Star (Celebrity)

Star ( English star , fr. Étoile ) - a person who has achieved success in his field, has become widely known among the most diverse sectors of the population and attracts increased attention from television and the press . The most often stars are actors and actresses of theater and cinema, singers and singers, athletes, representatives of the sphere of show business and entertainment industry - fashion models , fashion models , etc.

Due to their fame, the stars have many admirers among ordinary people who often organize themselves in various fan clubs and communities, move around the world in order not to miss any public appearance of the object of their attention and track the slightest of its actions (including those that go beyond the professional field of activity given celebrity).

In the European and Russian theater of the late XIX - early XX centuries, the French word etual ( French étoile - “star”) was used to designate theatrical celebrities. In Soviet times, this concept was belittled: Ushakov’s dictionary defines “etual” as a fashionable actress who performed in light genres: farce , light comedy , vaudeville , operetta , from stage , etc. ^[1]

In the ballet troupe of the Paris National Opera, this title, as the definition of the top of the hierarchical status of dancers, was officially introduced: the first woman raised to the rank of "etuali" was Solange Schwartz (1938), the first man was Serge Peretti (1941).

The word “star” has its derivatives, specifying the field of activity: “movie star”, “pop star”, “rock star”, “guest star”. For people without a certain occupation (for example, wealthy heirs), the name "secular lion" or "secular lioness" is usually used.

In the United States, in the Golden Age of Hollywood , a system of movie stars developed, when each major studio ( English major film studio ) had its own nomenclature of popular actors, the recognition of which was relied on in the production of films. At the same time, the studios took a set of measures to promote them and maintain popularity. Later, a bunch of "movie studio - movie star" became less rigid. Currently, the Hollywood movie star is a relatively independent figure.

The term “star” is widely used on television and in the press, often appearing in the names of various television programs (“Star Academy”, “ Star Factory ”, “ Become a Star ”, “In Search of New Stars”, etc.).

L. E. Grinin in a number of his works reveals the sociological and psychological characteristics of modern stars, and also traces the consequences of their influence on society and culture ^[2] . He speaks of a new social layer - “people of fame”, whose fame and glory must be considered as one of the types of resources that, along with power, wealth, prestige, status and privileges, create the most important lines of inequality in society and its structuring in accordance with these lines ^[3] . The desire for glory creates in society a very important direction of the distribution of goods, and the influence of famous and famous people becomes an essential factor in social development.

Often fame is not related to the talents or achievements of the “star”, but is explained by fame itself .