Director Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born and Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody have rocked the theaters these last two months. Both follow the ups and downs of musicians’ lives. The former tells the story of Jackson Maine (played by Cooper), a fictional country singer who falls in love with Ally (Lady Gaga), a girl who eventually leaves him behind to become a pop singer. Bohemian Rhapsody, named after Queen’s greatest hit, follows the band’s legendary lead-singer, the late Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek).
Both movies have received critical acclaim due to their riveting performances and captivating cinematography. However, they also demonstrate the high cost of fame and glory an often harmful industry.
Perhaps most obviously, the respective main characters, Jackson and Freddie Mercury, each suffer from drug and alcohol abuse. The entertainment industry is stressful and often causes celebrities to search for unhealthy outlets. Wealthy stars often have easy access to harmful substances.
In Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie Mercury holds lavish and wild parties, and in his later years, we see his house littered with beer bottles and cocaine. A Star is Born’s Jackson also keeps a bottle of liquor on him for when he’s not performing, and even ends up wasted in a bush at one point. Fortunately, he visits a rehab center, but the underlying problem remains. Indeed, many celebrities today, such as Drew Barrymore, Robert Downey, Jr., and Johnny Depp, are well-known for substance abuse and addictions.
Moreover, the stars experience a lack of privacy, which is exacerbated by the production of these films “exposing” the lives of celebrities. Even in the 1970s, Freddie Mercury was harassed at press conferences with questions about his sexuality. Today, with social media and digital technology, celebrities’ lives are put on display and left for scrutiny by the public. The paparazzi publish pictures of stars on vacation, fans follow them through the streets, and hackers release private files such as sex tapes.
The issues extend beyond the invasion of privacy. In both movies, Ally and Freddie are mismanaged by people who wish to maximize profit at the expense of the stars’ health and happiness. They isolate the stars from people who care about them and push them to their limits to produce hits, often under the pretense of being a friend. This is true to real life, and entertainment headlines regularly report on lawsuits between artists and labels.
Additionally, more female celebrities are participating in the #MeToo movement, gaining confidence to expose sexual harassment at the hands of more powerful men in the entertainment industry, such as directors and label executives. Often, these women feel as if they have no choice but to let this harassment occur in order to jump-start their careers or have the same opportunities as others. Moreover, with their lives so publicized, female celebrities have much to fear and lose by standing up for themselves.
While Freddie Mercury, Jackson, and Ally became successful artists despite their hardships, it is important to note that they are the exception and not the rule. The vast majority of wannabe celebrities do not reach fame even though they face the same challenges. Their unrewarded efforts only throw them further into the abyss.
It’s unlikely that the entertainment industry will change towards a healthier environment anytime soon, but the two movies give fans something to think about.
You can catch A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody in theaters today.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Charese Vo of Richard Montgomery High School