Feb 05, 2020 13:40
celebrity social media,
rupert grint,
stranger things (netflix),
emma watson,
british celebrities,
sophie turner,
television - british,
daniel radcliffe,
skins (uk),
we were all rooting for you,
eat the rich,
tom felton,
ontd original,
drugs / alcohol,
sir patrick stewart,
game of thrones (hbo),
gary oldman,
maggie smith,
fandom / stan culture,
florence pugh,
alan rickman,
eddie redmayne,
kate winslet,
helena bonham carter,
harry potter
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So, I understand that it's quite common for people to draw comparisons between the Stranger Things Kids and Harry Potter Kids, particularly when it comes to critiquing Millie Bobby Brown and what her having a, by all accounts, toxic stage dad will do for her future (if Thora Birch's career teaches us anything - I hope this won't happen to her!). The fact that many of them are underage still and are signed with high fashion brands and have insane Instagram followings (scarily unfiltered and with no regards to boundaries by adults who worship these kids like literal Gods and have access to seemingly nearly every part of their public lives put on display) - all of this shares little in common with the HP Kids when they were around the ST Kids' ages. Back in the ancient days of the 2000s, social media was still quite young and designer fashion trends for kids on the red carpet was virtually non-existent. One only has to look as far as the red carpet premieres for Goblet of Fire. When the Golden Trio were reaching the end of teenhood, Twitter was still just a new thing. Some of the cast have Twitters and Instagrams, etc. NOW (with some setting up accounts ca. 2010 before the last film came out), but social media at the maddening scope that it is today was not around then.
With that said, the HP Kids absolutely dealt with their massive fame in their own ways and to say that the ST Kids will spiral downwards because the HP Kids are so well-adjusted by comparison don't take into account that the HP cast did not, for the most part, have their teen years broadcast on social media like what's happening to young actors now. There was the toxicity of paps, sure, and poor Emma Watson received the worst treatment in that department (anyone remember the invasive upskirt shots taken of her on her 18th birthday?); however, the HP Kids had somewhat of a luxury. Without social media, they could easily conceal their normal human problems in private and weren't as vulnerable to the Internet stan culture. If Dan's candid interviews about his alcoholism tell us anything (and I have OCD with a likelihood for addiction and my late paternal grandfather was an alcoholic, so I'm not interested in demonizing his addiction because I strongly sympathize with him), he hid his insecurities rather well.
Of course, Dan has been pretty open about this too, but by the time he was in his early teens, his fame was sinking in and he did experience anxiety. When he was 16, he began a serious relationship with a trainee hairdresser, Amanda "Amy" Byrne (then 21-23) who worked with him on Goblet of Fire (Dan was 14, 15 at the time). While there's nothing inherently wrong with this (the age of consent in the UK is 16), he lost his virginity young to Byrne and cites that it was a positive experience; my only concern is that this appears to violate a workplace relationship and a 23-year-old does not have the same life experience as a 16-year-old (I would feel better if she were closer in age, maybe 19, to be honest). And the Daily Fail is trash, needless to say but at present, it's the only article I can find with adequate information.
Anyhow, I'm really glad to see that Dan appears to be doing well (to me, he sounds WAY happier then he's ever been) and is all right with talking honestly about his past demons. I only wish the best for all former HP child actors and the ST Kids.
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I know ONTD absolutely despises him, especially after the airport scandal but I think for someone his background he has quite an impressive work ethic.
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I really only became aware of Millie's situation (and this was before I finally gave in and watched ST - I like the first season mainly, but this is beside the discussion) bc people are always talking about it on here. And then, all the Millie posts. And now it's all over Tumblr. Yeah, that's true about how American audiences eat up brooding, outcast types unlike in Britain, I think so with that context, his success overseas makes sense. I don't know, us Americans prefer underdogs or whatever? We believe so strongly in meritocracy, it's just a given.
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His parents separated when he was young (his dad is also in the music scene but nothing famous). He worked lots of regular jobs after that, bartending and renting out scooters, which he has talked in interviews. He only got into acting because he was super broke and only got commercials and odd spots in British soaps before landing the jackpot with ST. Honestly, he has been through a lot and he is only 25 (turning 26)!
As for his looks, yeah I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I see the brooding/angsty thing that reminds me of James Dean and young Leo. He also has gotten a looot of Harry Styles comparisons lmao.
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he had a shady relationship with the lead singer who was much older (in her 30’s while he just turned 18) and ended up having his child
Wow, omg. That's nuts. :/ He's looks so young to be a dad (I mean, he's of age, but still and he has one of those faces like Dane Dehaan where he looks both young and old at the same time).) Do you have the links to some of those interviews bc I'd be interested in seeing them? This is all news to me. I don't really pay attention to people's dating lives (bc I guess I don't really care unlike most people), but based on event photos posted here, isn't he in a relationship now with "Nancy Wheeler" a.k.a. Natalia Dormer Dyer (omg there's so many famous Natalias/Natalies I know of I couldn't think of her flippin' name lol and for the longest time, especially in ST S1, I thought she looked like Raffey Cassidy who I know from Snow White and the Huntsman and that Brad Bird Disney movie)?
I have to say, I'm glad he got a good gig finally bc shit, sounds like he was really struggling. I make minimal wage and I empathize. Oop, he's my age lol.
Girl, OMG! I TOTALLY see a little bit of that young Leo in him, like the squinty eye thing he does! Also James Dean. Idk, is that like a basic blonde dude thing or what? So many honey blondeish guys like him with his bone structure look the same to me? I think he looks more like a cross between (this name again) Dane Dehaan's lost brother (maybe it's the eye bags?) and bb Leo than Harry Styles, but to each their own. Like, I don't think I'd ever confuse Harry for Charlie and vice versa. They're both British, so some homogeneous white Brit features are unavoidable to compare.
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maybe this is because the hp kids knew they had 8 movies and 10+ years to build careers and the st kids know their show only has a season or two left tops and are trying to capitalize while they can. and i'm sure the hp kids were all being paid a ton more which makes the need to secure the bag less necessary
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i feel like the harry potter kids were all much more famous than the stranger things kids
Do you think so? I wasn't really into the HP fandom until way late (like, I saw the first two films when I was 7, 8, 9, red the first three books, got bored and didn't get back into it until high school, so like ca. 2009) so maybe I'm misremembering. I think they were EVERYWHERE like a decade ago when the last film came out (obviously) and while Dan and Rupert (and to an extent, Tom and Matt Lewis) are doing fine for themselves, I feel like you don't hear much about any of them anymore. I mean, Dan I think intentionally stays away from the media because he couldn't avoid it as a kid; now he's content with his life choices and doesn't need (or want) the attention.
But maybe that's expected bc ST is currently the hottest thing? Also, you're right about the longevity of TV shows. Millie almost has as many followers on Instagram as Emma (30m vs. 53m), it's really troubling me that someone under 18 can be THAT visible to people. Sadie Sink also has more followers than Evanna Lynch and Bonnie Wright combined and they've been on the platform longer (also, in the public eye for longer; they're not as ~famous as Emma, but some people still recognise them). Not that follower counts are a direct indication or measure of fame and success, but still. You are correct that the ST Kids hustle like clockwork.
With HP, Dan is maybe the exception since he separated himself early with Equus and December Boys (Rupert did a couple indies like that 2002 film that bombed and Driving Lessons with Julie Walters and Emma had Ballet Shoes and the Despereaux animated film), but a lot of them didn't branch out until after the series ended. I don't know if that hurt some of their careers. Bonnie announced her retirement from acting in 2014 (?), but she found her calling with directing. I watched some of her work online and... she's actually a GOOD director??? Like, I'm not just saying that. Evanna hasn't been in a feature film in a significant role for five years (let me go cry in a corner), but she's doing lots of theatre Off-Broadway and on the West End. I don't think she's the best actress in her age group, though I like her, she was good in My Name Is Emily and I wish her career was going somewhere; she deserves better than what she's given. She does so many crappy films, I feel bad for her! ;__; She auditioned for the lead for The End of the F***ing World, so she's hustling, just isn't landing anything.
The way TV actors are paid is disgraceful. Yep, the HP kids are financially secure if you Google their estimated net worth. I thought the GOT kids would be earning more (like, Sophie, Maisie Williams, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, etc.), but they're not??? 10 years of that show and they're making pennies??? Peter Dinklage is the highest paid bc of his screen time.
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i think it's smart for the st kids not named millie to branch out into other movies and projects. they don't have her name id or fanbase so separating themselves from the rest of the kid cast and being in more movies and establishing themselves in the industry now before the show ends will put them in a good position once the show is over. i always feel like it's a mistake tom felton made - he wasn't one of the trio so he didn't have the space dan or emma did to take their time after the series ended to try to capitalize on hp. he should have hustled much harder before the movies ended than he did
if instagram was a thing when the hp movies were being made, i think many of them would have 10+ million followers too, even the minor cast members. it's a very gen z driven platform and i don't think you can compare their follower counts now since social media exploded way past hp's peak
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I didn't really think about the size of the cast for ST playing a factor into it bc yeah, I think you make a valid point there. Also the fact that it's an arguably ~original production and not based on any known properties (that isn't Stephen King). But the characters have no basis, really. I can see Finn already having a solid career bc I swear, he's like in every new movie it seems and I don't hate him, he's cute or whatever but I'm sick of his face (and that Tiny Tim Chalalalamay... Timothee Charizard or smth guy) already lol. And Sadie had a lot of work before ST, so I think she'll be okay (and I actually know her from The Americans when she was itty bitty and The Glass Castle, for instance before I watched ST; I was happy when her casting was announced bc I knew it would give her more exposure). I'm so so sad about Noah, tho. Reminds me of Rupert Grint getting ignored for Dan and Emma all over again.
I think Tom is doing a bit better than he was. He's landing TV work, so good for him. But you're not wrong about that. I kinda wish Evanna would have taken that advice, too bc I think by 2011, she actually was set on continuing as an actress (in 2007-09, she wasn't sure yet) but now the HP novelty has worn off and she's competing for work. She dropped out of an indie film that looks promising to do Dancing With the Stars and she got more followers or whatever from that but like??? Who told her to do that??? Who gives an honest shit about DWTS???
Emma has the most followers on both Instagram, Twitter and Facebook out of anyone (Dan's following would probably be HUGE if he had social media, but I'm glad he doesn't bc I think he has OCD like me) and it gives me anxiety on Emma's behalf bc I know why. Her fans are sooo creepy, the dudes mainly. Every time the supporting cast come out of the woodwork and go to those HP cons and Wizarding World and WB Stuido Tour stuff, their social media numbers go up bc it reminds people they exist, so yeah, if HP was still happening (like film 18, if there was room for one), the cast would be rolling in those numbers.
But like I said, it depresses me that social media is used as an indicator of someone's worth in society, even in the industry. Bob's Burgers had an episode on one aspect of this social media culture. I think Sophia Turner said she got cast in a part over Saoirse Ronan who she said she thinks is a better actress than her (and she's not wrong there, I love Sophie's off-screen personality but homegirl is SO wooden) bc Saoirse has ZERO social media while Sophie has a decent following. I can't say how this will look in the future. It's... kinda toxic. :/
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A big part of the ST kids fame/follower count is just that their show is the pop culture tv phenom of the last few years and still on, meanwhile HP ended before instagram really took off and is like a decade in the past now. It's what I'd expect tbqh. And Bonnie or even Evanna had far less of a presence in HP promo than Sadie does now for ST (she's on all major red carpets, has brand endorsements, gets interviews with the odd fashion pub even)
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But yes to all your points!
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But like you said, there are major shifts in society between then and now, and it's really premature to be writing them off, especially Millie. Though if anything, the fact that a public social media profile is like a whole other branch of work for them (they promote brands etc on there - in known abusive environments where they're directly targeted by any asshole with an insta) is a bit worrying. The HP kids were scrutinised enough as it is (and I'm really glad for Dan making it through), but I hope the ST kids at least have some measure of normalcy in their private lives.
(The fashion at those HP premieres though! I loved that Emma used to wear actual vintage on HP red carpets in London, sis was actually pretty stylish as a kid though it was only around GoF she started getting a proper stylist and outfits instead of wearing just her own clothes - I remember she had a lot of really pretty Alberta Ferreti dresses for appearances that year. And Dan and Rupert w the velvet suits!)
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