Twenty years ago, Sam Mendes’ “American Beauty” arrived in theaters and instantly became one of the best films of the year. After winning five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Writing, “American Beauty” pulled off an awards run that any film would dream about.
But even if you haven’t seen the film or followed its awards season run back in the day, you probably know “American Beauty” based on the poster. The minimalist, but iconic, image of a woman holding a rose across her bare stomach is synonymous with the film and is one of the most recognizable posters of the last two decades. That being said, did you ever wonder who’s hand was holding the rose? Well, thanks to one actress, we now know, and it’s definitely not someone you’d think.
Actress Christina Hendricks recently went on her Instagram to share the image of the poster and drop the info nugget that she’s the one who modeled for the poster. Albeit, she’s only the hand.
“Fun fact…. wait for it…I used to be a model and sometimes a hand model…. this is my hand and another model’s stomach….proud to be a part if this film in ANY WAY!!” wrote Hendricks.
Obviously, if you’re a fan of film marketing, or just marketing in general, you know that film posters are normally put together without input from the filmmaker and, many times, just amount to people playing around in editing software until they get something they like.
With “American Beauty,” it was probably assumed that the hand belonged to Mena Suvari, as she’s the girl that is showcased in the famous rose petal scene. But this iconic image seems to have been completely constructed by outside sources, including two female bodies, just to bring it to life.
Ultimately, this news doesn’t change anything about the film. But hey, on your next movie trivia night with your pals, you can drop this nugget and get plenty of kudos about your deep knowledge of film.
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