Why are your leads ALWAYS handsome and beautiful? (peeve)

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  • Why are your leads ALWAYS handsome and beautiful? (peeve)

    I've just got sick of reading the absolutely guaranteed, time after time, 100% always and every, stunningly beautiful/strikingly handsome type intros...

    Anyone here got some ugly/average/or even just moderately good looking protags? And can you post the details as a sort of antidotal therapy?

  • #2
    Re: Why are your leads ALWAYS handsome and beautiful? (peeve

    One of my protags is introduced as "boyish, and average in every sense of the word".

    Another is "attractive, though not stunning".

    As often as not, I stick to personality traits in my intros, since we all know that unless you specifically WANT the character to be ugly, it's a foregone conclusion that some gorgeous star or other will be cast if the film ever gets made anyway.

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    • #3
      Re: Why are your leads ALWAYS handsome and beautiful? (peeve

      i find it an interesting exercise to look at those traits that diminish or negate beauty.

      bad posture, bitter disposition revealed through expressions, arrogance, etc.

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      • #4
        Does this role make my ass look fat?

        First - I never describe what a character looks like (unless it's critical to the story), because that's *casting*. And if something physical is *critical* to the story, I'm more likely to do what Haskins does: describe a trait that any actor can play rather than a physical thing like red hair that limits casting to David Caruso.

        Second - the reason why you might read a character described as handsome or beautiful is that a *star* is going to play that role. Most of them look pretty good. Even the ones that may look ugly, don't think of themselves as ugly. They don't want to play ugly people unless its one of those indie-Oscar bait roles like MONSTER. They want a script that FLATTERS THEM.

        If you were Tom Cruise, would you want someone to say you're perfect for this role of Unattractive Guy? If you were Julia Roberts would you want to play Plain Jane Spinster?

        Best thing to do is *not* to describe the physical - that changes with casting. Bruce Willis played a role written for Frank Sinatra, Whoopi Goldberg played a role written for Bruce Willis. Basically, any role needs to be written for *generic movie star* because they'll cast the biggest name star who is available at the time of filming, whether they fit the role or not.

        - Bill

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        • #5
          This is one of my pet peeves, too

          I was reviewing a script in Project Greenlight and there was this RomCom with mainly female characters. Everyone was a variant of beauty, "MISSY (20), stunning blonde with the legs to match...HOLLY (30), older but you can't tell because of her supermodel looks." Then there was this one character, "LESLIE (25), a bit overweight, but still gorgeous in every capacity." When I read that, I almost fell out of my chair. To me, that's the same as "BILL GATES (50), a tad nerdy, but has a face that would make Brad Pitt jealous." Invest in some mirrors, people.

          PapaCap
          :hat

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          • #6
            Re: This is one of my pet peeves, too

            i have an outwardly appearance average joe as a protag but, he's a virtuoso on the piano - he never does get the girl but he does everything for her

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            • #7
              Because...

              You'd have a two hour movie of your lead posting on message boards!

              David

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              • #8
                Hmm...

                119 views and NO-ONE is reaching beyond AVERAGE in ANY of their scripts.

                I thought so.

                :lol

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                • #9
                  Re: Hmm...

                  My protags are NEVER beautiful. Pretty people bore me.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Why are your leads ALWAYS handsome and beautiful? (peeve

                    xtz, why not post a couple of specific examples of what you mean? And which scripts they're from, written by whom?

                    Boredom alert! Out of curiosity I looked at one of my own scripts just to see if I'm guilty. I picked a script I knew had male and female leads but that was my only selection criteria. Yes and no -- sometimes I do specify whether the characters are attractive but for a good reason, I hope. (Never mind the writing quality, that's another problem entirely.)

                    Detectives CARLOS SMITH and FRANK SHERMAN talk to the CLERK.
                    Sherman has age and experience on his side, but the younger,
                    smarter Smith has hair-trigger reactions.


                    ...No facial features, no "boyishly handsome" or "turns women's heads" etc. Because they're cops, their cop attributes are mentioned instead.

                    MARIE MORALES, 40s, sizzlingly attractive, an ideal model
                    for the designer clothes and jewelry she wears, sits on the
                    couch opposite ASPEN, a young male cop.


                    ...Her beauty is mentioned but that's because she's shallow as hell, her looks ARE her character.

                    CORINNA PIERCE arrives. 30s, "attractive" would be an
                    understatement. The song "Take My Breath Away" could have
                    been written about her.


                    ...This is the effect the female lead has on the male lead, who is struck between the eyes in this first meeting, in a way these are HIS thoughts. No specific physical features, you get to draw the picture yourself, or insert your favorite actress.

                    Feel free to share your own preferences (anyone).

                    -Derek
                    -----------------------
                    One of the many reasons you should never listen to dpat ~PipeWriter

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                    • #11
                      Right... a specific example, the script and by whom...

                      How about -

                      "... Underneath a tree, in a very private spot, MIKE ELLINGTON and DIANE WORTH kiss and spark. He's 19 and handsome, she's 18 and pretty..."

                      "They Came - working title" by dpaterso

                      Ring any bells?!

                      :lol

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                      • #12
                        Re: Right... a specific example, the script and by whom...

                        Hah! Deliberate use of '50s "B" movie stereotypes!

                        In my defense, Your Honor, at that age all they have to define themselves is how they look -- personality-wise they're still in the womb. Although I admit I could probably have used "peachy keen" to greater effect.

                        Now that couldn't have been the example that made you start this thread, otherwise you would've replied directly and shot me down in that script sample thread. Any others spring to mind?

                        -Derek
                        -----------------------
                        One of the many reasons you should never listen to dpat ~PipeWriter

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                        • #13
                          Re: Right... a specific example, the script and by whom...

                          what is reaching beyond AVERAGE?
                          do you mean "butt ugly"?

                          even butt ugly people don't want to relate to butt ugly characters on the screen. it makes them feel butt ugly.
                          and many suggest that one must write characters that people can identify with.

                          not only that - there's this huge everlasting trend in hollywierd for actors to visit your plastic surgeon regularly so that one can stay young and fresh as long as possible. it must be b/c all the writers only write for beautiful people.

                          however...if you're writing for the british market :eek :lol

                          sorry, couldn't resist

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                          • #14
                            Re: This is one of my pet peeves, too

                            "MISSY (20), stunning blonde with the legs to match"

                            Her *legs* are blonde? Is this telling us she doesn't shave her legs (and that she's natural blonde)?

                            - Bill

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                            • #15
                              Re: This is one of my pet peeves, too

                              :lol

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