Tara Reid condemns ‘bullying’ about her weight: ‘It’s not right’

‘If we were overweight then they can’t say anything because that’s bullying. But it’s the same thing if you’re skinny,’ actor says

Brittany Miller
New York
Wednesday 25 October 2023 21:38 BST
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Related: Tara Reid interview

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Tara Reid has opened up about how she feels to have people constantly comment about her weight.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Inquisitor, the actor explained that her body has always been criticised but bullying is a two-way street. “If we were overweight then they can’t say anything because that’s bullying. But it’s the same thing if you’re skinny. That’s still bullying too,” she said.

Reid admitted that people have been comparing how her body looks now to the start of her career in the early 2000s, but the comments have become more frequent since her appearance in season two of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

She maintained that she’s perfectly healthy and if people want to criticise her, they should choose something that doesn’t involve her weight. “So stop it,” she told the Inquisitor. “Leave me alone. Pick on me again on something else, but not on those two things. It’s not right.”

This isn’t the first time Reid has called out comments about her weight. Back in 2021, the Big Lebowski star made a post on Instagram responding to negative comments under another post of her wearing a bikini. “To all who made their great comments exposing their hate for my artsy picture I posted yesterday, it was the angle,” she wrote in her caption.

“Here is another picture from yesterday to show you I am not too skinny, I have a high metabolism. Anyone with a high metabolism understands it’s impossible to gain weight. All I do is eat. To everyone who wrote something nice and stuck up for me, I love you! And keep spreading that love, it is the only thing that will save this world.”

The American Pie alum later spoke to Page Six about the post, saying that she was “doing great” in light of the backlash. “I’ve always been thin,” she said to the outlet. “So these stories are kind of crazy because it’s like there’s nothing that has changed for forever.”

At the time, Reid hoped that making the follow-up post and highlighting her self-acceptance would “change the minds of bullies” but she wouldn’t lose sleep if she doesn’t. “I’ve gone through it for so many years that, you know, sometimes I feel bad for them because if they’re that miserable writing things at home, what are they doing?” she said. “That’s negative. You know, it’s hurtful.”

“Love will always beat hate,” Reid added. “It’s just so hard to find love because you’ve got to find it in yourself first.”

Most recently the actor opened up about why she believes not getting married or having children has hurt her career. In an interview with Derek Warburton forMr Warburton Magazine, Reid said that she thought her career would’ve been “bigger” if she got married and had children.

“I’m not married, I don’t have kids… and I think, in Hollywood, if you don’t have kids or you’re not married, you’re judged,” Reid explained. “So they still think you’re that party girl from 40 years ago.”

“But all of a sudden, if you have a kid and you get married, ‘Oh she grew up, she’s great,’” she added, before noting that she’s still perceived as having a “bad girl” persona because she didn’t have children.

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