Time and time again we go through this idea of the “death” of the movie star. But the problem is that no one wants to recognize that we also don’t know how to talk about celebrities anymore. More specifically how the “death” of the movie star is completely because of online chatter.
The more I hear people getting angry that Pedro Pascal is in everything, I realize that people could not be able to handle an actual movie star in today’s day and age. Tom Cruise is probably our last example but I do think that many look at box office draw as the only requirement to being a movie star and that’s just not true.
What it really came down to back in the golden age of movie stars was that they would have more than one movie at a time out. Or they’d have multiple projects in a year. It is why I definitely think Glen Powell is one of our biggest “movie stars” out there right now because in 2024, he had 3 different movies out. That’s how it USED to be! Pascal having multiple movies out in a year shouldn’t be labeled as a bad thing.
But the world we live in now is one that allows so many to hate on people just to do so. Prior to his rise to fame, Pascal was an internet darling. Then he started to achieve that movie star status and everyone online turned on him. Why? Because they don’t actually understand what a movie star is.
I miss the days of the 80s and 90s stars
We used to really have a constant stream of theatrical releases with all your favorite stars. Now, we have a lot more content to watch from our favorite celebrities to watch but it isn’t the same theatrical experience we used to have. And when we do have stars attempting to bring back that old Hollywood star, people online want to dog on them.
Why? Basically people don’t like to be “oversaturated” with a star but 2 or 3 movies a year does not oversaturation make. Instead, I think that the conversation has just shifted from how we used to love seeing the same actors in movies and shows.
Meaning that the definition of what a “movie star” is has shifted too. It is okay for things to change but then when I see someone saying we don’t have “movie stars” anymore, I have to push back. That’s not true. We have them. They’re the same kind of stars we always had in the past. The issue now is how we all talk about celebrities.
Anyone who is successful has to balance a fine line between being “too” successful and just right and that’s where the modern movie star has to find a way to shine. I don’t agree with it, I think it is frustrating, but it is disingenuous to say there are no movie stars. There are! You guys just don’t actually like the idea of a classic movie star.
(featured image: Getty Images)
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