Erica Fernandes opens up on being skinny-shamed in South film industry, wearing padding: ‘They wanted voluptuous women’

Actor Erica Fernandes has opened up about getting body shamed when she starred in movies in the South Indian film industry. In a new interview, Erica talked about how she had to wear a ‘lot of padding’ as ‘they wanted voluptuous women’. Recalling the time, she said that she also had to put on thigh pads which made her feel disrespected.

Erica has featured in several regional films such as Ainthu Ainthu Ainthu (Tamil) in 2013, Ninnindale (Kannada), Galipatam (Telugu) and Virattu (Tamil) in 2014. The Telugu version Dega was released in the same year. She also starred in Vizhithiru (Tamil) in 2017.

In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Erica said, “I was thin-shamed a lot and I was very skinny compared to whatever they expected me to or a South actress needed to be at that point, so they wanted voluptuous women so they used to stuff me. I used to wear a lot of padding and I used to feel very-very bad because it’s uncomfortable like you’re not accepting the person the way they are. They used to put padding everywhere. I had thigh pads and everywhere it used to be. I used to feel disrespected, it used to be like that but I’m glad that is that’s not the case anymore and people have moved on from that. Things are different right now which is very good.”

Speaking about her relationship status, Erica said that she is currently single. “It was kind of an off-and-on relationship that I had for about three and a half years. But, it didn’t work. People comment on why have I never mentioned who was my boyfriend at that point in time. Because I have never mentioned anybody’s names before because that’s respect. You know, no one wants the world to know their name or who I am with. That’s the respect I have shown. It should be like that. I have never hidden and I don’t find the need to hide anything.”

Erica has won several titles over the years including Pantaloons Femina Miss Fresh Face 2011 and Pantaloons Femina Miss Maharashtra in 2010 and 2011 respectively. After featuring in several films, in 2016, she made her television debut with Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi where she portrayed Dr Sonakshi Bose, opposite Shaheer Sheikh.

Also Read | Erica Fernandez says she refused ‘bold shows’: ‘I feel the scenes are forcefully added to sell’

Erica portrayed the role of Prerna Sharma in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, opposite Parth Samthaan, from 2018-2020. Last year, she reprised her role in the third season of Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi: Nayi Kahaani.