“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”
I firmly agree with this statement. What’s beautiful to you may not be beautiful to someone else. There is no single standardised definition of beauty. In fact, it comes in all shapes, colours and sizes. However, mainstream media has repeatedly bombarded us with what they consider as the one “accepted” form of beauty. A fair complexion, flawless skin, slender figure, blah blah blah…
Several stars have gone under the knife in order to meet these unrealistic beauty standards and sometimes, have come out looking a lot worse.
Some iconic celebrities chose not to have any kind of surgery and instead, embraced their imperfections with gusto:
1. Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford got a massive scar on his chin as a result of a brutal car accident when he was 20 years of age. However, instead of hiding it under layers of make-up on screen, the actor decided to have a creative origin story behind it for the character he played. In ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’, he says he got that scar from when he cut his chin with a whip as a kid.
2. Padma Lakshmi
At the tender age of 14, Padma Lakshmi was involved in a car accident which left her with a seven-inch scar on her arm. She was worried the scar would hinder her modelling career. However, today, she prefers not to hide it on screen.
“I love my scar. It is so much a part of me. I’m not sure I would remove it even if a doctor could wave a magic wand and delete it from my arm.”
3. Anna Paquin
A gap between two teeth doesn’t fit into the definition of media’s “accepted” for of beauty. In fact, several cosmetic and dental companies have prescribed measures to eliminate this gap. Well, Anna Paquin decided to give the finger to each one of them and showed off her gap with a bright smile.
“If you have a whole bunch of work done with your teeth and your face and your boobs then you’re only going to play modern people. That’s a big choice to make. Very limiting.”
4. Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson had his nose broken twice as a child which lent it a unique shape. In fact, he loves his nose just the way it is.
“Probably my nose wouldn’t have been that great even if it hadn’t been broken.”
5. Tina Fey
Tina Fey got a scar on the left side of her face when she was just five years old. She was playing in the front yard when a stranger came up to her and violently cut her across the cheek. However, Tina prefers not to exploit her scar for publicity reasons.
“It’s impossible to talk about it without somehow seemingly exploiting it and glorifying it.”
6. Catherine Zeta-Jones
The actress got a prominent scar on her neck while she was just an infant as a result of life-saving tracheotomy surgery. She too believes in embracing the scar instead of hiding it under layers of make-up or having it surgically removed.
“Makeup artists are always trying to cover it up, but I don’t want to hide it. I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have this scar.”
Being beautiful goes beyond conventional factors like flawless complexion or pearly white skin. In fact, if one actually adhered to the conventional definition of beauty and artificially moulded their bodies in that manner, they would grossly limit their prospects. It’s the imperfections, the quirks that make us unique. Embrace these as a part of what makes you beautiful.
“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
-Marilyn Monroe