women that would look wrinkle-free on my old-school TV actually have…wrinkles! I am sure HD gives ego boosts to people that watch it, because they learn that actresses aren’t perfect, and they age just like everyone else. Of course, some women look sooo good in HD (from what I’ve heard), and, well life isn’t fair:( Personally, it sounds like a nightmare to be shown in HD, so I’m glad I’m not an actress!
Hollywood Heat reports that while John Travolta’s hairpiece looks undetectable on regular TV, and in the movies, it’s clear as day in HD. That means you’d also be able to see it in real life, which sort of sucks for him.
What should actresses do?
To maintain their youth, actresses are getting Botox to look younger (which Hollywood seems to demand) but then casting directors are getting fed up with actresses who appear to be bad at acting because they can’t make the expected facial expressions. Supposedly casting directors have started looking to foreign actresses, because Botox isn’t as popular outside of the US.
If you’re a serious actress, then I guess it only makes sense to give up Botox, and do the best you can with what you’ve got. Botox can be done minimally, where you can still move your forehead, but just not as much. And Botox is the only cosmetic treatment that really prohibits natural facial expressions, so all the other high-priced anti-agers (fillers, laser treatments, plastic surgery) will still allow actresses to look turn back the clock.
Personally actresses who get Botox don’t bother me that much. I love Desperate Housewives, even though Marcia Cross’ forehead hasn’t moved an inch in a single episode! Does it freak you out when actresses have perfectly smooth foreheads that don’t “move”?
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January 21st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
The only time I had Botox to erase the crow’s feet around the eyes, it created brand new wrinkles around my nose! I guess I will have to age gracefully. I am glad I live in anonymity. I am at the age where I prefer candles to harsh lighting, so my face in HD would look like that of a Sharpei. Good post!
January 21st, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Girl-Woman,
Yeah sometimes Botox can create those wrinkles on your nose: http://www.savvyskin.com/botox-bunny-lines . I’ve only heard of people getting them when they’ve had Botox done between their brows, so this is the first time I’ve heard of it happening from crow’s feet injections. When I had it done for my crow’s feet, my cheeks puffed out a lot, and I’ve noticed a lot of celebrities that have that same look.
If you ever tried Botox again, a different injector may be able to prevent those bunny lines.
January 21st, 2008 at 9:43 pm
The reason why you get wrinkles on other parts of your face when using Botox is because you’re muscles are compensating for not being able to move freely all over your face.
I’m not an actress and I don’t have to see myself on HDTV. I’m lucky enough to have amazing genes + a great lifestyle, so I really don’t have any wrinkles given my age … but if my face was all over the cover of magazines and in movies, I might also pull a Marcia Cross and get my forhead perma-frozen.
I use other part of my body for my career (my head to think, my voice to sell and my fingers to type) … and I do my best to preserve all three … I guess if my face made me millions per year … I’d also be running to my plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist for Botox injections.
Dear God, I had no clue about John Travolata…so sad.
I think it’s hard to be an actor given all this scrutiny on yourself. It’s hard on anyone’s ego.
Gisele
March 2nd, 2008 at 10:39 am
I will never understand why Hollywood is so obsessed with Botox. And I ‘m really shocked to read that you, as a 32 year old woman use Botox! Unbelievable.
I’m glad to live in Germany, we don’t have that stress. I’m 44 and have some only wrinkles only around my eyes. I know that I’m lucky. I watched 5 minutes ago a boulevard magazine on TV where they showed all these horrible old women with the Botox faces. Nobody was able to show emotions. Freak show. Poor American people!
April 21st, 2008 at 7:53 am
I am 43, I look great for 43 becuase I have not starved myself or tanned over the years. I am a bit plump but that makes the face look much better so I would rather be a tad plump and have less wrinkles [and real boobs!] than be super thin, implanted and be all saggy and wrinkly– there is no way around it–
old and super thin = wrinkled and flat
old and plump = less wrinkled and busty