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Gabourey Sidibe Elle Magazine Cover: Photoshop Disaster

by Jordan Yerman | September 16, 2010 at 09:22 am

3209 views | 12 Recommendations | 6 comments

Gabourey Sidibe Elle Magazine Cover: Digital Skin-Lightening

Elle Magazine released its "Top 25 women under 25" issue with four different covers. The different versions of the Elle issue feature Gabourey Sidibe, Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, and Lauren Conrad. Of the four, Gabourey Sidibe stands out because she's both black and plus-sized (she's also 27, but that's not important right now).

The controversy surrounding the Gabourey Sidibe Elle Magazine cover is that Sidibe's skin is visibly lightened. Elle swears that they've done "nothing out of the ordinary" to Gabourey Sidibe's photo for the cover, but it's painfully clear that her skin tone was lightened several shades.

The two questions spring to mind:

Why?
Did Elle honestly think that nobody would notice?

Gabourey Sidibe is the Academy Award-nominated star of Precious, who is currently appearing in Showtime's The Big C.

This would qualify as a Photoshop disaster because, while no limbs are missing (or duplicated), the effect is divorced from reality to the extent that it's alien.

Elle says that what you see is what you get with the cover, and has issued a statement saying, "nothing out of the ordinary was done. We have four separate covers this month and Gabby's cover was not retouched any more or less than the others (which feature Megan Fox, Lauren Conrad, Amanda Seyfried). We had 25 cover-worthy subjects in our portfolio and we chose Gabby because of who she is.

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Amy Judd

at 14:54 on September 16th, 2010

Elle Magazine Fail

Karen Hatter

at 16:29 on September 16th, 2010

With so many familiar with Ms. Sidibe's screen debut in Precious and in the new series on Showtime, The Big C, it really is ridiculous to pretend her skin color wasn't dramatically altered and the number one question is indeed, why?

Not sure if there's any answer that wouldn't raise eyebrows.

Hargrove

at 19:38 on September 16th, 2010

Maybe her skin was darkened for the movie . . .

Usually they darken celebrity skin color.

decca (not verified)

at 09:14 on September 19th, 2010

That is the rumor I orginally heard when the movie first came out, that she was darkened for the movie.

Ajuba Grinage (not verified)

at 10:05 on September 17th, 2010

9/18/10I feel that it is refreshing for Ms. Sidibe to be on the cover of Elle. Once again, this is a European magazine and that says it all. Racism is king in America and the comments of the status quo speaks for itself. The tea party is another name for the Klan. Keep up the good work Elle. I will always support you.Ajuba