Everything Mel Gibson has ever did is now a bit uncomfortable to watch. I can’t quite capture the suspension of disbelief I was once able to. I no longer see “Mad Max”*, I see “Mel Gibson”. The celebrity fuck up has actually colored my perception of the performance of the role.
Similarly, there’s Tom Cruise. He’s a Scientologist. A very devout one, and I’m sorry, I AM prejudiced against Scientology. And by extension, I am preloaded not to like his movies. However, “Edge of Tomorrow” was actually pretty good.
I don’t have an actual point here, I am starting a thread for the discussion. It’s just a jump off point. How does your opinion of the person in actual life color your perception, and enjoyment, of their performance in a fictional role?
*We don’t need Mel for Mad Max. We have “Fury Road”
When I hear about some celeb getting up to shenanigans I disagree with, it does bother me a bit, and it does affect how I perceive them in public (in interviews or on red carpets or whatever) though I also try to take a step back and assess if I should care. Some things are none of my business, while a few genuinely do matter. I don’t give a shit about Tom Cruise’s religion, or anybody else’s, they’re all equally as ridiculous if you take a minute, but someone who may potentially be a role model spouting racist or sexist bullshit really does worry me.
But, having said that, it does not affect my enjoyment of their shows or movies. For whatever reason, I can separate their personal lives from their characters effortlessly.
Bruce Willis. His reputation as a huge asshole to everyone kind of colors my perception of him, plus he seems to be phoning in most of his performances these days.
Wesley Snipes. Seemed like a cool guy in Blade etc but after his “sovereign citizen” tax debacle where he seemed to have zero common sense and a brain the size of a baseball, it’s hard now not to regard him as just a handsome Forrest Gump type idiot reading lines.
To me, that interview is nothing. What, exactly, did she say that was good or bad there? I wonder if it is this:
"‘It’s just not something the public needs to know,’ she told the online magazine.
'I don’t divulge my sexual preferences. There are parts of your life – no matter what your job – that should remain private."
I don’t need, nor want, to know an actor’s personal life. When they are vocal about it, it can take you away from the suspension of disbelief from the character, but that doesn’t happen with me regarding her.
Lindsey Lohan, who thankfully has about disappeared. Yet every so often her picture pops up on gossip sites: orange spray tan, bushel baskets of hair extensions, a gorgeous real in-your-face fur coat, at some event where you wonder how and why she ever got in. Strolling along the beach at some exotic resort, Hawaii or Nice or Bora Bora. I wonder how she affords it and why she isn’t working at a convenience store in Fresno (just to be able to afford 3 packs of cigarettes a day) by now.
Not an actor, but I heard Carl Sagan was a notorious asshole in restaurants, constantly sending back meals, never tipping, and giving servers long lectures (YAY!), so this colours my cosmic view of him.
Elia Kazan’s congressional committee hijinks forever tainted (no - get that stupid perineum reference out of your head already!) my appreciation of some of his otherwise great films.
Apparently Ted Bessell’s arrogant, recalcitrant behaviour on the set of one of the great 70’s TV series - “Me and the Chimp” - eventually contributed, at least somewhat, to the demise of what could have been maybe the greatest television series, since “Get a Life”. I really hold Ted against that.
Jane Fonda. Brilliant actress. But a clueless idiot in her personal life which had led her to embrace foolish causes. Most notoriously, North Vietnam. Being against the war was one thing. Supporting the other side during a war is different.
Mark Wahlberg. Hate crimes. He says he’s moved past it. I doubt his victims have moved past it as easily.
I don’t really care about a person’s beliefs, wack-a-do or not. I have zero tolerance for the outrageous scam known as Scientology, but as long as the actors aren’t pushing the ideology in their performances, I can get past it. Tom Cruise and John Travolta make (mostly) good movies. On the other hand, Kirstie Alley and Juliette Lewis suck at their craft and I wouldn’t watch them in any case.
Now, personal behavior is a different breed of cat. Someone like Cosby will never get another penny of my money, nor another second of my time, nor will any other entertainer who makes a point out of making people miserable.
As a rule, I don’t care about the personal lives of actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, and other public figures unless they’ve been committed felonies that adversely affect people other than themselves and/or espousing bigoted, racist, and/or morally repugnant social or political views. Beyond that, the fact Sam or Suzy Celebrity may the personality of a brain-damaged wolverine with poor impulse control doesn’t affect me unless I find myself having to regularly deal with them on a personal basis.
