What To Stream When You're Looking For Fat Girl Representation

Looking for something to stream while we're all stuck at home? There's tons of content out there, but not a whole lot that actually features plus-size women. And I'm not talking "Fat Monica" from Friends, but, like, actual plus-size actresses.  If you're looking to watch a show or movie with a character that feels especially ~relatable~, check out my list of streamable TV shows and movies. 

Oh––and while you're at it you should join our weekly Netflix Parties! We gather virtually on Fridays at 5PM PT. It's really, really fun. BYO snacks!

Orange Is The New Black

Where to stream: Netflix
It's hard enough to find a show that features one plus-size actress, but Orange Is The New Black features an extremely diverse cast including four prominent plus characters. This prison drama features stars like Adrienne Warren, Danielle Brooks, and Dascha Polanco, all playing characters that don't have to constantly confront weight issues–– but that's not to say they don't have much on their plate. This show truly is all it's cracked up to be. And with seven seasons all streaming on Netflix, it should occupy you for at least a small portion of home quarantime.

Shrill

Where to stream: Hulu
This Hulu Original was adapted from a book by the same name by author Lindy West, a sort of autobiography of a fat woman herself. It stars SNL cast member Aidy Bryant as Annie, but she's not the only prominent plus-size character. Annie's roommate Fran is played by Lolly Adefope and is a delightfully funny character, whose perspective on her body is is totally different than Annie's much like her cultural upbringing. Watching the body-positive transformation that so many of us have gone through (or are currently going through) play out on TV for me was pretty unreal. The pool party episode is so joyous, savor it!

Patti Cake$

Where to stream: Amazon Prime (but I think you have to pay a few bucks to rent it)
Patricia Dumbrowski, aka Patti Cake$ (played by Danielle MacDonald), is just a girl in New Jersey with dreams of becoming a rapper. More than dreams, she has talent. But comes from a broken household. This is a low budget film that I got to see on an airplane and fell in love with. Granted, I'm always more emotional when I see a film on an airplane, (I've been known to cry from a moving moment in anything from The Aristocrats to Sex & The City 2 when I'm at a high enough elevation) but it was special. Her size is never part of the plot, she falls in love with a thinner man, but attention is never drawn to either of their sizes, never indicated that the character didn't feel deserving of love due to her size. And something about the way that it wasn't a big deal was a big deal to me.

Bookworm 

Where to stream: Amazon Prime (again one you have to fork over a couple bucks for to rent. Sorry. It's totally, totally worth it!)
Beanie Feldstein, from the movie Lady Bird, is a high achieving straight A's student headed to Yale. She is so over everyone in high school who clearly didn't work as hard as she did, but she's glad to finally reap the rewards. Until she discovers that they all have insanely bright futures and had an actual life in high school. So she and her best friend try to squeeze all of the fun the missed out on over 4 years into a single night. Of course, hilarity ensues. This is a really fun one, friends. Highly, highly recommend. Tell everyone.

GLOW

Where to stream: Netflix
GLOW stands for Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. If that turns you off, believe me, I have never been a fan of wrestling. But after watching GLOW, and actually heading to a couple of WWE Monday Night Smackdowns live, I get the appeal. The characters in GLOW transform into epic stereotypical exaggerated cartoons of women and put on astonishing physical performances every night, and they have all of the regular drama of a ton of actor types in 1980s Los Angeles roommates. While I've heard people say it can be slow at first, and I somewhat agree, this show really shines in its 3rd season. So now you have that to look forward to!

Dumplin'

Where to stream: Netflix
This movie has so much incredible-ness: an entirely Dolly Parton soundtrack, fantastic Dolly Parton drag queen performances, coworker romance, and of course a plus-size main actress. Danielle MacDonald, who plays the protagonist Willowdean, puts on an incredible performance in this film, and also in everything else I've seen her in! Willowdean had a super glamorous plus-size aunt who demonstrated to her that size didn't matter, and many other lessons emphasized by Dolly Parton lyrics. But now that her aunt has passed away, Will has to live with her mother, an ex-beauty pageant queen. She's gonna do it on her own terms, even if her mother calls her Dumplin'.
Also! Many of us in our Facebook Group watched this together! Join our next Netflix Party on Friday at 5PM PT. 

High Maintenance (specifically Season 4, Ep 1)

Where to stream: HBO
Okay hear me out– this show doesn't have a plus-size main character, but because the characters are completely unique from in episode to episode I have to highlight the first episode of the new season. It centers around the story of a plus-size woman who is an audio journalist for This American Life. I was pretty excited to also meet her fat boyfriend and watch the intimate moments they had together. (Alright, it's HBO so you know that "intimate moment" means sex. But it's just nice to see a sex scene with bodies that are relatable!) The story had nothing to do with size, but was a truly beautiful breakup-makeup love story with a public radio twist. Plus it was sooo fun to see the faces of the voices I hear every week on This American Life.

Insecure

Where to stream: HBO
As someone who recently relocated to Los Angeles, I love how LA this show is. It centers around Issa, a twenty-something unsure of her direction who leans on her girlfriends to help her navigate life. One of those girlfriends is Kelly, played by Natasha Rothwell. Kelly's scenes are often laugh-out-loud funny, and she has some really cute outfits too. I also love the way that Issa, the protagonist, releases by confronting herself by rapping in the mirror. She's a relatable mess, and isn't that what we all want in a leading lady?

Wine Country

Where to stream: Netflix
If you're looking for some super easy-watching, kick-back-and-giggle kind of movie, put on Wine Country. When these old friends, NAME, NAME, NAME, NAME, NAME, gather for a weekend stay at a vineyard run by Tina Fey's character NAME, shenanigans ensue. Plus, this movie is definitely going to be our #FridayFlick one of these weeks! If you don't know what that is, join our Facebook group so you can watch movies with us in our next Netflix Party. It's a good time.

Hairspray

Where to stream: Netflix
Well, if you haven't joined our Facebook Group and are considering watching Hairspray, you should join now! We're going to be watching it this Friday at 5PM PT. Hairspray, of course, is a Broadway classic. The film adaptation features Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad and Zac Efron as Link. With a star studded cast featuring the likes of Queen Latifah, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Brittany Snow, and Amanda Bynes just to name a few.  

Is one of your favorites missing from this list? If so, leave a comment leave me a comment so I can add it too. If I haven't watched it yet, you bet I'll add it to my list. I've got quarantime! And don't forget, we're watching movies together every Friday. Join our Facebook Group to get the invite!