photo credit: Sakara Ross
The concept of fame has always been an interesting idea, like how does one climb up to the height of fame. In the past, people would get famous through their talents and organic discovery. Now there’s multiple tiers to fame. You could have famous parents and be born with a fan base or you could become an influencer who are now considered microcelebrities. Now fame is found through a multitude of ways ranging from one’s talent to their social media following.
How Fame Used to be Earned
Trying to make it in the 21st century without a filthy rich family or A-lister parents? Good luck. People used to get famous from a direct discovery; before the internet, talent scouts used to weave their way through malls and busy streets to find silver screen starlets. Tabloids would risk everything to catch Hollywood’s newest celebrities out on the street to keep their loyal viewers reading.
With lively commercials, several current celebrities had their breakthrough to get recognized for bigger projects. However, times have changed, and so has how people get famous.
“I don’t see it (new ways of scouting) affecting the entertainment value, but the value of the art itself absolutely declines when we rely too heavily on legacy. New ideas are always needed,” President of Orangelight Productions senior Preston Bronder said.
Notorious celebrities like Wendy Williams and Ryan Seacrest all started from working at their local radio stations before growing into hosts of very well-known shows. “One-hit wonders” was notoriously created during ‘WorldWideWeb’ days when viral videos or forwarded links in the media made someone an instant celebrity.
Then, only a few weeks later, the said internet celeb goes fully incognito. For example, artist Ylvis, composer behind the song “The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)”, had people singing non-stop, only to not release any other hit single.
Before the “Influencer Era”, potential celebrities could get quite literally scouted anywhere. Charlize Theron was asked to audition for a movie after abruptly yelling at a bank teller for her paycheck, according to Buzzfeed.
Many stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Natalie Portman started out with a career in modeling, before acting in Blockbuster movies. After dance class, Portman went into a pizza parlor and got scouted for modeling as she was eating, according to Glamour Magazine.
“I feel like there are still tons of people making it in the business the ‘old way’. There are always new rising stars from all over, and I think it should stay that way,” Bronder said.
Famous action-star Jason Statham was sought out for potential while selling counterfeit jewelry in London, according to Buzzfeed. Undoubtedly, the most memorable moment when a celebrity got scouted is Pamela Anderson, who got her first modeling job by attending a football game and being televised on the Jumbotron. The trick seems to just simply be in the right place at the right time.
“I do think it is easier to find recognition in the entertainment industry in the modern day. If you looked at the industry 50-60 years ago, your only option in the mainstream was Hollywood,” junior actor for Orangelight Productions Catch Haney said.
In the good ol’ days, when there were no such thing as “personalized algorithms”, many now-famous celebrities appeared in commercials, print ads or posters early in their career, prior to having fan-edits made of them; these celebrities were all over our screens, television screens that is, causing a rip in pop culture and ultimately being advertised worldwide. Actors like Morgan Freeman and Drew Barrymore, both started with commercials for large companies, according to MSN.com.
“Through both digital projects and smaller development teams, it is much easier to get projects under your belt. However, this cheapens the overall mean quality of the projects, whereas 50-60 years ago there was no room for mediocre projects,” Haney said.
Barrymore was only 4 years old when she acted in a McDonald’s commercial, and Freeman was cast as an electrician for a Polaroid commercial. In his early days of fame, “Friends” star Matt Leblanc appeared in a Heinz commercial in 1987, according to WatchMojo. After needing more than $11 in his bank account, he auditioned for the role of a typical New York-Italian roommate. Commercials used to be the foundation for celebrities, giving them a kickstart to their careers.
The “retro” version of scrolling through TikTok comments to find celebrity news was magazines. They constantly updated fans on celebrity gossip, using sensational headlines to keep people buying and blogging, even if that meant lying.
“I remember buying magazines about teen celebrities when I was in fourth grade. It was way more exhilarating than scrolling through my feed on Google; they don’t make magazines the same anymore,” an Orange senior who wished to remain anonymous said.
Very life-invading paparazzi would stop at nothing to catch a celebrity in the act. Celebrities’ relevance was solely based on what magazine they were going to appear in next, and late-night talk show hosts were people’s “Instagram Live’s”.
In 2006, the “It” girls, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, were photographed leaving a party, and the New York Post headlined it ‘3 Bimbos of the Apocalypse’, according to TheDailyBeast. Claiming they had “No clue, No cares and No Underwear”, these wildly inappropriate subheadlines kept people flipping those pages.
“The exploitation of celebrities has worsened but for different reasons. I feel like they advertise for brands they know nothing about, which could hurt their careers indirectly,” sophomore actress for Orangelight Production Sarah Benua said.
The most common way for the majority of young aspiring models or actors to get recognized in modern day is having a public Instagram account.
Chris Pratt, most known for playing as Starlord in the Avengers, first got scouted while being a waiter at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. after the customer asked if he’s ever acted before. “Yeah, I act. You should put me in a movie,” Pratt said sarcastically. He was on a plane to Hollywood only four days later, according to Medium.com.
People used to get famous anywhere at any time, meaning one’s time in the spotlight could shine unexpectedly.
Influence Fame
Fame, once on red carpets, has begun to appear through TikTok or Instagram instead. Celebrities used to captivate audiences through television, music and hard-earned talent, and now social media has introduced the world to a new idea of fame: influencer fame.
With the new age of technology, one doesn’t need to work through countless auditions for the next big-time movie or take hours of singing lessons to become famous. Instead it just takes one press of a button to upload a video on social media and reach millions of people in seconds.
“In this day of social micro-trends and algorithmic control of your social feeds, it seems everyone can have their five minutes of fame. So, while a celebrity’s publicist used to control a celebrity’s cache, these days it can happen to just about anyone with a viral video,” Ohio University Communication Professor Elizabeth Henrickson said.
With social media platforms changing every day, the idea of influencers and how they coexist with celebrities changes too. During 2020, influencers became much more popular, and it became known that social media is an easier entry for ordinary people to go viral in seconds. Influencers have taken the idea of fame and completely altered it, making the concept of celebrities today take on a new meaning.
“I think of influencers as micro-celebrities, as they are only known by those who know them via tailored social feeds. Companies pour money into them if they hit the same demographic or market, which then feeds their need for fame, ad nauseam,” Hendrickson said.
It has been a topic of debate, whether influencers show more of an authentic, relatable side compared to the traditional celebrity who has curated their image to perfection. Instead of playing a character or being controlled by a manager, many influencers run their own platforms and create organic everyday life content that more and more people have begun to trust over other sources.
“Influencers are more authentic than normal celebrities because they are showing their day-to-day activities and documenting their lifestyle consistently,” junior Jenna Frase said.
Traditional fame was awarded by record labels or T.V. networks for what they deemed worthy of attention. Today, influencer fame is given through algorithms and engagement metrics making it the audience’s behavior the deciding factor of who and what becomes popular.
“I want to go viral on social media because it is fun to create content, and it can also be a side hustle to generate money through brand deals. I would love to grow my TikTok account, jenna.k259, enough to work with different brands like many influencers do,” Frase said.
A problem that has arisen from the new impact of influencer fame is how long someone will stay relevant until a new creator or trend comes in. Traditional fame has been seen to last generations and leave a lasting legacy, while influencer fame can come overnight and vanish just as fast.
“Every time a social feed is refreshed it’s another chance for the audience to look elsewhere. Traditional celebrity fame is more culturally saturating and has a much longer shelf life,” Hendrickson said.
Celebrities who have acquired traditional fame over the years have worked hard to master their craft and have many times earned the chance to step into the limelight, while many times influencers become famous by accident with no true talent other than personability. Society has changed a lot over the years with what it accepts as talent and how it re-works the construct of fame and its identity.
“Influencers have risen to fame because of their relatable lifestyle that they publicize. They have shown a friendlier side to fame over Hollywood celebrities because influencers are more relatable to their audience,” Frase said.
Public figures and influencers seem to want endless visibility while traditional celebrities retreat from recognition into privacy. This cultural shift leaves audiences unsure of how fame will evolve and what it will represent in the future.
“Honestly, I can’t even imagine (what fame will look like). We already have politicians who care more about how they look on TV than how they represent their constituents, which is a new (and horrifying) dimension to fame that borders on demigod. Then you have movie stars who honestly don’t want to be recognized in public. It seems everything is currently upside down,” Hendrickson said.
Nepo Babies
Imagine being born into a life where one’s last name defines many of their future decisions and image, where people are resented for a fate they couldn’t control. This is the plight that plagues children of the elite, royalty and celebrities.
Nepotism is defined as the hiring of a person based off of them having a family member in the same industry. According to People, the term “nepo baby” has grown in popularity since the 2010s, and it is applied to those who have benefitted from nepotism. The phrase is usually used for figures such as celebrities, musicians or the ultra wealthy, but it can also apply to a regular workplace or social setting in which there are perceived favorites due to relation.
“Simply put, nepotism means that some people get advantages that are not available to other people. It also functions to maintain inequality because it allows those who have more resources to pass them onto their children and it means that there are fewer resources and opportunities available to other people,” Michelle Maroto, Ph.D. said. Maroto is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta in Canada.
Although some nepo babies might grow more fame than their parents or family members, having a strong start early in their careers is an advantage. Having family with connections helps to navigate easier through an industry and can open doors that can benefit their careers.
“Parents can also provide social capital, which refers to access to social networks and social ties that create additional opportunities. In the case of nepo babies in the entertainment industry, this is often in the form of creating social connections and providing opportunities to join influential social circles. If you have a celebrity parent, it’s going to be much easier to meet other celebrities and people in the entertainment industry,” Maroto said.
In the film industry, many nepo baby actors begin their careers by making appearances in films their parents star in. For example, Sunny Sandler, the 17-year-old daughter of actor Adam Sandler, has appeared in over 15 films with her father, according to Time.
“Events like the Golden Globes have historically given the famous persons’ children a chance to get their foot in the door and hobnob with industry insiders. However, after that, it’s up to the kid. Charlie Sheen, for instance, is a famous child of Martin Sheen, but he struggled with drugs and alcoholism for decades. Meanwhile, Martin Sheen’s other son (brother to Charlie), Emilio Estevez, found more success and fulfillment working behind the screen,” Ellen Gorsevski, Ph.D. said. Gorsevski is an Associate Professor at the Bowling Green State University School of Media and Communication.
Many people see nepotism as harmful, as it can give fewer opportunities for underprivileged people or people in minority groups.
“It’s not only nepotism that’s problematic in many industries like entertainment, but also the systemic ways that talented individuals, whether women or historically marginalized individuals or groups or communities, get short shrifted and blocked from meaningful participation and/or career advancement,” Gorsevski said.
Nepotism can impact the image of the person benefiting from it as well. According to Forbes, perceived nepotism can cause resentment to build and trust to fade. Even if a person is highly qualified, people’s perceived nepotism might disregard that person’s capabilities and write them off as privileged or less deserving than others. Crediting someone as a nepo baby can imply that they are not as capable as others and rather gained success through the work and connections of others.
“It can be damaging when the person is not talented, or does not put in the work. Children of the famous who grow up in the spotlight, like Kendall Jenner, have described how much of an emotional toll the trolls in social media and elsewhere took out on her until she achieved fame by proving herself to be a true pro at her modeling career, by showing up and doing the work consistently and well for over a decade. So, by proving the naysayers wrong, many children of the famous can indeed surmount much of the negative connotations,” Gorsevski said.
Comparison culture is extremely detrimental to any person experiencing it. Although nepo babies might have a systematic advantage in their careers, the scrutiny of the media and the pressure of fame can be immensely damaging to a person’s mental health and self identity. So, the next time a media outlet or a fan online jumps to conclusions of prejudice and privilege, consider that they didn’t choose to be born with that last name and to be forced into the media spotlight from an early age.
“It’s not always ‘easy,’ and may even be harder in some ways to live with always being compared to your rich, famous parents, their beauty, their success, etc,” Gorsevski said.
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