To think that very few celebrities have the 'x factor'

[Bargaincatfood]

not an intellectual thread
Especially not most of those who won the show?! I remember the year 1direction were in it, my friends and I used to watch it before going out. We used to talk about the curly haired one, he wasn't that good looking, wasn't the best singer or the best dancer but my god was he mesmerising. Even my mum commented on him. Now he's the only one out of that insanely popular band with any semblance of a career.
It makes me think how few celebrities there are with that utterly mesmerising, star quality, where they're the only person you pay attention to on stage. It's hard to distinguish this from talent, obviously you pay attention to someone with an amazing voice. But that's not enough on it's own, as poor Leona found out.
I used to think it about Corrine Bailey Rae too, she was just so unique in tone and beautiful, but then she faded into oblivion so i mustn't have been in the majority.

Who has the X factor for you?

@Gohugatree

Lots of the old Hollywood stars certainly seemed to have an aura around them which in unusual these days, the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe etc.

I think it's because there was a certain 'aura' around them, and no-one was spilling their guts on social media and in the tabloids every five minutes. It's difficult to see someone as an icon if they've just posted a badly spelled IG story about how buff their beach bod is right now.

There ain't no mystery any more, and it's the mystery that's so alluring.

I agree. And you never saw photos of them without makeup or with un styled hair. Or pictures of them on holiday in a bikini.

Amy Winehouse did.
Olly Murs does not.

Just because people aren't in the limelight anymore doesn't mean they haven't got the x-factor. It means they're choosing not to work.

And there are definitely some people that have been very failed the industry, despite having "the x-factor".

[quote Megalameg]@CounsellorTroi

Not sure whether that’s sarcasm or not?
If not Melissa Mcarthy and Toni Colette aren’t exactly Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn are they?[/quote]
Obviously not, but they’re not completely lacking in charisma either.

There's a lot of romanticism concerning music stars of the past here. Bowie was dropped by his record label multiple times and had multiple flops before Space Oddity. People always imagine that stars are discovered in a dusty bar singing the song that made them famous. Bowie tried many different genres and looks before finding one that spoke to people of the time.
The difference is that now people can make music and get it out to the masses quicker and easier so it's a record company dream. They can just look at tiktok likes and sign them up! Rather than a music exec listening to demos and having to guess which ones would resonate with the audience.

We just watched Basic Instinct for the first time in many years, and Sharon Stone is a perfect example of an actress with the X factor. And currently, James Spader, despite being a bit portly, has massive X factor.

I think because we know so much about these people's lives. The stars with the x factor manage to keep their lives private.

What do we actually know about George Clooney's private life? I don't think there has ever been picture of his kids in the press. Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston etc. Never pictured rolling out of clubs.

Gaga is an absolute phenomenon IMHO. Her voice is absolutely amazing. And again, what do we know of her private life? Nothing really.

Adele is absolutely meh. Her songs are trash, again IMHO, but when she is in the media etc., she comes across as a delightful, funny, witty, lovely woman. But again, her private life is private.

Social media has a lot to do with it and accessibility to these people.

This is really interesting, I work in the 'business' and have seen and met alot of folk. The only person that I have seen who had the X factor in the original sense of the word is Jude Law - I don't fancy him at all, but he is absolutely magnetic, I couldn't take my eyes of him. This is the Hollywood x factor that people like Marilyn Monroe had I think.

Alan Rickman had the x factor for me, not conventionally good looking but such a strong presence - loved him as the villain in Die Hard and Robin Hood, fantastic in Truly, Madly, Deeply...and that voice! I saw him on stage and he was mesmerising.

There are few celebrities with the X factor due to the overwhelming nepotism that exists in the media and entertainment industry. It demonstrates that having star quality is not really needed for success.

To me Daniel Craig, charisma. Sean Connery, good looking when younger but no charisma. Roger Moore, charisma.

Harry Styles, definitely.
Adele, definitely not.
Chris Pratt, definitely not, his ugly views shine out
Will Smith, hell yes.

"The actresses are even worse. I can’t remember a truly charismatic actress in the last ten years. Scarlet Johanson and Jessica Chastain for instance "

That's were it becomes subjective. I love Scarlett Johansson, she can carry a film, as she did Lucy.

"Not sure whether that’s sarcasm or not?
If not Melissa Mcarthy and Toni Colette aren’t exactly Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn are they?"

There's loads of comedy actresses from the 40/50s, Peggy Mount, Hylda Baker, Hattie Jacques etc who they could be compared to. All great actresses, just different roles, looks and personas.

Adele from day one complained about paying tax and said lots of unsavoury things. I don't know if then a whole down-to-earth-adele/ fat-girl-breaking-barriers campaign was launched by her PR team, which changed how she was thought of.

Tom Hanks definitely has charisma.

@FrankButchersDickieBow

Adele’s private life is private? Guess you haven’t seen any of her most recent interviews. It’s all about her private life, her divorce, why she wanted a divorce, what her son thinks about it, what she thinks of what her son thinks about it etc.
I’ve rarely seen a star spill their guts to the level she has been lately. It’s kinda gross.

"Showbusiness" thèse days is dominated by nepotism or people with family money. It's probably not that likely that you have one or both of these plus a magnetic personality. There are probably musicians or actors with the X factor who just don't have the chance of a breakthrough.

The flip side of celebrity these days is reality shows and social media influencers where it seems almost the opposite of charisma is desirable and it's better to be as bland and dumb-seeming as possible, and to look exactly the same as everyone else rather than show any individuality.

I was going to post what a pp already said. The market is saturated. People are famous because they are famous. Famous for being rich, writing a self help book, because Mum turned them into a brand, dated a footballer, said vile things in the press and on and on and on. Hundreds of new songs released each month seemingly and every artist is on Instagram revealing everything about themselves.

When there's nothing left to the imagination, there's no X factor. In fact, the celebrities who I think do have an old school X factor, are the ones who don't reveal everything about themselves and seem like something of a mystery. And that's not true either. I happen to sort of know (through a friend) a Hollywood A Lister who is supremely talented and who I think would fit the bill for most people. She's pretty private and not on social media and not hounded by press. In real life, she's completely and utterly normal. And objectively, no different to her public persona but you could perceive her differently if you hadn't seen her rolling her eyes at her stubborn teenager whilst trying to get out the house on time.

Old school celebs seemed mysterious and untouchable and lived different lives sold to us only through the press. Now Bob next door can be famous if he says the right stuff on Twitter and sells his story to the right corner of the press.

I don't think Tom Hanks has charisma. He comes across as a lovely man but I don't find him compelling on screen. To me charisma is when an actor 'steals' the screen.
There aren't many like that these days.

I would say people like Lady Gaga have it too, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus.

Tom Hanks has charisma.

He's nit a sex God, but he has buckets of charisma.

@araiwa
I don't like her music at all but she's clearly an excellent singer

Adele has an excellent and strong natural tone, but I wouldn’t call her an excellent singer. Shes great at belting things out. Big power ballad type stuff. But otherwise just ok. Her singing lacks nuance. Very average range - when she sings live she never even sings the top notes in her biggest hit!

@Branleuse
Gaga has it but not the other two. Gaga is a powerful singer and string, original live performer. The other two are just averagely talented musicians with top notch marketing teams.

Don’t know if anyone mentioned Lady Gaga ? She is special and has the wow factor !

Crossed post 😂

An actor should have charisma only if the role requires it. Plenty of roles require the actor to be dull, unassuming and not at all starlike.