Scott BresslerFame. Fortune. Beauty. As Hollywood stars strut their glamorous stuff down that oh-so-royal red carpet, the rest of us look on with envy and desire. Because the celebrity lifestyle seems so unattainable, all that most of us can can do is live vicariously through superstars’ escapades and imagine life in the fab lane.
Junior Nathan Thompson, an aspiring movie extra, certainly sees allure in the ways of the rich and the famous. “I think there is a human desire to be recognized and remembered,” said Thompson. “It would be fun to see your face in a movie that people are watching.”
A few Wash. U. students have actually been able to experience this feeling firsthand. Having been lightly grazed by fame’s fingertips, they have garnered the distinction of membership in that oh-so-glorious realm of the almost famous.
Sathya Sridharan, a junior, had the exciting opportunity to star in a Comcast Cable commercial that aired throughout California. Although the spot only featured the bottom half of his body, he maintains that the experience was inimitable.
“[It was] a dream come true, really,” said Sridharan. “I would love to be in a commercial in which my torso is shown. I’m working up my body so that when I finally reach the silver screen you will see my face.”
For other students, the face is actually all that we get to see. Imagine having your own visage immortalized on film. For freshman Laura McGinnis, this is an actuality. The feature film “Barbershop 2,” which she has yet to watch, boasts McGinnis’s portrait on the walls of its set. “It was a very large picture,” said McGinnis. “Queen Latifah [is] talking and over her shoulder you see a little bit of Laura. that is my claim to fame.”
Some Wash. U. students have been able to make use of their unique talents to make their way onto the big screen. Freshman Kate Lamberta heard about an opportunity to be an Irish dancing extra in the film “Road to Perdition” starring Tom Hanks, Jude Law and Paul Newman. Because she was an avid Irish dancer Lamberta went in to audition. She scored the part and got to be on set for two weeks, working nine hours per day.
“Tom Hanks was cool and would joke around with us,” said Lamberta. How many people do you know who can say that?
But is the Hollywood life really as alluring as it seems? According to senior Michael Morgan, the work has serious repercussions. In the seventh grade, Morgan dropped everything in order to pursue an acting career in L.A. He found himself working and auditioning all of the time. He scored roles on shows like “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Boston Public.” He made national commercials and played Christopher Walken’s teenage self in Disney’s “The Country Bears.” Although he enjoyed much success as an actor, he eventually couldn’t take any more of the Hollywood scene.
“There is so much insanity,” said Morgan. “Hollywood is like a day care center. Rich parents are paying for their kids to live in these communities of aspiring teenage actors. They have no self-control. It was crazy and that’s why I left.”
According to Morgan, the key to success in the industry is more about connections than talent. “As far as the land of dreams goes-it’s not that way,” said Morgan. Despite this harsh reality, the industry flourishes because there are so many people that wish to pursue this type of career.
Our American culture idolizes stardom as a seductive and impossible ambition. So whether you decide to move out to L.A. to pursue fame or remain content with good old Saint Louis, you can be sure that celebrity culture will continue to have its influence on both your own life and your community.