10 Things You Didn't Know About American Beauty

6. American Women

American Beauty Mena Suvari
DreamWorks

Contrary to popular belief the stomach and hand featured in the movie’s poster is not Mena Suvari’s, nor is it any of the cast. The image is a Frankenstein composite of two women.

The stomach featured belongs to model Chloe Hunter. This piece of trivia is Hunter’s biggest claim to fame next to a small role in comedy horror movie Leprechaun in the Hood (a.k.a. Leprechaun 5).

The woman behind the hand is a more familiar face, actress Christina Hendricks, who confirmed being the poster’s hand model on her official Instagram. Hendricks’ breakthrough role as Joan Holloway in Mad Men catapulted her to stardom.

The poster’s tagline, “…look closer”, is a reference to the hidden meaning of the movie’s title. American Beauty is the name of a rose, which flowers beautifully but rots beneath the roots. An apt metaphor for the superficial surface of suburban life.

The tag line is visible near the beginning of the movie in Lester’s work cubicle, placed there by a set dresser. After noticing it during the edit, Mendes adopted it for the movie’s promotional materials.

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An English Lit. MA Grad trying to validate my student debt by writing literary fiction and alternative non-fiction.