Hollywood’s idea of beauty once meant polished and slim, not altered and gaunt. This new look is unsettling | Brigid Delaney

Hollywood’s idea of beauty once meant polished and slim, not altered and gaunt. This new look is unsettling | Brigid Delaney

When movie stars are no longer people we aspire to look like, does it spell the end of Hollywood’s cultural power? Once upon a time in Hollywood, if you were an actor preparing to walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards, you might have been fasting to fit into your outfit. You definitely had access to the best hair and makeup artists, and designers and jewellers lent you thousands of dollars worth of incredible products. Maybe you even had a subtle bit of plastic surgery. You looked great! ...

By Brigid Delaney