Rachel McAdams defies beauty standards by flaunting armpit hair in a photoshoot: 'This is my body'

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 20, 2023. It has since been updated.

The stigma around body hair is a cultural and societal construct that has been prevalent for centuries. Many cultures have traditionally considered body hair unclean, unattractive, or unfeminine. It has led to the widespread practice of hair removal, particularly among women. However, in recent years, there has been a growing movement towards body positivity and acceptance of natural body hair. Rachel McAdams, the "Mean Girls" star, is embracing her body hair openly. In a conversation with Bustle, the 44-year-old actress discussed the significance of revealing her real body.

During the interview, McAdams reminisced about a photo shoot she did to promote the 2017 movie, "Disobedience." The shoot was for Girls. Girls. Girls. magazine, and she wore Versace and Bulgari while also using a breast pump. She said, "I love that juxtaposition of beauty, glam, fantasy and then truth."

The pictures were taken when Adams was six months postpartum and still breastfeeding. "The Notebook" actress demonstrated love for her body once again when she asked for the images from the Bustle interview photoshoot to be edited with minimal changes and requested that her underarm hair be kept prominently visible.

She added, "With this shoot, I'm wearing latex underwear. But I've had two children. This is my body, and I think that's so important to reflect back out to the world. It's OK to look your best and work at it and be healthy, but that's different for everyone."

During the interview, McAdams also discussed the film roles she missed out on and reflected on her two-year hiatus from acting. She admitted that there were some things she wished she had done, possibly referring to the roles she turned down in "The Devil Wears Prada," "Casino Royale," "Mission: Impossible III," "Iron Man" and "Get Smart." However, she accepted that "that was the right person for that," indicating that she believed those roles were better suited for the actors who ended up playing them.

McAdams was open about her two-year hiatus from acting, admitting that she felt remorseful for not taking advantage of the opportunities given to her at that time. However, they did not align with who she was at the time and what she required to maintain her mental well-being. She said, "There were definitely some anxious moments of wondering if I was just throwing it all away, and why was I doing that? It's taken years to understand what I intuitively was doing."

McAdams' decision to embrace her natural body in the pictures caused a lot of excitement among fans, who praised her for it on various online platforms. Instagram user @jessjayjessica commented on Bustle's Instagram post, "Love her, and also love appreciating bodies that age and expand regardless of whether they’ve had children or not." Another person @nicole_arrr said, "This is what I needed to see when I was growing up! Yes." Fans pointed out that it has become increasingly uncommon to see public figures pose for photoshoots without the use of typical editing procedures, especially with the rise of beauty filters and digital manipulation.

McAdams also shared the advice she'd give her younger self regarding body hair and shaving in a video interview accompanying the Bustle article. She said, "I’m going to give you the advice [my mother] gave me: ‘Once you start, you can never stop. But if you’re going to go ahead with it anyway, watch the ankle bones, the shins... Always have shaving cream. If you want to stop shaving again one day, that’s OK too."