Hollywood, the land of opportunities and dreams for young aspiring actors and future stars. Well, that was what Hollywood was supposed to be.
Hollywood was created in response to the emergence of the new industry of film in the early 20th century. It began as a realm of opportunities for new film actors and upcoming stars. However, the original purpose has seemed to change.
Hollywood used to blossom with new and raw talent in film and shows. Now, many movies and shows have a constant recurrence of the same actors. It has left many film lovers to be disappointed and even bored with movies.
Many people have been widely upset over casting choices, such as the new “Beatles” biopic that will be coming out in 2028. Director Sam Mendes casted actors, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, and Joseph Quinn to play Paul Mcartney, John Lennon, Ringo Star, and George Harrison.
This casting has caused outrage throughout social media. People have complained, saying that studios and directors only cast certain actors based on popularity, rather than talent.
Others complained saying the four main Beatles were “nobodies” that lived in England before they took the world by whirlwind by their music and that the actors playing them should be new talent in order to have a similar effect. There have been many other casting choices for movies that have caused major discontent among the public.
The whole point is that Hollywood, an industry that is almost impossible for a young actor to succeed in without connections, is making it even harder on up and coming actors by casting the same actors over and over again.
The majority of the time why they cast the same actors over and over again is sometimes not really for their talent but for their popularity and the effect they have on the film industry.
Audiences are noticing these patterns and are not happy about it. They want the industry to cast new actors to explore new talent and opportunities. The general collective audience regarding upcoming new movies is that they want to see new talents.
Actress Maya Hawke has said in recent interviews that some producers cast solely based on an actor’s collective Instagram following saying if an actor has a certain number of followers they will get the movie funded.
Hawke (a poignant example of nepotism within Hollywood) has even acknowledged the unfairness in Hollywood casting. Money, funding, and having people go see the movie is a problem that all producers and directors work through.
However, only casting the same actors time after time again will only work for so long to get the movie to be successful. People want to see raw, new talent in their movies. Allowing for new talent to rise creates more creative opportunities and choices for castings.
Getting more young,talented actors in the industry will help change movies for the better and inspire others to pursue their gifted abilities.. The industry needs to stop being afraid of new talent and give these young actors a chance.