Emma Smith – Core Post #4

 In Barry King’s “Articulating Stardom” essay, he highlights the differences and similarities between stage acting and screen acting and how these differences came to be and what helps create a “skilled” performance of each.  A big point he analyzes is how actors often must “obliterate his or her sense of identity in order to become a signifier for the intentionality inscribed in character” or in simpler terms, they must suspend their own personality in order to assume the mindset of the character they are portraying.  This can be easier or harder to accomplish depending on the actor’s physicality, behavior, and previous notions of other roles they’ve held.  The issue of previous roles and the assumptions that the audience hold from them carrying over to a new role introduces the idea of typecasting to the King’s analysis. 

One significant point of King’s analysis is his presentation, definition, and distinction of important terms like “image”, “persona”, “character”, and so forth.  They become integral to understanding the difference between actor, the character, and the idea the actor is presenting (persona).  If we think about modern examples of how actors or celebrities may greatly differ from the roles they play, I think Jacob Elordi is the first one that comes to mind.  In Euphoria, he plays a douchebag role while in Saltburn, he plays a more charismatic, likable character. In this instance, Elordi’s persona doesn’t conflate with the roles he plays, which can be seen by his interviews and press tours: he presents as a dorky, tall, Australia (we all know that video of him on Jimmy Fallon doing heart hands toward the audience). He has versatility in his roles.  But there are other actors in which their persona is 100% conflated with the roles they play. Take the Rock for example. His persona is one full of machismo and flexing his physicality and his roles similarly do the same–they’re all action movies or comedies that highlight his physicality and strength (Baywatch, Black Adam, Fast and Furious).  One big question that comes to mind is how and why are certain actors able to transcend the image associated with them in the roles they play? Is it a strategy to try and create a persona that fits a specific role? What are the benefits and downsides of creating a persona for the public in regard to audience reaction to roles?