‘Actress who played Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘Shallow Hal’ double reveals battle with eating disorder after filming’

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Ivy Snitzer revealed the profound impact that her role as Gwyneth Paltrow’s body double in the film “Shallow Hal” had on her physical and mental well-being. The experience, which initially seemed positive, soon turned into a nightmare of fatphobic backlash, ultimately leading Snitzer to develop a life-threatening eating disorder.

At the age of 20, Snitzer was thrilled to be a part of the Farrelly brothers’ movie, which centers around a shallow man named Hal who is hypnotized to see inner beauty. Hal falls for Paltrow’s character Rosemary, whom he would have previously rejected based on appearance. To portray Paltrow as overweight, the film used shots of her in a fat suit, along with close-up footage of Snitzer’s arms, torso, and thighs.

Initially, Snitzer found her character Rosemary to be a refreshing departure from the typical portrayal of obese individuals in movies. However, the aftermath of the film’s release took a toll on her. She faced harassment from strangers, accusations of promoting obesity, and even received diet pills through the mail. This relentless fatphobia pushed her towards the dangerous path of developing eating disorders.

Snitzer’s ordeal continued, and after undergoing gastric band surgery in 2003, she reached a point where she was “technically starving to death.” Her body became frail, and she developed a devastatingly unhealthy appearance. With a second surgery and a healing journey, Snitzer was able to regain control of her health, but her dreams of pursuing acting were forever scarred by her traumatic experience in Hollywood.

Reflecting on her time as a body double, Snitzer mentioned that she didn’t feel bad about herself until others started telling her she should. Similar to Snitzer, Gwyneth Paltrow also faced judgment while wearing padding to portray a larger character in “Shallow Hal.” Paltrow described feeling humiliated and ignored by others because of her appearance in the fat suit.