Via Vulture, this profile of House Bunny star Anna Faris includes this tidbit:
“The character of Shelley was Faris’ own invention, obliquely inspired by the dearth of roles for middle-aged women. ‘I thought, we know what happens to actresses in their 40s and 50s,’ she said. ‘But what happens when you’re a model or a Playboy bunny and you’re too old? What skills do you have?’
Faris brought the character to writers Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, whose ‘Legally Blonde’ catapulted Reese Witherspoon into the top rank of Hollywood actresses. Her original conception of Shelley was, she admits, ‘much darker’: a hardened drug addict returning home to her conservative small town, perhaps to her abusive father. The reaction, fortunately, was skeptical. ‘When I told the writers, they were like, “Hmmm. Or she could become a house mom!”‘ Faris says.”
Fortunately, indeed. Ex-Centerfolds with drug problems and abusive pasts? Whoever heard of such a thing? What a total downer! Better to have her teach some frumpy sorority gals about the virtues of cleavage.
Did you see the NYT article on the bunny reunion cruise. (Sorry, not so great at the linking business.) The pix were exruciating, but painfully comic was the quote from the Catholic chick whose stern and repressive parents hadn’t thought she should be one. Trailblazer that she was, though, she went ahead, sanctioned with a wink by her free-lovin granny. Later she continued trailblazing through the decrepit Catholic jungle by being the first to be divorced. Note: The sarcasm here is not directed towards the poor woman; one’s heart breaks for them, but for the reporter.