LA Weekly ponders whether superheros have killed movie stars. They take a look at:
- What is a star?
- Why stars matter?
- What has been lost?
The easiest answer to what is a star revolves around bankability. In considering that, many actors become good at choosing roles that guarantee some level of financial success. However, they become recognized for a brand and while they are popular they never become a true star in the sense that they are bankable in original films or have an image that alters the film around them.
They define a true star as someone with a potent mix of sex appeal, mystery and relatability that adds up to an identity that audiences come to recognize and repeatedly seek out. They used Keanu Reeves as an example and said the following:
When we see a Keanu Reeves film, we know we’re getting an actor who asks us what it means for a man to be heroic in the first place, one who makes vulnerability central to his performance and who often interacts with the camera in ways that we expect of female sex symbols.
You can read the entire article at the link above. It is a good read.