12 A-List Celebs Who Are Fighting Back Against Body-Shaming

In 2024, Kesha took to Instagram to confront body-shamers, saying their attempts to tear her down only made her feel “powerful.” She shared how her body has carried her through physical challenges like an ACL injury while performing and emotional struggles, including heartbreak. Kesha reminded her followers that, despite the criticism, she’s proud of her body and urged others to stop tearing women down. “Hate me harder,” she wrote, challenging those who try to bring her down.

After facing cruel comments following her nude scene in “Oppenheimer”, Florence Pugh called out the public’s tendency to degrade women’s bodies, especially in a public, online space. She wrote an Instagram post, addressing the vulgar comments made by men and questioning why they are so obsessed with criticizing women’s appearances. Florence also expressed how grateful she was to grow up surrounded by strong, curvy women and emphasized the importance of respecting all bodies, no matter their shape or size.

Nicola Coughlan, star of “Bridgerton”, has been vocal about body-shaming and how overwhelming it can be to receive constant comments about her appearance. In 2022, she took to Instagram to ask her followers to stop commenting on her weight. She explained how tough it is to handle thousands of opinions being directed at her daily. Nicola stressed that while she understands people will have opinions, she doesn’t need them sent directly to her, encouraging others to respect her boundaries.

“So just a thing – if you have an opinion about my body please, please don’t share it with me,” she told her Instagram followers. “Most people are being nice and not trying to be offensive but I am just one real life human being and it’s really hard to take the weight of thousands of opinions on how you look being sent directly to you every day.”

In 2023, Ariana Grande addressed years of body scrutiny that has followed her since the beginning of her career. In a TikTok video, she revealed that the “healthy” body fans often compared her to was actually the unhealthiest version of herself, explaining that she was battling mental health issues, taking antidepressants, and making poor lifestyle choices during that time. Ariana emphasized that body size isn’t an indicator of health and urged fans to stop commenting on people’s bodies, reinforcing that everyone’s personal health journey is unique.

Selena Gomez has always been an advocate for body positivity and spoke out again in 2022 about the constant body-shaming she faces. She responded to those criticizing her weight by declaring, “I am perfect the way I am.” Selena made it clear that no matter what people say about her size, she’s not letting it affect her confidence. She even joked about enjoying unhealthy food like tacos, egg rolls, and spicy chicken sandwiches, proving that we should all embrace our bodies as they are, no matter the opinions of others.

Rebel Wilson has been open about how society’s treatment of her changed after her weight loss. In an interview with The Morning Crew, she said, “I liked to think I looked good at all sizes and stuff. And I’ve always been quite confident, so it’s not like I wasn’t confident and now I’m super confident. I think what’s been really interesting is how other people treat you.”

Rebel explained that when she was larger, people didn’t give her much attention, but now that she’s in better shape, she’s often treated differently. “Sometimes being bigger, people didn’t necessarily look twice at you. Now that I’m in ‘good shape’, people offer to carry my groceries to the car and hold doors open for you.” Despite the change in how she’s treated, Rebel emphasized that her confidence has always been there, showing how the way society views her can shift based on her appearance.

In 2021, Adele opened up about how the media has scrutinized her body for years, both before and after her weight loss. She criticized the media for sensationalizing her transformation, claiming that they created false stories about her diet and workout routine.

Adele made it clear that body positivity doesn’t depend on a specific body size, and she’s proud of her body no matter what people say. She also pointed out the absurdity of the term “revenge body” and reminded people that their opinions on her body don’t define her worth.

She said to British Vogue, “People have been talking about my body for 12 years. They used to talk about it before I lost weight. But yeah, whatever, I don’t care. You don’t need to be overweight to be body positive, you can be any shape or size.”

Gabourey Sidibe has been open about her experience with body-shaming, especially the way people disguise their judgment as concern for her health. On Janet Mock’s podcast, she responded to critics by saying, “You do not care about my health,” and pointed out how people make hurtful comments under the guise of caring. Gabourey has consistently stood up for herself and her body, whether she’s plus-size or lost weight for health reasons, reminding everyone that their opinions about her body are irrelevant. She proudly owns her body and her beauty.

Beyoncé has faced intense scrutiny about her body since her early days in Destiny’s Child. She recalled how, as a 19-year-old, none of the sample clothes fit her, and people made her feel insecure about her weight.

However, instead of letting those criticisms affect her, she channeled them into creating Bootylicious, a song that celebrates her curves and resilience. Beyoncé’s message is clear: no matter the size, shape, or weight, confidence comes from within, and she refused to let others define her.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in 2021, she said, “I remember when I started hearing people criticise me after I had put on some weight. I was 19. None of the sample clothes fit me. I was feeling a bit insecure from hearing some of the comments, and I woke up one day and refused to feel sorry for myself, so I wrote Bootylicious.”

Mindy Kaling has been open about the body-shaming she experienced behind the scenes, particularly during her time on “The Office”. On Good Morning America, she shared that a co-star suggested her character, Kelly Kapoor, should lose 15 pounds. She explained how hearing this comment, addressing her greatest insecurity, was “really devastating.” Mindy expressed that this experience motivated her to want to see a broader range of body types on screen.

She pointed out the issue with the way TV often portrays women: either as the super-thin lead or the overweight comic relief. Mindy highlighted the need for representation of women who don’t fit into either extreme, saying, “What if you’re like a [size] 12 and you want to just live your life and look cute and date?” Mindy continues to advocate for more diversity in how women are portrayed, embracing bodies of all shapes and sizes.

In 2015, Zendaya faced a racially insensitive comment from Fashion Police co-host Giuliana Rancic, who joked that the actress’s dreadlocks made her look like she “smells like patchouli oil or weed.”

Zendaya quickly responded on Instagram, calling the remark “outrageously offensive” and highlighting the harmful stereotypes behind it. Reflecting on the incident years later, Zendaya said it made her think about how to create lasting change and shift perceptions of People of Color.

“That’s how change happens,” she shared in W Magazine. Zendaya also urged people to be more thoughtful and recommended listening to India Arie’s song “I Am Not My Hair.” Rancic later apologized, but Zendaya’s response showed the importance of speaking out against disrespectful comments.

Kate Winslet has been vocal about the body-shaming she’s faced throughout her acting career and has never shied away from calling it out. Reflecting on a pivotal moment from her youth, Kate shared an experience backstage at the 2017 BAFTAs, recalling how a drama teacher once told her she could succeed in acting if she was “happy to settle for the fat girl parts.”

With determination, Kate proved them wrong, becoming a leading actress in Hollywood. In her message to young women who face similar negativity, she said, “Just don’t listen to any of it. Because that’s what I did, I didn’t listen and I kept on going. I overcame all my fears and I got over a lot of insecurity.” Her story is a powerful reminder to never let others define your potential.

In light of the powerful statements from women like Millie Bobby Brown, Zendaya, Kate Winslet, and others, it’s clear that body-shaming and unsolicited comments about someone’s appearance have no place in today’s society. Millie’s recent call to stop criticizing women for simply growing up serves as a timely reminder of the double standards young women face.

These women are more than their physical appearances—they are talented, resilient, and deserving of respect. The way we talk about bodies, especially those of celebrities, impacts everyone, and it’s important to remember that every body is beautiful in its own way.