Gwyneth's Double Breaks Her Silence

November 09, 2001

Twenty-two-year-old acting student IVY SNITZER makes her feature-film debut as GWYNETH PALTROW's body double in the wacky new comedy 'Shallow Hal.'

In the movie, Paltrow plays an overweight single girl who becomes the object of JACK BLACK's desire when he is hypnotized to see only a woman's inner beauty -- and her thin inner goddess. ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT talked exclusively to Snitzer about Paltrow's padded performance and life as a plus-size performer.

---

ET: How did you get cast as Gwyneth's double?

IVY SNITZER: A friend of mine at acting school [in Los Angeles] heard about it -- and I got called in by ['Shallow Hal'] co-director PETER FARRELLY. He talked to me for 10 minutes, and I got hired!

ET: When you read this script, were you offended by the fact that it's a comedy about a woman with a weight problem?

IVY: No, not at all. It was a really sweet story.

ET: Gwyneth has said that the movie's positive message about self-acceptance is actually empowering to those who are overweight. Do you agree?

IVY: Yeah. I think it's a lot easier to be beautiful on the outside than to be really, truly beautiful on the inside, to always put other people before yourself. That's a lot harder than brushing your hair and putting on makeup.

ET: What was it like working with Gwyneth?

IVY: When she put on the padding the first time, it really changed [her]. I'm very comfortable being a big person, but it's weird for her to go from being so tiny to so big. She was really worried about offending people. Gwyneth is so incredible. It says a lot about her ... that somebody who's known for being beautiful is okay with being seen as an overweight, huge person.

ET: Gwyneth told us about putting on the fat suit [she wears in the movie] and walking around a hotel to [research] people's reactions. She said she felt isolated. Have you ever felt like that?

IVY: Not really. I'm pretty comfortable [in my own body]. [My weight] is just part of who I am. People don't treat me differently because I'm fat. I'm happy to be me.

ET: Do you think there are plus-size people out there who will criticize the movie?

IVY: Possibly, probably. I hope not. I hope that everybody can see the film the way I see it, in the sense that it's not just fat jokes. What it's saying is that Rosemary [Gwyneth's character] is such an incredible person that inside she looks like Gwyneth Paltrow. Everyone is beautiful in his or her own way. I hope people leave the theater thinking that. And I hope everybody laughs, because it really is funny.

ET: We understand you have plans to keep acting and that you're leaving Los Angeles to try your luck onstage in Chicago.

IVY: Acting is all I've ever wanted to do. My acting idols are GILDA RADNER and LUCILLE BALL -- people who spent their lives laughing. Life is hard, but if you can laugh at it, that's strength.

ET: Is your family going to see the movie right away?

IVY: They're really proud. I think my mother's whole Girl Scout troop is going to opening night!

---