Model breaks down in tears in viral video after being told to lose weight by casting director

25 October 2021, 13:12

Selena Gomez calls out Snapchat filters over beauty standards on Instagram

By Jazmin Duribe

"Fuck modelling, fuck fashion, fuck the industry."

A model has gone viral after breaking down over the modelling industry's unhealthy and unrealistic body standards.

Anna Gantt, 22, has been modelling since 2014, starting out when she was only a teenager. Since launching her career, Anna has gained 35lbs which has taken her from a size 0/2 to a size 4/6.

Sadly, after attending a casting in New York, Anna was driven to tears after being told she needed to lose weight by a producer and casting director. "I’m shit on every day because I’m not a skeleton, and I’m not unhealthy anymore," Anna said in the TikTok video, which has gained almost 15 million views since being shared on Oct 21.

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She added: "I see on TikTok everybody wants to be in fashion, everybody wants to be a model. I’m 5'10, I’m healthy, I suffered with an eating disorder for years, and I finally feel confident at my size. I've gained 35lbs over the last five years and I look great. I'm still thin."

Anna revealed that while she was modelling for editorial at a size 0/2 she actually had an eating disorder and had stopped getting her period. She didn't name of the brand or agency that asked her to lose weight, but Anna claims she was told she was "not waify enough" and that they would like to "see her bones". She was then told she would need to lose before the shoot in December.

"Living in this city will make you feel like shit about yourself and it will make you feel like you're not enough," Anna said. "It'll make you feel like you have to live some unhealthy lifestyle to make it. Fuck it. Fuck modelling, fuck fashion, fuck the industry."

Anna continued: "I'm telling you after all the models that I have met with on set, it's very rare that being that small is natural. I lost my period! I'm literally small!"

Anna's comment section was soon flooded with supportive messages from people calling out the modelling industry's unhealthy obsession with weight. Anna even received a few modelling job offers. "Fuck them. You are amazing. Don't let sizes define you. Message me. Let me help you get in with an agent who believes in you," singer Bebe Rexha commented.

Plus-size model Tess Holliday also left words of encouragement on the post. She wrote: "Eff them. You're stunning. The industry needs to change, not you."

Meanwhile, Rihanna's brand Savage x Fenty – who are known for being incredibly inclusive – said: "Don't let the bastards get ya down."

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This week on the ‘Coming Out Chats’ podcast, Drag Race UK stars Lawrence Chaney and Victoria Scone talk coming out to their families, how they dealt with bullying at school, the lack of representation for younger queer women, and prejudices against plus sized people in the LGBTQ community. Click the picture below to listen and subscribe.