‘The Bachelorette’ Season 13 Drama: Experts Claim ABC ‘Lightened’ Rachel Lindsay’s Skin In New Promo Photos
Rachel Lindsay made history by becoming the first black woman to star on ABC’s The Bachelorette, but did producers lighten her skin for the upcoming season. In a set of new promo photos, Lindsay’s skin appears lighter than it did during her run on The Bachelor.
Celebrity photo analyzer Alan Barry confirmed to Radar Online that some photoshop editing was applied to the images to make Lindsay’s skin a shade lighter. Although Barry admitted that some color naturally gets bleached out by studio lighting, the photos in the promo were edited after the fact.
“Her skin is has been obviously lightened in post-production. It is particularly apparent when looking at the back of her right arm, which almost appears to be close to a Caucasian skin tone,” Barry explained, later added that the photos are “embarrassing.”
Lindsay’s casting was spearheaded by ABC’s president, Channing Dungey. Dungey, who is also black, called for more diversity on shows within the network. The move wasn’t without controversy as some people believed it would alienate longtime fans of the show. ABC has not said anything about the promo photos being lightened.
People released the first look at Lindsay’s promo poster for the new season. All controversy aside, the new star of The Bachelorette looks absolutely gorgeous in her red gown from Randi Rahm that looks like a blooming rose. Lindsay is expected to wear a similar dress during the season premiere when she hands out her first set of roses.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Lindsay is proud to be the first black woman to lead a season of The Bachelorette. Shortly after ABC announced her casting, Lindsay opened up about the historic moment and was excited to find love on reality TV once again.
“I’m happy to represent myself as a black woman in front of America and I’m happy for America to rally behind me and see what it’s like for me to be on this journey to find love,” Lindsay shared. “Honestly, it’s not going to be that different from any other season of The Bachelorette.”
Lindsay first appeared during Nick Viall’s run on The Bachelor. She made it all the way to the final three and was eliminated after the big announcement. Although she has a lot of experience in front of the cameras, Lindsay admitted that she was nervous heading into the new season.
“I’m obviously nervous and excited to take on this opportunity but I don’t feel added pressure being the first black Bachelorette, because to me I’m just a black woman trying to find love,” she explained. “Yes, I’m doing on this huge stage, but again my journey of love isn’t any different just because my skin color is.”
Meanwhile, Christian Post is reporting that fans will get a chance to see Corinne Olympios on the upcoming season. The former Bachelor villain confirmed her involvement on The Bachelorette this past week. Olympios will appear in one episode and got the chance to meet a few of Lindsay’s suitors.
Olympios revealed that she thought the men vying for Lindsay’s final rose were “cute.” She also said that it would be a “shame” if fans didn’t tune in because of Lindsay’s race. Not only did she assure everyone that Lindsay was great on camera, but she also doesn’t think the season is any different from past years.
It isn’t clear which suitors are the frontrunners for Lindsay’s heart this season but several names have been announced. This includes Eric, Dean, Blake, and DeMario.
Fans can watch Lindsay find love when the new season of The Bachelorette premieres on ABC May 22, check out a sneak peek below.
[Featured Image by ABC]
