Actress Mae West perfectly described the captivating quality of movie stars: “It isn’t what I do, but how I do it. It isn’t what I say, but how I say it. And how I look when I do it and say it.” Stars are fascinating because they are both enchanting and complex – they represent the special intimacy of cinema, yet are also clearly shaped by the era and culture they come from. They possess a certain oomph, that indefinable “It” factor, a phrase made famous by Clara Bow’s brilliant performance in the 1927 silent romantic comedy It. The stories of cinema and its stars are inextricably connected. However, in the end, it’s the viewers-and the financial success of their films-that determine who truly becomes a star. And only time will tell which of those stars will achieve legendary status.
During Hollywood’s golden age, top stars weren’t just actors; they understood how movies were made. They were skilled performers who knew how to connect with viewers through the camera. Since the old studio system-which created and controlled stars through contracts-ended, the idea of stardom has become more fragmented and changed significantly. For a while, many believed Hollywood had lost its ability to create stars in the traditional way. Instead, established intellectual property (IP) became-and still is-the most important thing. Now, a star’s value is determined by their ability to secure funding and production for films, and their films’ performance on streaming platforms, along with their presence on social media, are absolutely critical.
We’ll be diving into all of this and much more in Performance Studies, the newest addition to our subscriber-only newsletter series, New York Night School. Over the next five weeks, we’ll be looking at how stardom has changed throughout history and in different parts of the world. Each week, we’ll focus on a different star: Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Cruise, Pam Grier, Alain Delon, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Each newsletter will feature a discussion between myself, Angelica Jade Bastién, and senior newsletter editor Jasmine Vojdani. And each week, you’ll have the chance to watch (or re-watch!) a selection of films to experience the best performances from these iconic actors. New York subscribers will also receive a special, limited-time discount for a subscription to the Criterion Channel, where many of the films on our syllabus are available to stream. We encourage you to watch along with us. Sign up below or by clicking here to get started. Newsletters will be delivered weekly at 7 p.m. ET for five weeks.
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2025-10-01 16:54