In the old days before social media, actors became celebrities after their first noteworthy on-screen performance. Now, the criteria for landing a role in Hollywood seems to be whether or not you have 30 million Instagram followers. Be famous and then, act!

Especially during a global pandemic, social media’s dominance in a world that is overwhelmingly online is undeniable. Consequently, the power held by influencers on social media has already caught the attention of Hollywood producers and executives.

The most talked-about influencers of the past year include Tiktok stars who have gained millions of followers on the platform in a shockingly short amount of time. The industry is going through changes and producers are now seeking to cast influencers with pre-existing celebrity status and fan-bases in movies. The questionable priorities that underlie this strategy have to do with garnering maximum publicity and profits.

Junior Visual and Media Arts major, Emma Shapiro ‘22 is pursuing creative production and is experienced with talent casting. About influencers becoming actors, Shapiro says, ‘‘It's becoming less about who is most talented for the role and instead who will bring a big following to the movie.’’

It was announced in September 2020 that Tiktok star Addison Rae would make her acting debut as the lead in the She’s All That remake, He’s All That. Rae is set to portray the female version of Freddie Prinze Jr.’s character, Zack Siler. Ironically, her character is a popular influencer in the remake.

Before a Tiktok she posted went viral in 2019, Rae was a college student in Louisiana hoping to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. Now, she is the second most popular influencer on TikTok with 76 million loyal followers and a solid fan-base. Rae was considered a strategic investment with a potential to boost the movie’s popularity, so her lack of acting experience prior to getting cast, was not a deal-breaker for the producers.

Visual and Media Arts major, Nikki McGovern ‘20 is pursuing a career in film production. She says, “I think everyone involved in the development of the movie saw a massive opportunity in casting Addison Rae.” McGovern believes the industry tends to move further away from the art when the priority is financial gain. ‘’I don’t think Addison was the right choice, creatively. From a business perspective, it’s a genius move,” she says.

Turning the casting process into a promotional strategy turns the process of making art into a publicity act. This doesn’t mean that these influencers don’t deserve acting opportunities or that they aren’t talented. On the contrary, anyone who is driven to pursue acting should give it their best shot. Rae’s abilities as a performer will be revealed once the movie is officially released and her performance may turn out successful. Still, the mindset behind casting the influencers is concerning for the future of the industry and for many struggling actors.

Senior Theatre & Performance major Berfin Berber ’20 thinks it can be strategic to cast an influencer with millions of followers, in the short term. Berber says, ‘’It turns art into entertainment. I personally want to make art, not entertainment.’’ Even so, Berber is all about supporting anyone who gets an opportunity to act. ‘’I need to be the change that I want to see,'' she says.

Berber is currently focused on making art with her friends while auditioning for screen and stage. Profit-seeking motifs behind casting influencers create a casting culture that is unfair to talented and dedicated actors like Berber, who have been working hard for acting opportunities like these. 

While it is concerning to see the industry turning its backs on trained actors who lack fame, there is still hope. In 2009, the hit Fox series Glee introduced a large ensemble-cast of extremely talented actors with no prior fame or social media recognition. The producers held fair auditions to find the most qualified actors, devoted to the craft. After a successful 6-season run, the series had won the Emmy award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, proving the worthiness of talent and dedication in the long run.

If acting opportunities continue to be guided by follower counts, the industry will be at risk of losing its creative purpose, focusing too much on superficial gains. Anyone can go on Instagram, Tiktok, or Youtube to see their favorite influencers. Coming across a performance of a lifetime that could move you or make you smile is a gem that deserves a chance to be discovered.