I almost cried because it was so beautiful.
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One day, its the aggression of Toned Tanya, or Lamars mixtape of songs to smash to.
But of all those moments, the most vibrant and lasting is the Fat Babe Pool Party.
And thats never more directly addressed than in Pool, the series exemplary fourth episode.
Yet by the end, she does.
Instead, it again and again allows Annie to question herself: Why does she feel this way?
Whats holding her back?
Why doesnt she deserve more?
Ali Rushfield (showrunner):The idea of it was something that we had from the beginning.
It was always a pool party, or some event like that.
And Sam Irby, whos an essayist and nonfiction writer, wrote the episode.
Okay, cool, we can all wear our crop tops and hang out in peace.
I remember as a kid, my mom and aunts saying, Ugh,swimsuits.
Thats just part of existing as a woman.
Get a bunch of fat girls in bathing suits on television.
It seemed like a coup, if they would let us get away with that.
So I pitched it in the room, and everyone was really excited about it.
Bryant:Making it a pool party just puts it all out there from the beginning.
The stakes are high.
If she can wear a swimsuit, thats not something she normally would do.
And then here are all these people doing that, without any fear.
Thats a good way to tell that moment.
Its clear as day whats going on here.
Either you could handle it, or you cant.
Its being in your bathing suit and also having to project that youre having a good time.
It was surprising to me how often the truth was the best version.
And not just mine.
We drew on the experiences of everyone in the room.
Irby:For me, it was a fat girl clothing swap.
Id never heard of [events like that] before.
These girls all had crop tops and little booty shorts and I thought,I didnt know we coulddothat.
I didnt know I could wear a crop top out in public where other people could see me.
It was eye-opening for me.
It was in Chicago.
I went and saw the Gossip at the Metro, and I literally was like, What thefuck?
I had loved their music, but seeing her perform, it was just …
I thought,Thats me; thats my fucking deal.
Im going to do that.
It just gripped me.
And we wanted Annie to have that kind of a moment.
Irby:I did not grow up in a place where there were tons of fat people.
I think we were all just working out somepain, you know?
I should make clothes like that for that kind of woman.
Oh, you understand what I mean when I say how this bra doesnt work.
I dont have to teach them about what my life is like.
I wanted Annie to have that same feeling of,Oh, what a relief.
I found my people.
Bryant:Theres just so much shame.Somuch shame.
Around all kinds of bodies.
So many of us, me included, have been on this journey to have a very thin thigh.
And its like, for what?
Lets have some fun, unapologetically.
Shaka King (director):It just has a very clear, cogent, linear narrative.
Thats key to [this episode] in particular.
Your life doesnt need to start when you lose weight.
it’s possible for you to have these incredible, amazing times right now.
I love your body, but I want to keep a shirt on.
Im gonna wear pants here.
Originally, we had some more snark about her wearing pants, but we lessened that.
Everybody doesnt have to be at the same place on their journey.
She wants to wear pants, totally fine.
Its one thing to write about a dream party; its another to bring it to life.
All involved agreed on one thing: It had to feel like a wonderland.
Shaka King and the director of photography, Joe Meade, they just designed it all.
Bryant:We had a great director for that episode.
Shaka King shot the hell out of that pool party, and it makes all the difference.
King:The question was, Well, what does this need to be for Annie?
This needs to be like heaven.
It has to be right.
Where everythings beautiful and sparkly, and the waters really blue.
Adefope:Even walking to set, when nothing had been filmed yet, you could just tell.
There was a buzz in the air.
We hadnt seen the whole set when we did that shot when we walk [into the party].
So just seeing it … [Big exhale.]
King:When we first saw the location and the set, it was like, Oh, wow.
Schuyler [Telleen, series production designer] and his team just did an incredible job.
Everybody had on these crazy colorful bikinis.
Bryant:It was so overwhelming.
Just the sense of, Thisexists?
I just really wanted it to feel like a dream.
I wanted people at home to understand how Annies whole world opened up in this new, bright way.
They really made it happen.
Bryant:It was totally overwhelming.
All the women were openly saying, Oh my God, this is amazing.
King:Extras casting did an amazing job.
You had all these people really making friends in that really colorful environment.
We were just so excited.
King:Ive shot parties before for TV shows and movies, and its always the worst thing.
It all just seems so fake.
This didnt feel that way.
This actually felt like a real party.
And it was not that warm later in the day, it was chilly.
And people were still enjoying themselves tremendously.
Rushfield:Time was the only thing that got in the way.
The sun was going to go down eventually.
Everything else was perfect.
King:I just really loved Aidys performance.
King:The overhead shot, its not necessarily what Annie sees; itshowshe sees this woman.
Its not from her vantage point; its how she sees her in her mind.
I wanted to really portray this woman as being super at peace and just so comfortable, you know?
Then, shes pulled into an impromptu Ariana Grande dance party.
Bryant:To see 50 women dancing in bikinis, unashamed?
Its not something you see every day.
King:Really, the credit should go to Samantha because its all in her script.
She said, Annie sees bellies and legs and thighs.
That was really emphasized in the text.
Once I saw that, I said, Okay, Im going to objectify these women.
I want to focus on her stomach, not focus on the eyes.
Youre in Annies POV, seeing these women with bodies similar to hers, comfortable and celebrating their bodies.
And she thinks,Well, these women can do this, then maybe I can do this.
Irby:I wanted it to feel like the best place youve ever been.
Because you dont get that a lot.
You dont get a lot of beautiful fat spaces.
King:[Aidy and I] talked about the dance scene quite a bit.
We both agreed that it should take a lot of work for her to ultimately cut loose.
Youre not quite ready yet to do that, so you go back.
King:Aidy is a really good swimmer.
She said, I havent swam in so long.
I wanted it to feel … the best example I can give is a movie likeSplash.
You fall in the water, and it becomes almost a different world.
Shes become empowered enough to take off her clothes and jump in the pool.
We wanted it to feel like shes being rewarded by going to this fantastical place.
Bryant:It was really overwhelming and beautiful.
It felt emotional and sweet and empowering, all those things.
That was truly our goal.
Thats everything we set out to do.
