Maxine Peake Recounts Fat-Shaming Incident at Prestigious Drama School
The acclaimed actress revealed she was advised to 'lay off the chips' to secure lead roles during her training.
Actress Maxine Peake has shared an experience of fat-shaming during her time at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Peake, who grew up in Bolton and attended RADA on a scholarship, stated in a recent interview that she was told by a teacher to "lay off the chips" if she aspired to play Juliet.
"Those were her exact words," Peake recounted on the podcast Sisters of Defiance with Anita Rani. She responded to the comment at the time by saying she had no interest in playing Juliet, adding, "She kills herself at 16 because of a boy."
Peake also mentioned that prior to her acceptance at RADA, she faced rejection from 13 other drama schools, keeping the numerous rejection letters she received over the years.
The actress previously discussed how Victoria Wood influenced her to alter her appearance while working on the television series Dinnerladies. At that time, Peake was larger and Wood advised her that being "fat, blonde and northern" could lead to typecasting. Peake took Wood's advice seriously and lost a significant amount of weight, to the extent that she had to wear a fat suit for the second series of Dinnerladies due to the rapid weight loss.
Following her role in the comedy, Peake went on to secure roles in prominent dramas such as Shameless, See No Evil: The Moors Murders, and Silk.
During the podcast discussion, Peake reflected on the societal pressures women face regarding their appearance, particularly within the entertainment industry. She described the industry as creating "impossible and unobtainable" beauty standards that are exacerbated by an obsession with youth. The podcast, Sisters of Defiance with Anita Rani, is available on YouTube and other podcast platforms.