Acting - Handling Stardom
In this article we're going to discuss what to do once you've
finally reached the point in your career where you have become a
true star.
Well, here you are. You met with your agent,
got the audition, got the part, made your first movie in a lead
role, the movie is a huge success and you're an overnight
success. Yes, it's unlikely, but it does happen. Just look at
the cast of "Harry Potter."
So, you're a star. What
next?
Unfortunately, not everyone can handle stardom.
This has been sadly chronicled in the lives of such people as
Freddie Prinze who took his life because he just couldn't handle
the pressures of being a big star. So what can you do in order
to avoid being a casualty of the movie, TV or stage
business?
Everyone has their own theories of how to
handle stardom. In this article we're just going to cover some
generic ground as every person is different and ultimately what
will work for one person may not work for another. For example,
some people will really enjoy all the attention from fans and
rag mags that they're going to get, good or bad. Others will
shun it like the plague. But there are some things that seem to
be the Achilles heel of most people who have made it
big.
For starters, don't bite off more than you can chew.
Once you become a star, everyone is going to want a piece of you
for interviews, endorsements, whatever. Budget your time. Do
only what you can do. You don't have to agree to every interview
request. Don't worry that if you turn one down that these people
are going to think of you as stuck up or unappreciative. Make
them understand that your time is limited and your schedule just
doesn't permit you doing that particular interview at this time
but maybe in the future. Always keep the door open. That way you
don't alienate anyone.
The next thing you want to do is
not let stardom change your lifestyle beyond what you can
afford. Mike Tyson, with all the millions he made boxing, is
broke. Learn to live within your bounds. This is not to say that
you can't have nice things. But if you're only taking in five
million a year then you can't live as if you're taking in a
hundred and five million. It will eventually catch up with you
and you could lose everything.
Probably the most
important thing you can do as a successful actor is not let it
get to your head. In spite of what the fans have told you, you
are not the almighty. You are still just a flesh and blood
person and as quickly as you became a star, that is how fast it
can all come crashing down on you. So many stars who are big one
day are gone the next and this dose of reality is too much for
them to handle. As a result, their lives are never the same,
many taking to drugs and booze. So keep your head about things.
Make sure you put your success into perspective.
Just by
doing the above few things you'll have a very good chance of
surviving the success that comes with being an actor.