Jennifer Love Hewitt Reflects on Early Sexualization in Hollywood
In a candid interview on the “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown” podcast, Jennifer Love Hewitt opened up about her experiences with being sexualized at a young age. The actress shared her discomfort with the way “grown men” made jokes about her body when she was just 16 years old.
Jennifer Love Hewitt recalled “grown men” making jokes about her breasts when she was 16 years old during Tuesday’s episode of “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown” podcast.YouTube/@MayimBialik
“It was a culture that was fully accepted, but when you sit, and you look at where we are now versus then, it is really mind-blowing,” Hewitt said.Getty Images
A Culture of Acceptance
Hewitt, now 45, described the atmosphere during her teenage years as one where such comments were deemed acceptable. She stated:
“There were grown men talking to me at 16 about my breasts openly on a talk show, and people were laughing about it. It was a culture that was fully accepted… when you sit and look at where we are now versus then, it is really mind-blowing.”
Becoming a Sex Symbol
Reflecting on her rise to fame, Hewitt acknowledged the strangeness of being labeled a sex symbol before she understood what that entailed. She recounted the unsolicited attention she received after appearing on the cover of Maxim at 17, where men would approach her with inappropriate comments.
“It’s kind of gross,” she admitted, noting that she often laughed off these remarks without fully grasping their implications.
“When the movie came out, everybody said, ‘Oh, I know what your breasts did last summer,’” the actress recalled of starring in 1997’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”Getty Images
“Everybody would laugh, so I would laugh. It was supposed to be funny, I guess,” she said.Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Impact of “I Know What You Did Last Summer”
Hewitt’s role in the 1997 horror film “I Know What You Did Last Summer” solidified her status in popular culture, but it also brought with it a barrage of jokes about her body. She recalled how the phrase, “I know what your breasts did last summer,” became a running joke, and although she laughed along, it highlighted a troubling normalization of objectification.
“I was so mad that my chest became the main topic of conversation,” she said. “I really wanted people to walk away from the movie going, ‘That’s a really good actress.’ And instead, it was always about my breasts.”
Struggles with Body Image
Hewitt also shared her struggles with body image, expressing embarrassment about her figure and the attention it garnered from older men. She recalled wearing baggy clothes in an effort to downplay her appearance, feeling uncomfortable with the attention she received.
“I didn’t want to be looked at by a 40-year-old in Pizza Hut,” she explained.
“I really wanted people to walk away from the movie going, ‘That’s a really good actress,’” she said. “And instead … it was always about my breasts.”Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Conclusion
Jennifer Love Hewitt’s reflections shed light on the broader issue of sexualization in the entertainment industry, particularly how young women are often objectified. Her candid discussion serves as a reminder of the need for greater awareness and sensitivity regarding how we talk about and treat individuals in the public eye, particularly those who are still developing their identities.
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