Megan Fox Objectified and No One Cares
I‘m saddened and a little shocked.
Earlier this week, an interview came on-line of Megan Fox talking about Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen and the net went abuzz with the tidbits of information Fox had in regards to the upcoming summer 2009 tentpole production. One of the quotes that made headlines was Fox’s somewhat offhand remark of Michael Bay’s direction:
“His main note to me is just to look hot; so I try my best.”
The interview was picked up by a number of the large movie blogs yet none of them took any major issue with the fact that Michael Bay’s only words for Fox was to “look hot”. The only one which did make a point of even noting the fact that Bay’s comments are at all derogatory was Erik Davis at Cinematical and the most he could come up with was “Nice. What would we do without directors like Bay who really cherish the female character and what she means to the overall finished product? Bravo! Give this man an award”. Granted, at least he made the effort. Everyone else simply chose to ignore the sexist comment and decided instead to focus their attentions on the other tidbits of information about the movie itself.
It’s one thing to not include women in movies at all or to include them as unimportant side characters whose only job is to “look hot”. Admittedly, I’m not looking for an intimate and deep character study from Transformers 2 but the very fact that Bay, a director who continues to work in Hollywood and who makes films seen by millions is telling one of his only female characters to just look good, angers me. Yet, it barely causes a splash with the majority of web writers. Are the masses so blinded by the crumbs of information about a film that they’re willing to overlook this blatant discriminatory remark? Appears so.
Some may argue that this goes on all the time, just look at other films, magazines and even fan sites. I don’t disagree, it does go on all the time but when a news item is covered this widely with such few flags going up, it’s cause for concern and worth noting.
For all I know, those were not Michael Bay’s exact words but rather Fox’s. Does it matter? I don’t think it does. Bottom line is that a woman has been publicly objectified and nearly no one took notice. For shame.
Of course most Transformers fans out there don’t want any people in the movies to begin with. But if they have to use them they might as well be something they can masturbate over.
Comment by Swarez — June 20, 2008
Comment by Marina Antunes — June 20, 2008
That’s like yelling at John for Garfield eating the lasagna.
Granted I haven’t read the interview because I don’t give a shit about gossip around blockbusters, but it certainly seems like she was saying a throw away comment and not complaining that she doesn’t have more to do.
Comment by Matt Gamble — June 20, 2008
Comment by Marina Antunes — June 20, 2008
Well that’s web writers for ya.
But I’m pretty sure that Bay gave her some more pointers on her character other than to be hot. I doubt that they sat in the room and Bay says to The Beef “I want you to really dwell in to your character and find his essence.” And then point to Fox and say “You…just look hot OK.”
Plus this comment is something she said, not something Michael Bay is quoted saying. How much of this comment is just her telling a joke or something Michael Bay actually said to her in a meeting?
Right now Megan Fox is at a stage in her career that people care more about her looks rather than her acting abilities and I’m sure when she’s got enough cloud and older she is going to do more meaningful roles, if she indeed can act properly.
Comment by Swarez — June 20, 2008
I mean Christ, her follow up film to Transformers was a role in which she is naked for most of the movie. And the first stills released (which she has to sign off on) are of her walking around the set naked. That is her choice for that to happen, not anyone elses. So to blame anyone else for her choices is not only counter productive but unfair.
I didn’t have a problem with her simply looking good in the first movie but it really rubbed me the wrong way that only one person even bothered to note that there was a problem with the comment.
So you are ok with her being objectified as long as no one outright says she is being objectified? Come on Marina. That argument is so weak I would expect Kurt to make it.
Comment by Matt Gamble — June 20, 2008
What really made me angry about this particular situation is that countless sites looked over the same interview and used the exact quote and no one even batted one eyeball. And I’m not disputing the fact that she’s put herself in that situation or even that Bay actually made the comment, I have a feeling those were simply her words, but that still doesn’t excuse the fact that it’s been said and repeated countless times with no response. All I ask is that someone even *note* that there’s something wrong with the comment.
Comment by Marina Antunes — June 20, 2008
If this was printed in a magazine or said on a TV show, Cosmo or Ophra, where the vast majority of readers and viewers are women then the situation would have been different.
And how is her response to the alleged pointers any different from the web community? Her response to it was “I’ll try my best.” What does that say about her?
Comment by swarez — June 20, 2008
Comment by Cinexcellence — June 20, 2008
Second, I can kind of see what Marina is getting at here. IF - and that’s a big IF - Bay actually said that to her, her regardless if Fox cares or not, that’s a weird thing for a “big-time” director to say to one of his actors.
I doubt he said that though. What I think is Megan Fox, on her own, realized that she was only in the movie for her looks. So instead of trying to pretend to be someone she’s not (i.e. a good actress), she’s trying to play it off and make light of the situation.
Comment by Andrew James — June 20, 2008
Comment by Andrew James — June 20, 2008
Comment by Andrew James — June 20, 2008
If fact, I would look at it this way - she is choosing on her own to use her looks in a way that will cause others to spend hard earned cash to see her “look hot” while she makes a mint off of tongue dragging but predictable suckers. Looking at the definition of objectify - “degrade to the status of a mere object”, then she is willingly being objectified as a sex object, and those who lap it up are being objectified as a dollar sign.
Who’s really objectifying who here, and if both parties are willing and happy at the end of it, does it matter? In a perfect world it should - slippery slope and all - and more than one person would point it out, but we can’t make people’s decisions for them. Just so long as it’s done by free choice and with open eyes.
Comment by Eaglewing — June 21, 2008
Comment by Andrew James — June 21, 2008
Comment by Andy — June 21, 2008
If this was a real director I think it might get more attention. As it is, it sounds like Michael Bay being shallow, exactly what his films are.
Comment by Helu — June 21, 2008