Something I’ve often heard is that actors need to be active on social media, and to gain a huge following. This is supposed to help them create a more intimate connection with their fanbase, to feel more like a real person than ‘just a pretty face’ that they see in movies or on TV.

Do actors need to connect with fans this way, though? What does an active social media presence really accomplish? How does sharing your personal life with the world positively impact your acting career?

Distance Is Healthy

Having a good relationship with fans is certainly better than having a poor relationship with them. They likely won’t be your fans for much longer if that happens. Here’s the thing- not every actor wants to have that close of a relationship with their fans. Keeping your personal life private is certainly a challenge for actors, but some are very private people.

This is an extreme example, but bear with me, I promise it’ll make sense. After Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee got married, they made a sex tape – said tape was later stolen from their home. It was being sold online, and Penthouse ended up with a copy. They promised not to use the images, only to put Anderson on the cover of their June 1996 issue. They also discussed the tape in great detail in the publication.

Their lawsuit against Penthouse was dismissed because the images had been published elsewhere, making them public property. So, because their privacy was already violated, the court said nothing could be done.

For a more modern, and far less creepy example, wholesome actor Chris Evans had an accidental photo leak in 2020. The pictures in question were quickly deleted, and fans were equally quick to come to his aid. They shared other pictures of him, using hashtags like #ChrisEvansleak to drown out any attempts to spread the private picture. Others pointed out that he has anxiety, something which almost interrupted his acting career altogether, so a situation like this would hit him much harder than others. Plus, it’s just the right thing to do.

What’s the common denominator here? In the case of Pamela and Tommy Lee, private property was stolen, distributed, and no longer considered ‘private’. For Chris, he accidentally posted something private, and people still tried to get their hands on it even after he deleted the pictures. No matter how careful people are, there’s always a chance of a slip up or violation of privacy. Actors who are very active on social media have a higher likelihood of accidentally going viral like this.

Following For the Wrong Reasons

Going viral isn’t always an accident, of course. Going viral can take marketing for actors to a new level, when done right.

I guarantee that among the millions of people who follow the conventionally attractive A-listers, there’s a good portion who don’t care about their acting careers. They don’t follow to stay up-to-date on the latest production, they follow for beach selfies and other ‘racy’ content. Now, I’m not shaming anyone for posting a picture of themselves in a bikini to Instagram. But loyal fans who support someone’s acting career will show their support by checking out their work, not ogling at their pictures online.

Having a huge social media following isn’t an indication of talent, just popularity. And as we’ve all seen thanks to reality TV, popularity definitely isn’t an indicator of talent – it’s an indicator of virality. Virality is becoming a standard or expectation now, something that singer-songwriter Halsey brought to our attention when they shared that their record label won’t release their new music until they go viral on TikTok. “I’ve been in this industry for 8 years and I’ve sold over 165 million records. And my record company is saying that I can’t release [my new song] unless they can fake a viral moment on TikTok”. They end the TikTok video with two very short but very telling words- “I’m tired”.

It’s not the film industry, of course. TikTok is arguably the best place to find and share new music, and it’s launched countless musical and acting careers. But film actors do feel pressure to do similar things in order to stay relevant.

Cancel Culture

I’m not going to debate anyone on cancel culture. We’ve all got our own feelings on it. But no matter where you stand, it can’t be denied that getting cancelled can seriously damage someone’s career, for better and for worse.

Some people need to be called out on their behavior and held accountable. The #MeToo movement is how we were able to expose abusive figures in the industry, and people are continuing to speak up. Then are the people who were misunderstood, or made a mistake that they’ve since learned from.

The court of public opinion is quick to pass judgment. Misinformation seems to spread faster than facts do, and people end up getting in trouble for something that they didn’t even do – others just assumed that they did because they saw someone else say something about it. It’s an enormous game of telephone. Even a truly sincere apology or explanation might not be enough to salvage someone’s reputation. I know there are people who only do it to save face; they’re not sorry about what they did, they’re sorry that they got caught. Then there are those who actually have a solid defense or really have changed, but once judgment is passed it’s hard to redeem yourself in the eyes of the public. Especially on the internet.

It’s Your Acting Career

There is a level of scrutiny that comes with being an actor. People are always curious, and will want to know more. You can’t stop people from asking questions, even the uncomfortable ones. That said, you’re still a human being with a life of your own, and no one is entitled to holding space in it.

And let’s not forget, not every actor wants to be famous. Some just want to act and indulge their inner artist!

You should have the final say in where you go, the work you do, who you interact with, and how you interact with them. Don’t be a diva, but know your worth, and set your boundaries. You deserve to be appreciated for who you are and what you bring to the table, not how memeable you are.

Know what you bring to the table, own it, and the rest will take care of itself!