Skip to Content

Rachael Leigh Cook feels pretty strongly about how some magazines alter images of celebrities, and how that impacts the unrealistic expectations of young girls.

At the Healthy Media for Youth Summit in DC, the She’s All That star told Fox News about her own struggles with body image and food issues. Excerpts:

On celebrity photos in magazines: “Nothing that you see is real, even if you look at what looks like a candid photo of someone, anything can be done.”

The Hollywood Gossip Logo

Rachel Leigh Cook is not a fan of image altering.

On how this should be considered a crime: “It is false advertising and false advertising is a crime so why isn’t this a crime? I’m just up in arms about it.”

On weight gain while filming The Babysitter’s Club at age 15: “I remember gaining a bit of weight on the first movie I worked on because, ‘hey, free food!'”

On developing food issues as a result: “When you’re in a transitional phase in your teenage years, I think it’s a normal reaction to develop food issues.”

 
Noting that stars such as Kim Kardashian have gone nude and reportedly unairbrushed, she says that’s the way to go. Kim sold out hard later, but hey.

“The message [of this shoot] is embrace your curves and who you are. I’d feel proud if young girls looked up to me and say, ‘I’m curvy, and proud of it.'”

Good for you, Rachel. Fight the good fight.