Actress Joan Crawford once remarked, “She’s a phony, but I guess the public likes that…” about her rival Bette Davis in the 1930s and 40s. The feud between the two actresses was well-documented in tabloids at the time. Crawford also commented on Davis’s survival skills, saying “Bette is a survivor… She survived herself.”
More recently, a public feud between actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni has made headlines, following a fallout during the production of their film, It Ends With Us. The dispute escalated into competing lawsuits, with both sides accusing each other of misconduct. Crisis PR managers were brought in to handle the situation, revealing behind-the-scenes drama in Hollywood.
The changing landscape of social media has also impacted the role of Hollywood publicists, making it harder to control narratives and shape public opinion. Despite the challenges, the industry continues to navigate through conflicts and controversies, both on and off the screen. BBC Today’s digital landscape is like the wild west, where anyone can shape their own narrative using smartphones and social media. A poorly thought-out post or comment can harm an actor’s career, but it also opens up a new medium for PR professionals to practice their “voodoo”.
One tactic used is “astroturfing”, where orchestrated campaigns are disguised as spontaneous public opinion. This manipulation of public opinion aims to create a false sense of grassroots support or opposition, often through coordinated social media accounts. This practice has been revitalized with the rise of social media algorithms.
While this may seem like a new phenomenon, it is simply a new platform for an age-old trend of smear campaigns. Audiences have become more discerning, but the industry remains alert to these tactics. The Hollywood ecosystem plays a role in how scandals are revealed, with some outlets having the resources to break stories that others may not.
Despite the changing landscape, the desire for celebrity gossip and scandal still exists. Social media has transformed communication into a two-way conversation, requiring celebrities to engage with their audience in new ways. Overall, attitudes towards the media and celebrity have evolved with the rise of social media. Menjadi saksi dari Inggris, dia melanjutkan: “Kami mengalami Penyelidikan Leveson, kita akan segera mendapatkan drama ITV tentang peretasan telepon, seakan tirai telah terangkat.”
Tentang gugatan Lively dan Baldoni, tidak jelas bagaimana hal ini akan berakhir – tetapi fakta bahwa ini begitu tidak biasa bocor ke ranah publik adalah pengingat betapa lancarnya mesin publisitas Hollywood pada waktu yang lain. Dan hal itu tidak mungkin berubah dalam waktu dekat.
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