Stardom

Nicole Kidman in 'Birth'

This week we watched 'Birth' which had Nicole Kidman in, playing the main character. We watched this to look into 'stars' within the film industry and how they effect the film's success and audience as well as the interpretation of the characters they are playing. For example, in this weeks reading, 'Nicole Kidman' (2008), Thompson quotes;


Julia Roberts 'Pretty Woman'

'In Pretty Woman in 1990 - Julia Roberts was ravishing. This was accentuated by the overwhelming smile she possessed. She was teased about it, and at times lost her confidence. In certain films that catered for it, it was easy to see a sticken creature. By the time of 'Closer' there was a more naked emotional vulnerability that made her seem significantly older than Kidman in 'Birth'.' P.224




Julia Roberts in 'Closer'

Nicole Kidman - Stardom

Here he describes how Julia Roberts personal insecurities, exposed to the public eye through the media, has made her acting in 'closer' more real and emotionally connecting to the audience than what Nicole Kidman's acting in 'birth' has done, because of what we the audience know about Julia's life. However, from Nicole's stardom, the audience know she has long hair and in the film she has a very short shabby haircut, possibly showing us her character may of lost her way because we know that this haircut has therefore been done intentionally because of what we know of her background as a real person.


'With loss or experience, the face grows towards its own deepest character, and becomes less pretty but more interesting.' P.224
 

Will Smith

Will & Jaden in 'The Pursuit of Happyness'.

Another example of stardom is Will Smith, with the fans he has built up from his celebrity status also now watching his films and films of those his wife and kids star in. An audience could go to watch a film such as 'The pursuit of Happyness' just to see the connection that Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith have together and this could therefore boost ratings and range of audience. This film allows Will Smith to do some of his best acting, with his onscreen relationship with his son being emotionally real as it was his off-screen son also. This therefore makes the audience more emotionally attached. Will Smith plays 'the good,friendly guy' in all of his films which we as an audience believe in his acting as we know he is a nice guy in reality as well, with presenters such as Lorraine Kelly, has spoke on him being one of the nicest stars she has interviewed. Many other people within the industry have also expressed this. A star will create a bigger audience and great believable characters in his films, by portraying a character that is close to who they portray themselves as in the public eye.


Will and Jaden Smith

Will Smith with Lorraine Kelly

Will Smith's Celebrity family

Thompson.D (2008) Nicole Kidman. P.217, P.224