Sarah Snook Faced A Disgusting Body-Shaming Incident Due To A Movie Producer

Sarah Snook is best known for playing the icy, powerful Siobhan "Shiv" Roy on HBO's "Succession," and on January 15, she took home her first Emmy Award for the role. That said, her path to success hasn't always been smooth.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's "Today" podcast, Snook revealed that she was once body-shamed on set over some dessert. Apparently, one of the movie's producers (Snook did not name the film) criticized her — in front of a lot of people to boot — for eating what she described as the "tiniest bit of chocolate cake," at which point a costume designer put a stop to the shaming and told her to carry on. "And all the while, I am dying inside," Snook recalled.

Snook also said that she didn't stand up for herself in the moment because she simply felt as if she didn't have the power to do so. "I was too young and naive."

This wasn't the only instance where someone criticized Snook's appearance and insulted her. She also said a casting director once told her, "We don't really want you because you're a nobody, but the director and the writer think you're good for the role. So what we'll do is change all of you so that you're marketable. We'll whiten your teeth, darken your hair, we'll give you a personal trainer so you can lose weight and look the part."

As Sarah Snook put it, this sort of behavior isn't uncommon. The truth of the matter is that young actresses often deal with circumstances like these and suffer the weight of power imbalances. "That's the unfortunate situation when a person is in a position of authority taking advantage, mindlessly saying something that could be taken the wrong way and taken on in a certain context that holds with that person for the rest of their life," she said.

Luckily, this all ends happily. Snook went on to reveal that these days, she has a more balanced view of everything, especially when it comes to subjects like looks and beauty. In fact, she said that beauty has "an expiry date of some sort, whether it's of your making or other people's. And I think a person's beauty and body is their own jurisdiction. They should be allowed to make choices about it themselves."

While addressing the chocolate cake debacle, Snook refreshingly said that she doesn't police her food intake: "I eat whatever I want; it's my own body and my own choice.

In the aftermath of the fourth and final season of "Succession," Sarah Snook is on top of the world. The Australian-born actress won second awards at both the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards this January — her first time competing in the lead actress category at both rather than supporting — as well as her first Emmy, and she has exciting projects on the horizon as well. During the BBC radio interview, she spoke extensively about her upcoming one-woman production of Oscar Wilde's classic play "The Picture of Dorian Gray" in London's West End — which, of course, was a big part of the discussion about body image and the ephemeral nature of beauty.

In 2023, Snook appeared in the comedy-drama "The Beanie Bubble" as Sheila, romantic partner to Ty Warner (Zach Galifianakis), as well as the horror movie "Run Rabbit Run," where she plays the leading role. After "The Picture of Dorian Gray" wraps up after its 14-week run — it kicks off on February 6 — there's no word on what's next for Snook, but it's clear that her future is bright ... and at this point, she should certainly enjoy as much chocolate cake as she wants.

"Succession" is streaming in its entirety on Max.