Are we back to the days of Amber Benson and Tara? "How is being physically different from the other Dolls?" So, Miracle is a size 6 or something, rather than skin and bones? Oy. She's hellattractive, period.

Dana5140 | August 04, 09:05 CET

"Hellattractive" is my new favorite word.

XanMan | August 04, 09:33 CET

Are we back to the days of Amber Benson and Tara? "How is being physically different from the other Dolls?"

So, that question is prohibited from ever being asked again? Because Miracle's experience will basically be the same as Amber's and therefore redundant?

wiesengrund | August 04, 13:19 CET

It should.

And there are no normal sized people. There are Hollywood sized people.

Krusher | August 04, 13:48 CET

Yes, it should not be asked. What difference does it make if Miracle wears a larger size dress than size 0 Eliza and Dichen? What impact does that have on her acting ability? What could it possibly matter except to reinforce the idea that slimness is the norm and if you are not skinny there is something wrong with you and, by the way, how did you ever get hired anyway? Amber Benson was accused, essentially, of being fat. Because compared to Alyson Hannigan, anyone would look fat. Escept she isn't and not even close. And neither is Miracle, who is, as I said, hellattractive.

Dana5140 | August 04, 13:54 CET

But I feel like the question was asked in the same spirit in which Miracle answered it. It matters because, good or bad, it's something that has had an effect on her acting: it's possibly kept her from jobs, made her (again, like it or not) not the norm in her field, etc. It's not the most fun line of discourse, but I think it's a valid one.

Jobo | August 04, 14:02 CET

What difference does it make if Miracle wears a larger size dress than size 0 Eliza and Dichen? What impact does that have on her acting ability? What could it possibly matter except to reinforce the idea that slimness is the norm and if you are not skinny there is something wrong with you and, by the way, how did you ever get hired anyway?

That question that was posted and answered in the Q&A really was about that? That's the subtext you got from it? Hm.

Amber Benson was accused, essentially, of being fat. Because compared to Alyson Hannigan, anyone would look fat. Escept she isn't and not even close. And neither is Miracle, who is, as I said, hellattractive.

And I still don't get what Miracle has to do with Amber. I was not around back then, and if Amber was accused of being fat, then that's pretty awful, sure. But I don't see the parallels to this case here.

[ edited by wiesengrund on 2009-08-04 14:09 ]

wiesengrund | August 04, 14:05 CET

Be glad you where not around when that happened, it made me sick :/

Krusher | August 04, 14:11 CET

Most people know what should be the case regarding sizes etc. on TV and i'd imagine most people that are of an orientation to see her in that light agree that Miracle Laurie is a very attractive woman.

But when discussing a show that's partly about how culture forms us it doesn't seem insane to talk about the way that same culture decides what's attractive and what's not and the complex interplay between what people want, what people think they want and what people are told they should want. Like it or not it's part of the world we live in.

Nice interview, Miracle's switch in 'Man on the Street' is even more impressive knowing that it was very early in the job for her. And I thought all the interaction with Ballard felt natural, despite some of the more memorable chunks apparently being on her first day !

[ edited by Saje on 2009-08-04 14:37 ]

Saje | August 04, 14:35 CET

Her answers confused me. How the heck were the lasagna scene and the three flowers in a vase shot only three days apart?

narky | August 04, 14:44 CET

narky: the first six episodes (and perhaps the whole season) was shot out of order.

JMaloney | August 04, 14:48 CET

Special movie magic, shooting order and broadcast order rarely match. On the DVD extras Tahmoh especially talks about taking pains to get it straight in his head as to who he knew and what he knew about them as they filmed various scenes (he's being interviewed during the kitchen fight scene).

Saje | August 04, 15:02 CET

Why do they shoot out of order anyway? Due to availability of people or something?

Krusher | August 04, 15:05 CET

I don't work in "the biz" but just from bits and pieces i've picked up, it's partly scheduling, partly budget, partly logistics etc. When on location for instance, moving the entire crew is pretty expensive (and time consuming) so if a scene in episode 1 and a scene in episode 4 are set in the same place it makes sense to film them together rather than have to pack everything up and truck it somewhere only to have to come back at some point later on.

That said, the reshoots, reuse of scenes and the way Dollhouse had 6-7 months to shoot before it aired would have added to the potential confusion as it was being made (in the extras Joss explains to Tahmoh "where" Ballard is in the series since it's part of his job to keep it all in his head).

Saje | August 04, 15:17 CET

Miracle Laurie is neat.

Pointy | August 04, 15:45 CET

Thanks Saje, it clarifies a lot.

And Miracle is not neat, she's hellattractive :D

Krusher | August 04, 16:10 CET

I don't think Paul's apartment was a permanent standing set (since it in parts sometimes sitting outside along one of the stages). If they put it together for a period of time, it would make sense that they shoot all the Paul's apartment scenes at one time rather than putting it up and taking it down every week or so. That would be expensive and time consuming. That is my guess anyway.

TamaraC | August 04, 16:30 CET

I got the impression that shooting out of order for Dollhouse was more due to which scripts were ready rather than set/location/people logistics (though I'm sure that was a factor, too).

JMaloney | August 04, 16:36 CET

I feel like the question was asked in the same spirit in which Miracle answered it

It pretty obviously was, yes. There was nothing in the asking of the question that could be construed as an accusation of her being somehow "wrong" for being the way she is.

The One True b!X | August 04, 16:47 CET

It pretty obviously was, yes. There was nothing in the asking of the question that could be construed as an accusation of her being somehow "wrong" for being the way she is.

Thanks, b!X, that was exactly what I tried to articulate earlier.

wiesengrund | August 04, 16:54 CET

It is, however, embedded in the query.

Dana5140 | August 04, 17:25 CET

Besides, I like my women curvy, so there. I'm glad the modelling world is catching up a little, hopefully the acting world follows.. So YAY Joss, Amber and Miracle!

Krusher | August 04, 17:39 CET

I also remember it happening not just with Amber, but when Eliza came back in Season 7/Tru Calling days.

I can't remember the exact quote, but in like '05 or '06 when Eliza was asked about it she said something like: "On Tru Calling everyone called me fat, now I'm f*****g anorexic, it's ridiculous" or something like that.

Now it's going to bother me so I need to find the exact quote.

On topic: I flove Miracle, she makes me smile.

edcsLover9 | August 04, 18:03 CET

Nice interview, but I agree... weird question. Ugh. Sad that I'm not even surprised its there. She chose 'em, I guess.

Jayme | August 04, 20:33 CET

Link has not been working.

ETA: Now working again.

Here is the question that was asked: "What is it like being physically different from most of the other women in the cast? Does it ever phase you? (and if it DOES, just remember, there are a myriad of girls watching who LOVE when you strut your stuff.)"

What does that mean, physically different? Does she have three hands or eight feet or something? No, the implications here is, what is like being a heavier woman than the skinny women in the show- as if there is something wrong with not being size 0. Miracle took the question in due course, but personally I find it offensive. Particularly since she is not heavy and is hellattractive and a good actor, which is really the only thing that actually does matter.

(PS. I hope Ms. Laurie does not phase as a result of the question. It might, though, faze her, just being Mr. Obvious.)

[ edited by Dana5140 on 2009-08-04 23:21 ]

[ edited by Dana5140 on 2009-08-04 23:22 ]

[ edited by Dana5140 on 2009-08-04 23:22 ]

Dana5140 | August 04, 21:31 CET

No, the implications here is, what is like being a heavier woman than the skinny women in the show- as if there is something wrong with not being size 0.

Can you in detail describe the logical connection you draw between those two points? Because that's the thing where we seem to not understand each other.

How do you get from "different from the others" to "it's WRONG to be different"? Where does that question make that connection?

[ edited by wiesengrund on 2009-08-04 23:42 ]

wiesengrund | August 04, 23:42 CET

Unknown actor (who also happens to be a sweet, engaging, grounded person) catches a break and lands a job with one of the most revered showrunners in all the tinseled land. Said actor's third day on set, magic happens.

C'mon, no one is going to believe this script. Rewrite!

Tin Ear Tom | August 05, 00:21 CET

It is embedded in the question, wiesengrud, and beyond that I have little more to say. You either see it or you don't.

Dana5140 | August 05, 00:33 CET

It's not embedded in the question. It's embedded in one particular reader's response to reading the question.

The One True b!X | August 05, 00:49 CET

Dana5140, it seems like you're saying something to the effect of "criticism is implied by the very fact of it being asked" - but the question simply reflects that we as a culture still make a separation between being even slightly larger than the Hollywood ideal, and the "norm" of female beauty. Miracle is not the usual size of women working in Hollywood - unless it's character parts, usually one aspect of which is the fact of their weight. One would have to be thick not to notice that, and there's nothing being served by ignoring it, is there?

As long as that is the case, the question will be asked, it is relevant, and not asking it it won't help make it go away. The question, in fact, gave Miracle Laurie the chance to say this, which is something I thought was great for all sizes of people to hear, both large and small:

"But for me, the most important thing has always been about health and being the best version of yourself that you can possibly be without comparing yourself to anyone else. When you start going down that road you’ll only drive yourself crazy. So, I’ll continue to strut my stuff as long as you strut yours."

Nice.

I do have to say, though, that I thought there could have been a lot more variety in the ages and sizes and colors and nationalities of the Dolls - I think many folks are, in fact, attracted to a much wider variety of people than the usual Hollywood ideal, and Dollhouse didn't take much of an opportunity to reflect that. I'd also have liked to see more female clients requiring the services of male Dolls, but that's a whole 'nother question...

QuoterGal | August 05, 01:44 CET

Criticism was implied by it being asked, no matter how nice it was asked. Subtext, as Joss has shown, is everything or at least a lot of part of everything. It posits Miracle as yet another Other, in this case, not the Hollywood ideal. I see no point in asking this question, none at all. No one has to agree with me here, though.

Dana5140 | August 05, 02:03 CET

The question was asked in the basis of the reality we all live in. *I* would want to know what it's like trying to get jobs and how does it effect you when your contemporaries are all as close to model weight as you can get.

People are free to take things as offensively as they want, but the nature of the work often begs the question. And IF someone had multiple feet or lacked one, they can bet the question would be asked. Miracle is slightly larger then all the actors on Dollhouse. Even with the men, they are different heights and different musculature's but they're either skinny or muscular. Not average weight.

The fact that she is asked it quite often is probably annoying for her. Still, considering I can't even count five normal sized actresses off the top of my head without resorting to IMDB, I don't think it's an out of line question. I just wished they'd actually asked the question rather than saying "physically different" which I don't think is any more politically correct.

As it's been said, she's hellattractive and everyone outside of a casting call knows it. If they'd just start casting more healthy looking women, we wouldn't ask. The sad thing is, we're not allowed to grill casting directors on this sort of thing.

[ edited by azzers on 2009-08-05 03:19 ]

azzers | August 05, 03:13 CET

I wish we had more of a bio of her. I'm curious if her background is Hawaiian or Polynesian.

Suzie | August 05, 03:41 CET

What does that mean, physically different? Does she have three hands or eight feet or something?

Dana5140, I think it means exactly what it sounds like. Miracle is physically different from Eliza and Dichen. You acknowledge this every time you say something like "it doesn't matter that Miracle wears a larger size dress than size 0 Eliza and Dichen."

The interview never said there was anything wrong with this they were just asking the question? If anything the question seemed more like a set-up to point out how great she looks and how more curvy women should be on our screens.

We’re all physically different and we all come in different shapes and sizes. There was nothing offensive about describing it in that way. I didn't find anything wrong about it and was rather glad the question was asked. Miracle seems like a sweetie!

[ edited by vampmogs on 2009-08-05 04:57 ]

[ edited by vampmogs on 2009-08-05 05:03 ]

[ edited by vampmogs on 2009-08-05 05:04 ]

[ edited by vampmogs on 2009-08-05 05:05 ]

[ edited by vampmogs on 2009-08-05 06:20 ]

vampmogs | August 05, 04:55 CET

This is a lovely interview. Some good questions and pretty thoughtful answers too.

Sunfire | August 05, 06:02 CET

Her 2 last deleted scenes of Omega were amazing.

Brasilian Chaos Man | August 05, 16:15 CET

I loved it when she met Paul in 3 different characters. The only acceptable responses:


1) smile sweetly
2) punch him in the face
3) give him as passing glance as you pick up a big check

korkster | August 05, 21:04 CET