To think most famous actors are not good people?

[Distractedfromdistraction]

Am I being unreasonable to think that most famous actors (men in particular) are not good people, given the constant stream of stories about them being exposed as sexual harassers, bullies, or otherwise awful. Does the fame inevitably go to their heads? I wonder if anyone knows of any famous actors who are genuinely lovely in real life?

Watch him in There She Goes. He's utterly brilliant in it (as are all his co-stars). Doesn't mean he's not a bit of a twat, though.

I cannot imagine how cloying it must be to be "on" at all times in public. Even if you don't feel well, one of your parents is dying or you've just received a whopping tax bill you must still be shiny and happy for the fans so they don't turn on you and end your income.

I saw footage recently of the late Stephen Gately (pop star not actor, I know) trying to just have a day off and do his shopping but getting mobbed by teenage girls. He kept politely asking them to leave him alone but they wouldn't. And that was per smartphones too.

I think we all have capacities to be bad and twattish. But famous people have all kinds of opportunities and extra pressures in that direction.

It's easy to get a big head when people are always saying how amazing you are.
It's easy to be forgetful of consequences when you have the money and clout to avoid them.
It's easy to be tempted by sex or drugs etc when they are always being offered to you, no strings attached.

As far as sex goes though, I think what can be particularly tricky is that when you are constantly operating in a weird sex environment, you start to think it's normal. It's also what everyone else is doing (how would you know they aren't, since a lot happens in private?) You assume other people want the same things.

I knew a young guy a bit years ago who was in a semi-successful rock band as a teen, and then in his early 20s it was kind of big for a while. They had girls throwing themselves at them all the time, and especially later. And the girls would put up with pretty much anything, even suggest stuff that was really over the top, group sex, the whole band and one or two girls, anal, rough sex, whatever they thought would get them in the door. It was really pretty disordered and unhealthy.

But these were young guys, and the girls about their own age, to them this was how it had always been, the girls seemed to be consenting. In their minds, this was "normal."

That stuff has to impact your view of sex, women, etc, in a way that is likely to produce terrible and risky behaviour. And many people aren't necessarily all that insightful.

Many years ago my DH, whilst away on a work jolly for International sales teams, went down to the bar and started chatting to a man whom he vaguely recognised. It was only later he found out it was Pierce Brosnan!

Apparently he was very nice 😊

CM is a real gent, as well as cultured and enlightened. There’s a lot of it about in Irish actors. (Look at how Colin Farrell has turned out, after his initial period of having his head turned.)

I think “most” might be a bit of a stretch.

I think anyone who is famous or wants to be famous has to be a bit special , because why do you need love and adulation from strangers who you will never want to meet? The idea of fame , even reality TV, game show contestant fame is so weird to me. People selling stories about me, begging for money, obsessed stalkers, haters , people cheering my downfall/divorce, people calling my name in the street and me trying to work out if they're a friend or a fan 😫.
Like I said, special.

I agree, I would like to be rich but not famous!

Yes, I agree. I think M Palin is nice and you never hear a bad word about Judi! If you know anything bad about her I’ve got my hands over my ears and I can’t hear you, so there!😀

I’d add that the old cliche about actors being insecure is often true, and insecure people can be difficult- with their fragile egos and tendency to take offence, so that’s another factor in the mix.

But some performers clearly are secure and at ease with themselves and I’d sa6 that M Palin and J Dench are in that category.

Sorry fairisle..I think that was in reply to another pp.

But great news about Pierce!

Definitely prefer rich to famous - you wouldn't want your name plastered everywhere if you won the euro millions for example.

@SpillingWater i think we may move in the same circles!!

They are cunts.

I don't agree necessarily but I think the issue is power. Successful people become very powerful, some seek it some just naturally earn it. Suddenly everyone around you is pandering to you and praising you. It's easy to be swayed and entitled if you don't have people who keep you grounded. I think the distinction is sometimes whether the actor moves in the powerful circles or not. Anyone who tolerates the red carpet stuff and goes home to a normal life is probably OK, those who spend years on the periphery going to parties and sucking up to others are ruthlessly determined to be famous and more likely to have a power trip when they get there.

This is it, it's not exclusive to famous people but powerful people in high positions. The CEOs, the politicians and the like who are north of 50 can be extremely attractive to someone half their age for reasons 😳.

I strongly dislike Donald Trump but he is unavoidable, and I can't help but notice that he surrounds himself with very attractive women who work for him whilst the men look like toads Funny that 🤔.

Do you always make sweeping judgements OP, or just about actors?

You intrigue me...😀

When I was growing up, my best friend's dad was one of the most senior British Airways cabin crew people. He was usually assigned to flights with high profile passengers, including royalty. He had many fascinating stories. I do remember one story about young Prince Andrew getting a smack for some kind of misbehaviour - he wasn't impressed with Andy even back then. As for actors, sadly I can't remember any specifics but some were lovely and some weren't. I remember him saying that Noel Edmonds was rude.

Apparently Mr Tumble is an absolute @ss in real life. Although I've never met him so can't comment for myself

Sadly the type of man who thinks its his right to 'have 'any woman he wants, once given power will use that power.

I have worked with many, many famous actors and the ones who are just normal.blokes would never do anything like that. But the ones who would be sexually promiscuous whatever their profession will use the fame and power. I've seen it and been on the end of it. They think you shoukd worship the ground they walk on and feel lucky they want to fuck you.

I was reading about Noel Clarke yesterday and I recognised so much of what he was accused of doing. Him getting his cock out in a car and saying 'go on", I know someone ( famous at the time but not now) who did that to a woman who was probably in awe of the famous guy who'd picked her up in a nightclub. She did 'go on" and he used to tell it as a funny story.

I work in theatre.

I like actors. They are, on the whole, really hard working and put up with conditions of endurance and discomfort that would have many MNers squealing in horror judging by many threads.

They explore the darkest most sensitive corners of human emotion, and put themselves up for comment and criticism from erudite professional critics to gossip mongers on the internet.

They work long and anti-social hours, however famous.

As a young theatre-worker in early jobs (a long time ago) I was given the kindest support from Kenneth William’s, Amanda Barrie, Maureen Lipman. Hugh Quarshie was lovely. I know Pierce Brosnan quite well (work, been to dinner, met family) and he is indeed a lovely man.

Actors have to make team relationships quickly, and are used to bring close to people.

But no more actors are badly behaved than anyone else, theatre is quite a political sector, the MeToo campaign made people sit up.

Lots of men across all sectors were sleazes in the 70s, 80s, 90s etc, it was hardly unusual. But we hear about it when it is an actor or ‘celebrity’ of some kind.

And as for actors calling each other ‘darling’ because they can’t remember names, as suggested by a pp…. Oh please! People who learn the huge text needed for Hamlet, for example, can learn and remember names,

He was great in Richard II.

@FollowSpot That's interesting to hear, thanks.

I am not so keen as I was on David Tennant these days but I have always noticed that he works with the same people again and again, eg Catherine Tate, Michael Sheen, loads of others. I always think it's a sign that the people who work with him like him.

I read that the reason Sean Young's career (Blade Runner) stalled was because she was very unpleasant and no one wanted to work with her.

How many actors are there in the world and how many are arseholes ?