Ramin Karimloo Thinks the Term Broadway Body Is Problematic

Karimloo was the poster boy for the male physique on Broadway. Now, he's pulling back from social media.

Ramin Karimloo knows the audience he attracts.

The actor, best known for his star-making roles in The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables, has long been Broadway’s resident beefcake, with all the baggage that comes with the title. When Karimloo began gaining muscle mass in preparation for his run as Jean Valjean, he documented his progress on social media, quickly gaining a cult following of fellow fitness fans and those that enjoy the aesthetic results. It didn’t take long for things to take a turn toward toxicity.

“I have a thick skin, but when I used to look at the comments–” Karimloo shakes his head, clearly at a loss. “I was bodybuilding for Valjean; I gained 20 pounds for that role, because of something I read in the novel. I shared it on social media. And yeah, on some level I was chasing the likes. In a roundabout way, it was marketing,” he shrugs, his head dipping slightly as he confesses, “and ego, let’s not deny it. Then one day, I woke up and saw what was happening.”

Melissa Beth is more reflective of the average DL Broadway body.

Interesting that he doesn’t talk about his recent role in the Off-Off Broadway show The Last Match where he plays a pro wrestler and shows off his muscled body to great effect. Of course that wouldn’t fit the tone of this article so….

[quote] In recent years, the industry has begun to dismantle the legacy of body shaming and objectification that has been heaped upon female-presenting bodies.

"female-presenting"!

A real fat ally would have quit the show when they cut Fannie’s sleeves.

Anyone who uses the word "problematic" is too problematic for me. I don't know him or care about his body, but I felt compelled post this.

Oh no, a 10 complaining because people keep pointing out his tenness. Thoughts and prayers.

[quote]The Last Match where he plays a pro wrestler and shows off his muscled body to great effect. Of course that wouldn’t fit the tone of this article so….

R3. You've missed the point of the story. Of course, an actor playing a wrestler must take off his shirt.

So we have to have a thread where a man looking muscular and fine is toxic, but we have 70 threads about the most beautiful female, best shaped female etc. Do you guys realize how fucked this is?

Whether or not roids/HGH or exercise addiction is involved, is not true that very people who put a focus on what they eat/drink and an exercise routine are generally happier? Ramin is clearly one of the most ripped and gorgeous Theatre performers alive - maybe the hottest leading man on Broadway at the moment - so it’s always dicey when people in peak form speak to “body image”. Nonetheless, healthier living people live healthier lives…. Perhaps the opposite message of A Strange Loop, but I digress.

[quote] So we have to have a thread where a man looking muscular and fine is toxic, but we have 70 threads about the most beautiful female, best shaped female etc.

Wait, what???

You [italic]do[/italic] realize almost all those threads are from the same one troll who is obsessed with physical beauty (especially with regard to noses--I suspect his was chopped off, like that poor Middke Eastern girl a few years back on the cover of TIME Magazine.

If you don't believe me, just block one of those posts and then check out on the "Ignored" page all the other threads about beauty the same troll has created .

Ramin Karimloo wants it both ways.

He was hired to walk around in an open bathrobe onstage, but also wants to be a beloved champion of a dumpy dad bod.

Shut UP Ramin Karimloo!

Perfect time to start bitching now that he’s dipping out of his hot phase. He was en fuego about 8 or so years ago.

But he got too thin, questionable tatts that do him no favors, and he looks like he has facial wasting. So sorry people followed you because you’re hot Ram. 🙄

Here’s a clip of him as hot Enjolras.

This probably would have come across as more sincere when he was in his hunk years. He knows now he's aged out ofto be able to playing the male leads in musicals anymore, except for maybe Daddy Warbucks.

Has he hooked up with men?

^^How dare you. He's married to a woman.

Great, so we’re heading into the era of “don’t look at me” on Broadway. Oh well, at least all those “female presenting” roles can go to the more deserving men that way. /s

This is a tribute to Beanie’s bravery

Never look at the comments.

[quote] Has he hooked up with men?

At the very minimum, that hairy hole has done work on a casting couch

He’s never commented on the Beanie vs. Lea situation.

He played a doctor in the UK drama/soap Holby City and was frequently shirtless. At one point he got his arse out.

He’s 44 and looks it. If he is concerned about being good-looking, age is taking care of that for him.

Somehow I doubt he predicted he'd be treading the boards in "Phantom" in Italy at the age of 44.

He's obviously unhappy about his stagnating place in the profession.

R10 Just pointing out he wants to have it both ways, taking a role that in its nature is going to at least somewhat be about his body and how good he looks while decrying people focusing on his looks.

"Stop objectifying me while I repeatedly appear and pose shirtless!"

Honey, a chorus is supposed to take two or more.

Ramin Karimloo is handsome and talented but has hideous tattoos.

The most shocking this about this whole thing (Never heard of him) is that this theatre queen is married to a woman. As others have said; the tatts are gross and he looks like a circuit party/ latino only fans whore who is beginning to look a little long in the tooth....

So much jealousy in show business. He's adorable.

After all this time, all I care to know about Ramin is whether he has or hasn't fucked Yu Shirota.

"Anyone who uses the word "problematic" is too problematic for me"

Are you going to committ suicide for using the word twice?

Maybe just a little cutting?

Good Lord, r37. Is that what you think passes for wit?

R38 It was just a cutting comment, calm your tits, love.

"Good Lord, [R37]. Is that what you think passes for wit?"

No. It's cruelty.

Weren't my remarks weren't cutting enough?

R19 unfortunately the answer is no, there is nothing on him, all other broadway/west end guys have 'things" floating around but not him.

a close up of Ramin from broadway bares!

I'm always surprised he's never done much better than to play the 456th Broadway Jean Valjean and the 745th Broadway Phantom. He deserves to have opened a big successful new musical with a big part. he;s got a nice voice and a great body and he's handsome in that weird way Broadway actors often are (i.e. best seen at a stance, like a Monet painting).

What is his issue? Is he just humble-bragging that he is so hot, people only care about his body??

Is he Indian?

Douche face is also problematic!

R46 Not when you’re sitting on it.

Top Ramin or Bottom Ramin?

Cut or uncut (the broadway bares clip looks like he has sizemeat)

Musicals fag, tries and fails to prove his masculinity in

" ...is not true that very people who put a focus on what they eat/drink and an exercise routine are generally happier? "

Having a healthy body or working towards a healthy body can make a person happier, it's true. However, trying to have a *perfect* body is a guaranteed path to misery, because nobody's body will ever measure up to the unrealistic body ideals promoted in the media! Perfectionism is misery, end of story.

He's exhausting. There was nothing "authentic" in that Playbill piece. I'll give the man credit for sticking with Funny Girl for the run, that must have been exhausting, day in and day out.

And man, that sleeve of tats is awful. Of course, like the small Japanese talisman he wears and fingers when being thoughtful, I'm sure each and every swirl and image on the arm is special and meaningful - gag.

There's NOTHING more annoying than hot people bitching about being hot.

[quote] It didn’t take long for things to take a turn toward toxicity.

But was it an ugly turn?

R54 Yes but can you handle the socks?

I don't care, he's beautiful.

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