For too long, Hollywood served up the same tired formula: thin, white, able-bodied, straight, and sample-sized. But that storyline is fading fast and these plus size stars are rewriting the script with style, substance, and full-bodied brilliance.
They’re not waiting to be cast. They’re producing, writing, headlining, and transforming the industry from the inside out. Whether they’re winning Oscars, selling out arenas, or creating hit shows, one thing is clear: plus size talent isn’t just here, it’s taking the lead.
Still, the numbers don’t lie. A 2024 report from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media put it plainly:
“Fat representation on screen is far below where it should be.”
When 67% of American women wear plus sizes, yet rarely see themselves reflected in Hollywood’s leading roles, it’s not just an oversight… it’s a missed opportunity. But the plus size stars on this list? They’re the exception and the revolution.
They’re not playing by old rules. They’re setting new ones; on their own terms, in their own voices, and in bodies the industry once told them to shrink.
This isn’t just a roundup. It’s a roll call of curve-powered icons who are making space, shifting culture, and showing us all what leading lady energy really looks like.
Let’s meet the plus size queens changing the face of fame.
Melissa McCarthy: Breaking the Mold with Laughter and Leadership
Melissa McCarthy exploded onto the scene with her Academy Award nomination for Bridesmaids in 2011, following her Emmy win that same year for Mike & Molly. Born in Illinois, she proved that plus size actresses can carry major films and still command serious respect.
Ranked #22 in The New York Times’ list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century (So Far), Melissa’s more than an actress, she’s a powerhouse. She co‑founded On the Day Productions with husband Ben Falcone and launched her own clothing label, a clothing line that brought plus size fashion to the mainstream.
Michelle Buteau: Comedy, Confidence, and Thick Girl Joy
Michelle Buteau slays both behind and in front of the camera. Her Netflix series Survival of the Thickest (which she co‑created and starred in) is part character study, part celebration, part body-positive manifesto.
In a 2025 NPR interview, Michelle said the show is a love letter to all the “fatty baddies” who never saw themselves represented. Her stand-up, hosting, acting, and writing all have one thing in common… unapologetic joy, rooted in her identity. She’s not minimizing her size. She’s spotlighting it.
Nicola Coughlan: From Derry Girl to Bridgerton Breakout
First she had us laughing in Derry Girls, then she brought quiet brilliance to Bridgerton as Penelope Featherington. In 2025, she snagged a Screen Actors Guild nomination for her role and in 2023, she appeared in Barbie, one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
Coughlan’s versatility proves that plus size actresses can move between comedy, period drama, and blockbuster cinema while staying true to themselves. Her accent might be Irish, but her star power is global.
Octavia Spencer: Prestige, Power, and Purpose
Octavia Spencer’s Oscar-winning performance in The Help was just the beginning. She’s the first Black actress to receive two consecutive Academy Award nominations and one of only two women of color with three Oscar nods total.
With credits like Hidden Figures, Ma, and Self Made, Spencer has carved out one of the most respected careers in Hollywood. She proves over and over that talent transcends body type, and brilliance isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Chrissy Metz: From TV Drama to Musical Stage
Best known for her heart-wrenching role as Kate Pearson on This Is Us, Chrissy Metz became a household name thanks to her Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated performance. Her presence brought authenticity and visibility to plus size women in primetime drama.
Beyond acting, Chrissy has leaned into her musical roots, releasing a country EP and performing at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She’s also a New York Times bestselling author with her memoir This Is Me, showing that her storytelling goes far beyond the screen.
Lizzo: From Music Queen to On-Screen Maven
Lizzo isn’t just breaking records, she’s breaking boundaries. The Grammy-winning artist made history as the first Black woman to win Record of the Year since 1994. Her hits like “Truth Hurts” and “About Damn Time” ruled the charts, and now she’s eyeing the big screen.
Lizzo is set to star in an Amazon MGM biopic as rock and gospel legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe. With lawsuits and public scrutiny behind her, she’s expanding her empire and proving that plus size entertainers can dominate multiple industries at once.
Barbie Ferreira: Modeling Her Own Lane in Hollywood
Barbie Ferreira started as a plus size model before landing her breakout role as Kat in Euphoria. She’s modeled for brands like ASOS and Adidas, and brought that fashion-forward edge to film.
After leaving Euphoria, Barbie starred in Unpregnant and appeared in Jordan Peele’s Nope. She’s showing that modeling can be a launchpad to a legit screen career, especially when you show up with this much authenticity.
Queen Latifah: The Original Multi-Hyphenate
Queen Latifah has done it all: Grammy winner, Oscar nominee, talk show host, rom-com lead, action star. From Chicago to Last Holiday to The Equalizer, her genre-spanning career proves she’s always in demand.
She’s one of the first plus size women in Hollywood to show that size doesn’t limit range. She’s played love interests, heroes, hustlers, and bosses, long before the industry knew what to do with her. She made her own lane. Then she paved it.
Natasha Rothwell: Writing Her Way to the Top
Natasha Rothwell is a triple threat: writer, actor, and producer. From her breakout as Kelli in Insecure to The White Lotus, Natasha balances sharp comedy with real emotional depth.
Behind the scenes, she’s just as fierce. As a writer and supervising producer on Insecure, Natasha built her own blueprint and helped open doors for others. She’s proof that plus size talent doesn’t just take the stage. It builds it.
Beanie Feldstein: Red Carpet to Broadway and Back
Beanie Feldstein has range. She made us laugh in Booksmart, made us cry in Lady Bird, and brought Broadway back to life in Funny Girl. She’s the kind of actress who owns every room she walks into.
Golden Globe nominations, scene-stealing supporting roles, and fearless red carpet fashion? That’s leading lady energy. And she’s only getting started.
Danielle Pinnock: From Social Skits to CBS Star
Danielle Pinnock started on social media, creating viral skits that had us cackling. Now? She’s starring in Ghosts on CBS and shining bright with every role she takes.
Her rise from Instagram to primetime proves that talent (and consistency) can’t be boxed in. She’s built a fanbase by showing up as her full, joyful, hilarious self, and Hollywood is finally catching up.
These women are more than Hollywood plus size stars; they’re trailblazers shifting the entire narrative around beauty, talent, and who gets to lead. They’re expanding the lens, making room for more bodies, more stories, and more truth on screen.
But here’s the real takeaway: this moment isn’t a trend. It’s a transformation.
And while we’ve spotlighted ten powerhouse plus size stars here, let’s be clear: this list is far from exhaustive. There are so many plus size movers, shakers, and scene-stealers making waves across Hollywood; on stage, on screen, behind the camera, and in the writers’ rooms.
As audiences, we’re demanding more representation that looks like us… full-figured, fabulous, and fully dimensional. And as a community, we’re watching these curve-powered stars clear a path so the next generation won’t have to ask for permission to shine.
So whether you’re an aspiring actress, a fierce fan, or just someone who’s tired of Hollywood’s narrow casting calls, know this: we’re already changing the game; one role, one show, one bold woman at a time.
And honestly? We love to see it.
And if this list shows us anything, it’s that the future of Hollywood isn’t smaller. It’s bigger, bolder, and a whole lot more fabulous.
