Rebel Wilson stormed into Hollywood in pursuit of a big goal: to be the female version of Jonah Hill. She saw a niche for herself, being an Australian girl aspiring to make connections in the comedy world, and exploited her advantage. In her new memoir, “Rebel Rising,” she describes her first meetings with industry gatekeepers, including a very memorable session with the agents of Hill back in 2010.
Wilson’s memoir is very unusual because instead of following the same format as other tell-all celebrity books, it follows the route of marketing and financial management. Only juicy encounters with Sacha Baron Cohen pepper it. In fact, it focuses on the rich lifestyle and career highlights of Wilson. She unabashedly brags about her properties and huge earnings, letting readers in on her life of luxury and success.
Wilson has accepted the label of “funny fat girl” with a healthy dose of humor throughout her career. Bitterness aside, she uses her inborn sense of humor to star in hit movies like “Bridesmaids” and the “Pitch Perfect” series. Her book, of course, glosses over less-than-stellar outings such as “Cats,” apparently focusing on her financial wins.
While Wilson’s autobiography sometimes shows the problems of body image within Hollywood, it more often comes across as a document of unrestrained self-promotion and materialism. Despite her frankness about her career, the way Wilson does this in her autobiography is very superficial and not filled with reflection. “Rebel Rising” is, therefore, more of a peek into Wilson’s glamorous life than serious analysis in light of showbiz fame and identity.