by Ryan Williams, Special to Hollywood.com
Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore, Mel Gibson and Adam Sandler–what do they all have in common? Okay, other than a mansion in Malibu, a $20 million dollar quote and the unspoken requirement to sign autographs until the day they die? That’s right, the first answer that comes to mind—they’re movie stars; not just your ordinary, run-of-the-mill actors–but tabloid splashing, A-list making, honest-to-goodness Movie Stars. And do note, they didn’t just wake up one day to suddenly find themselves poolside at the Chateau Marmont–there was a long line of representatives, directors, producers and great scripts that helped them achieve this highly coveted position.
Next to top-ranking politicians and high-caliber academics, Movie Stars hold one of the most vaulted positions in American culture. Many argue that their significant paychecks, high-profile personalities, and highly scrutinized lives give them a royalty status shared by only…well, royalty. But any of the greats will simply smile as they wink their eye and attest, “I’m just another working stiff, trying to make my way in the world.”
Well, they are lying.
At some point, every successful actor builds a critical mass of roles that define him/her as either a well-respected craftsman, or a highly popular personality. A very limited number of actors achieve a combination of both–and this is the special group we’ll be surveying. This rare breed possesses the ability to blend box office magnetism with genuine performance chops, and then has the skills to entertain Jay Leno’s audience with their day-to-day travails, after a long day of baring their soul before a ragged studio crew.
The Movie Star’s Goals
Since stardom usually breaks down to this combination of acting ability and cultural recognition, A-Listers who reach the highest echelon of popularity have, at some point in their illustrious careers, come to understand several key factors tied to their staying on top. And if they’re one of the lucky few, prematurely vaulted to the super-stardom, they soon discover that winning the Lottery can be easier than reproducing that very thing that got them there.
Once an actor has “arrived”–or rather reached a point of market saturation and brand penetration, they’re no longer “required” to audition for roles. Instead, producers, directors and various folks in the biz bombard them with material to read and consider. By this point in the Star’s career, the film packaging market has assigned value to them. It is then up to the actor to sift through these scripts and figure out which ones will be the key to continued on-screen success. They’re usually looking for characters that will deliver successful box-office results–or roles that will establish a distinct artistic integrity, and may garner them an Oscar nod. In both cases, their performance is under scrutiny–the more they deliver, the more they are valued.
Keeping all of the above in mind, it would be foolish to assume that a Movie Star makes every decision on his or her own. On the contrary, they have a team of agents, managers, attorneys and publicists that work tirelessly to introduce the multi-million dollar performer to the best pay-or-play offers, scripts in development and ideas from highly-touted artists. Every script sent, every role responded to, and every piece of dialogue spoken has been analyzed by one of several image-controlling hands. In turn, most decisions made tend to require group consensus.
Because a great number of jobs, an exorbitant amount of money, and continued control of A-List clients may be on the line for each of these representatives, “safe” decisions are the name of the game. Therefore, it may be easier to run past a guard outside of Fort Knox than get a positive reaction from an actor’s agent. Interested parties are brutally scrutinized and although a few trusted entities may get to the gold, most are turned away. Don’t believe me? Just call Creative Artists Agency and ask for the agent that represents Nicole Kidman. Full-service protection ramps-up the second you hear them press, “May I ask what this is regarding?”
While the representation team certainly influences the Movie Star’s decisions, the actor controls the bulk of the decision-making process. By the time an A-Lister is demanding millions for a three-month shoot, they’re pretty clear as to what audiences expect of them. And so, what they seek is based upon this assumption.
Scripting For Stars
Strategically, it’s most ideal to attach a Movie Star to a screenplay; and while many star vehicles have been crafted with this intention, it’s surprisingly difficult for these coveted actors to track down solidly written scripts that will showcase their particular skill set. Instead, most offers come in a generic package and require significant development to fit an actor’s needs. This process can be fast–a single, quick polish–or it can take months to capture and tailor the script to the actor’s unique ‘voice’.
And this ‘voice’ must be present on the written page of the screenplay.
For example, the first draft of Rush Hour was originally a gritty, crime thriller. Not the movie that made it to the screen, right? Well, with a little Hollywood magic, some targeted rewrites, and a production team hungry to make millions for the studio–voila!–we have a buddy comedy starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. When this genre transformation took place, both Chan and Tucker were emerging A-Listers. To create a vehicle that best exhibited their respective skills, studio executives completely reworked the original script. Regardless of the level of revisions required, this type of star-driven writing takes place everyday in Hollywood. Just look at some of this fall’s biggest films:
[PAGEBREAK]Aeon Flux – The studio reworked a popular animated series to create a Lara Croft-like character for Academy Award-winning Charlize Theron.
Fun With Dick and Jane – Comedy rewrites provided punch-ups that nail Jim Carrey’s specific brand of physical humor.
The Ringer – Broad, edgy hilarity shaped to target Johnny Knoxville’s core audience in this tale concerning a Special Olympics championship.
Rumor Has It – A dramedy shaped to fit the cute and approachable sensibilities of its star, Jennifer Aniston.
More Than Character
A key rule for delivering an “A-List” role is the need to fully understand the subject of the script. While Movie Stars often claim they simply ‘stumbled upon’ a great script, more often than not, the truth was that they located a ‘starter’, had adjustments made to it, and branded it as a character created specifically for them. This is done: a) to promote the continued ‘Movie Star’ mystique, and b) out of necessity.
Most writers will simply generate a character with a key set of motivation, some interesting traits, and a few defining moments. From this, a skilled actor will expand on this basic set of requirements and add levels of depth and complexity to the role. A seasoned Movie Star, however, will take this a step further and weave in elements of their own persona. This meshing of fictional role and real-life attributes helps brand the character with the performer. In turn, the Movie Star intrinsically associates the role with his/her own personality, as it will serve-up like comfort food to their fans. When a script comes pre-packaged with this association, celebs are often quick to latch onto it.
Dialogue and Action
These two elements are of primary importance when creating effective star-driven roles. Successful performers are conscious of how good characters talk and act–as well as how robustly an audience will react to their portrayal of them. After years of making westerns and gritty cop dramas, Clint Eastwood monopolized several character archetypes that generated both successful box office numbers and audience appreciation. His use of minimalist dialogue and tough-guy eye squinting became trademarks for both his characters and his cinematic persona. The more his roles called for these traits, the bigger audience his films would draw. Most of the time, audiences are coming to see Clint Eastwood, not the character.
This same control of personality traits also shines through A-Listers like Sean Connery, Meg Ryan and Eddie Murphy. Each of their characters exudes traits from their own, recognizable personalities that have already been put ‘out there’ in the media. In turn, audiences feel as though they know that character up there on-screen–making the watching of the film a safer bet.
Safe Stories, Unique Choices
Working in the business long enough, a filmmaker is bound to hear that actors, producers and agents are looking for contemporary twists on classic stories. Why? The answer is simple: going to the movies is expensive and audiences want to make sure their $10 per ticket is going to be worth it. The best way to do that is to take a familiar idea and build upon it. Don’t believe me? Well, this has been going on for ages; and moreover, just look at Pride and Prejudice, Cheaper by the Dozen, or the upcoming re-release of King Kong. These brands allow a sort of safety net in the market place. And besides, actors looking to establish artistic credibility (Pride and Prejudice), or box office success (King Kong) will be continually advised to bring their unique voice to a classic, sure-fire story. So, when writing an original script, it is important to remember that most of these films stem from a common mythological background, and the Movie Star will almost always respond positively to a role in which the lead character is, in some way, heroic.
Let Them Show Off
Most Movie Stars become famous for a reason. Tom Hanks carries on the tradition of the Jimmy Stewart everyman, while Mel Gibson defines his screen self through portraying edgier characters that straddle the line between good and evil. Similarly, Reese Witherspoon provides that quirky but loveable young woman, while Meryl Streep is known for her gritty explorations into the human soul. Although these concepts seem relatively obvious, many writers forget to define character traits within the script they’re writing that will properly exploit these character elements. Can you imagine an effective remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without Johnny Depp’s unique brand of oddity? Or Mr. and Mrs. Smith without the sexy, cool chemistry of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? While these films may have existed without being infused with the real-life personality traits of their stars, they certainly wouldn’t have thrived.
Stardom is big business. And like any business, understanding your market is required for your product’s success. Through their well-calculated choice in roles and the execution of character, Movie Stars know how to churn out hit after hit. And part of successfully writing for them comes from understanding what attracts the public to their personality. With a little insight into their skill set and cinematic goals, the daunting task of writing a screenplay for a Movie Star shouldn’t feel bigger than life.
