Limelight:
Star light, star bright
By
Lubna Abdel Aziz
Now that the feasting dust has settled, and the old year has been duly entrusted to the realm of memory, it is time to crown its achievers, to praise those who could and did, in 2003. The world is ready to award them with honours, prizes, awards, and little gold statuettes. Heightened anticipation and great expectations prevail in Movieland among those who toil behind the silver screen. It is known as "Oscar watch" when we all gaze at the Hollywood Heavens and wonder at their bright shiny stars. Who shall win best honours at the 76th Annual Academy Awards? Who will take home that "coveted fellow named Oscar"?
For the first time in 60 years the academy has moved its big night date from March/April to 29 February. Why the move? Elementary! It is only -- money, that's what it's all about. The original late spring date allowed several other awards to get television time and money, thereby eating up the profits as well as interest in "Big Oscar" night. The show's lucrative TV licensing fees have been dwindling of late, to the tune of two per cent annually, and that is a loss of "great big bucks" for the academy. Bruce Davis, executive director of the Motion Picture Academy explains: "Its about ratings. That's our life's blood!"
So what does a win mean to the movie industry, to stars, agents, producers, directors, studios, theatre owners, distributors, etc, etc? Right again -- money! The biggest winners of all are the stars that illuminate our universe and our night skies. Of course not all winners are stars, and not all stars are great actors. Nonetheless, stars are the main dynamo behind the industry's finances. They are the reason for long queues at the box-office, they sell the tickets, they fill the seats, they adorn the pages of magazines. Without the stars' flourish and their megabucks, the industry would not be what it is. We idolise them, flock to them, desire them, as Shelley's
... desire of the moth for the star
Of the night for the morrow -
We are always trying to reach for the unreachable, digging for treasures underground, diving for them deep down in ocean beds, or feasting our eyes with their heavenly beauty. Stars have "the worship of the world". Perhaps in them we see a glimpse of what we wish to be. "We bless them and think it luxury."
Of the 118,000 members of the Screen Actor's Guild, only 72 are considered "stars". They are the gold-spinners, the cream of the California crop, the kings and queens of the Hollywood Hills. They make the world go round, and the world is thereby at their feet.
What makes them stars? What is the elusive, mercurial, invisible quality that forms the earthly/heavenly body we call a "film star". We know not what it is; we know what it is not! It is not beauty; it is not talent; it is not hard work. It is not even a combination of all these. So what is that perplexing esoteric "je ne sais quoi" element that enfolds us in its aura, blinds us with its radiance. It is a bewildering hypnotic power formed of one or more traits, gestures, or features -- a wink, a smile, a glance, a raised eyebrow, casts a spell, and we are charmed. This pleasurable "diablerie" costs, and we have to pay. Everyone pays for the pleasure of their enchantment.
How much do we pay? Salaries of stars have doubled in the last 10 years. Some possess killer looks (Tom Cruise), others great personalities (Jack Nicholson), a few great humour (Jim Carrey), others still are more enigmatic (Julia Roberts). The 35-year-old Julia is the only star in Hollywood or in the world, who asks and receives $25 million per film, the highest salary paid to any male or female superstar. Her male counterparts include a list of impressive names headed by Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, Bruce Willis, Jim Carrey and the governor himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The only female name that surprisingly comes near Julia's is 31-year- old Cameron Diaz, who may well receive the $20 million she is now asking. Although her superstar power is still unproven, she is the only female in that category who stands shoulder to shoulder with such giants as Russell Crowe -- a favourite for another Oscar nomination for his turn as Captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World -- as well as Harrison Ford, Nicholas Cage, Keanu Reeves and Denzel Washington.
At $15 million and above/under the milky way begins to surface. On the top of the heap is probably the most rapidly rising star of the lot -- the beautiful Nicole Kidman. Fearless in her choice of roles, Nicole has gone from success to success earning an Oscar last year for The Hours. This year she is certain to get another nomination for Cold Mountain. She stands alone among the crowded list of male luminaries, which includes George Clooney, Jack Nicholson, Hugh Grant, Richard Gere, John Travolta, Kevin Kostner, Sylvester Stallone, Brad Pitt, Ben Aflek, Sean Connery and Robert de Niro. Following Nicole closely is the youngest star on the list, Jon Voigt's 28-year-old daughter Angelina Jolie. Jolie is confidently climbing the superstardom ladder and has a long versatile career ahead of her.
Rapidly losing her grip on the "America's sweetheart" throne is 41-year-old Meg Ryan, whose asking salary is $15 million but receives $10-12 million. She badly needs a hit, so does Sandra Bullock, who falls in the same category, and seems to have peaked years ago. Jodie Foster, Michelle Pfeiffer, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Lopez, Drew Barrymore all register on the same scale, give or take a few million. Male actors in the range include Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Pierce Brosnan, and Tommy Lee Jones.
Ten million is the going rate for Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Kevin Spacey, Matt Damon, and their female counterparts Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow. Others that fall below $10 million like Helen Hunt, Selma Hayek, Sharon Stone or Uma Thurman are not to be bothered with. After all -- below $10 million! Pooh!
Now the stars are off to their annual Oscar races. Even when not in the running, the competition is carefully watched by all, for according to the results, the dollar numbers will shift or sway, rise or fall, and stars will wax or wane depending on the outcome.
The Golden Globe party will be held 25 January, guaranteeing a good time for all -- winners and losers. The Oscar nominations will be announced 27 January. Trophy night is scheduled for 29 February. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for the Oscars are an austere affair and a fierce competition, which translates into more gold for some, less for others.
Are the stars worth all these millions? Some say no, others say, definitely! Would our universe be the same without its stars dancing in the firmament night after night? These heavenly bodies twinkle and sparkle, lighting up the heavens and brightening our days and nights. We like to see them, hear them, watch them. We are curious about their lives, their loves, their taste in food, clothes, art. In short, they fill our hearts with joy and that is why they are so handsomely rewarded. Is there less in this than meets the eye! Are they worth that much because we cherish them, or do we cherish them because they are worth that much? Does it matter which comes first, the chicken or the egg?
We are reminded of Richard Whateley's words: "It's not that pearls fetch a high price because men dive for them, but on the contrary men dive for them because they fetch a high price!" Or is it the other way around!
