Jill Scott has always been known for her confidence, talent, and beauty, but during the filming of Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?, she faced a challenge that went beyond acting. In a recent interview, Scott openly discussed her discomfort with the fat jokes written into the script and how they affected her. While she understood the movie’s message, some of the humor surrounding her character’s weight did not sit well with her.
To those who have not seen the movie “Why Did I Get Married?,” it’s about four couples navigating the ups and downs of marriage. Scott played the role of Sheila, who was married to Mike, played by Richard T. Jones. In the movie, Mike was very cruel to Sheila, constantly criticizing her because of her weight. Though Scott understood that the character of Sheila is fictional, she explained that the jokes sometimes were hurtful. She shared that constantly hearing negative comments about her body took an emotional toll. Although she is proud of her curves and has long promoted self-love, repeatedly performing scenes that made her character the punchline based on weight was not easy.
Scott stated, “I didn’t like how people would make fun of her (Sheila). I remember the scene on the plane. Tyler had extras make fun of me when I got on the plane. They were just going back and forth, making jokes about Sheila’s weight.” She went on to say, “The folks on the flight really went in on the fat jokes, and it sucked. I sincerely hated it.”
Jill Scott speaking out about her personal feelings while playing the role of Sheila may open doors for other actors to do the same if they feel the scripted material is going too far. A lot of the criticism in the movie came from her on-screen husband Mike (Richard T. Jones), but she did say it was only a role, and Richard T. Jones is one of the sweetest guys she has ever met, and she loves him. Check out the full interview below.