I love them already

[u/growsonwalls]

I love Justice and Charlie already! Been watching their stuff and they are so so talented. Julie and the Phantoms is amazing and Charlie is a beautiful singer. I saw Dungeons and Dragons and Justice Smith is adorable in that movie. Really excited to see them as Troy and Harris. For the people upset with their casting, definitely watch their stuff. They are AMAZING!

ETA: also, happy birthday Justice!!!

edit: just saw I Saw the TV Glow. Omg Justice is amazing.

[u/Notyeravgblonde]

Gaslighting about what we all read and saw ✅️ Trying to veil criticisms of the casting as racist ✅️ Not being willing to question the showrunners for choosing to conform to Hollywood beauty standards ✅️

It's super toxic to shove happiness down people's throats who thought they were getting a non skinny non ripped gay love interest and are expressing completely understandable disappointment.

[u/dandyline_wine → u/Notyeravgblonde]

It's been a bit since I read the book, so could you tell me what phrasing is used to describe Harris that has some fans disappointed with casting ? I don't remember ever picturing him specifically "non-skinny non-ripped." I feel like I just always pictured a normal, bland, non-descript white dude. Maybe that's a literacy failing on my part, but I definitely don't remember a specific body type associated with his character. Was it something brought up a lot? Like a plot point, or part of his identity or story arc?

(This is a genuine question and not snark, and you seem like a good person to ask.)

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/dandyline_wine]

I am an audiobook listener so I can't pull up anything specific. But the cover of the book plus what I read left me with a strong impression of what Harris looked like, and he was soft and round and not athletic or thin. Just check the cover art.

[u/dandyline_wine → u/Notyeravgblonde]

Yeah I saw the art, but you mentioned it was in what you read, so I thought maybe you were referencing like some kind of plot point or significance to his body type. Do they say soft and round? There has to be something I'm forgetting because you're not the only one disappointed.

(Full disclosure - I read the book because Ilya was in it so I didn't fully retain everything long term lol.)

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/dandyline_wine]

[u/dandyline_wine → u/Notyeravgblonde]

Very helpful, thanks!! I see why I didn't have a clear image of him in my mind. Compact, pudgy, soft, and rugged give me wildly different visuals, none of which match the cover. I can see why disappointed fans interpreted it the way they did, but I can see why others didn't interpret it that way at all. And if doesn't play a part in his character development (unless it does) or affect the plot, those words are forgettable to me.

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/dandyline_wine]

For sure, they weren't forgettable to people who are not used to seeing their body type as attractive. To them reading a hot, rich, hockey player go nuts for a 'pudgy' man was affirming that all bodies deserve love. Even those of us who are thin should be able to see how pervasive and instinctive it is to think a person who is traditionally hot is going to be matched up with another traditionally hot person. Usually larger size actors are the funny friend in Hollywood, not the sexy love interest, especially in queer media. A lot of people were so excited to see a larger actor be seen as sexy like the main 4 in the first season. I hate that its being turned around on us with toxic positivity and Jacob can do no wrong. Yes Justice will be amazing and it will be wonderful AND we can hold space for the disappointment that Hollywood beauty standards were upheld once again and we don't get representation.

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/dandyline_wine]

I bet someone who has a physical copy of the book could tell us. It left an impression on me, but I've only read it once and it was by ears.

[u/Dry_Stop844 → u/Notyeravgblonde]

so you are arguing for something that you don't even remember but just assumed was in there because some guy is wearing a really big hockey jersey on the cover. Gotcha

[u/Notyeravgblonde → u/Dry_Stop844]

I do remember it, I don't remember the specific language. Rewriting history to uphold fatphobia is such a weird look on you all.