- Question
- What makes star quality?
- Position‹3 of 8›
- Beauty makes star quality
- Argument1 of 2›
Kristen Stewart's beauty makes star quality
American actress and director Kristen Stewart was catapulted into stardom with her role as Bella in the Twilight Saga. Though consistently berated on the Internet as a ‘bad actress’ Kristen Stewart is one of Hollywood’s top earners. As a brand ambassador for Chanel and Balenciaga, it begs the question if it is more about beauty than talent.
The argument
Kristen Stewart garnered international media attention due to her role as Bella Swan in the Twilight movie saga. The financial success of the series earned her a spot as the highest-paid actress in the world in 2012; according to critics, however, this feat should not be accredited to her acting skills. Stewart, while perfectly embodying Bella Swan’s physical characteristics (pale with long, dark brown hair), lacked variety in terms of facial and emotional expression. Her acting was described as disappointing and lacking in energy. Stewart’s acting style has been characterized as low-key, moody, and monotonous. She has been accused of playing very similar characters in all of her films; on her official IMDb page, she is described as “often play[ing] characters who are deeply troubled or have suffered an emotional trauma”. Despite her apparent lack of range, she has still been cast in over 45 films, which may lead people to believe that she is chosen for roles due to her beauty instead of her talent. Stewart is indeed praised for her beauty; in 2013, she was ranked #3 in FHM Online’s list of “Sexiest Women in the World”. Despite varying opinions on her acting abilities, Kristen Stewart's beauty still proves her to be star-quality.
Premises
Counter-arguments
Kristen Stewart’s reputation precedes her. Her acting is most heavily criticized when it comes to the Twilight movies; however, in the books, Bella Swan’s character was originally written as quiet, insecure, and reclusive. Stewart portrays Swan just as she was written, and does so very well despite the bizarre plot and stilted dialogue of the movies. Stewart was not cast in Twilight due to her beauty; she was noticed on a separate film cast by Twilight director Catherine Hardwick, who was “captivated” by the actress. Stewart’s acting in the series received positive reviews as well as negative and was described by some critics as being a perfect casting choice who embodies and brings life to the character of Bella Swan and the dialogue of the films. While Stewart does have a distinctive acting style, this is not indicative of an untalented actress. Her frequent casting in films is reflective of her ability to embrace many different types of roles. She has been nominated for and has received numerous awards, and was the first American actress to win an esteemed Cesar Award.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] The premise concedes the point in its own phrasing. If the earnings followed the financial success of the series, the box-office draw of the franchise is already the explanation on offer, and nothing here separates the performer's contribution from the property's. [Rejecting P2] Frequent casting is compatible with either explanation and so cannot discriminate between them. Critical descriptions of a style as low-key or monotonous are evaluative and contested, and the counter supplies the contrary evidence: a director casting her on the strength of a prior performance, and later recognition including a César. [Rejecting P3] The evidence is circular and the conclusion overreaches. A magazine readers' poll measures existing fame at least as much as appearance, so it cannot establish that looks produced the fame. And even a fully successful account of one career would not support the general claim that beauty makes star quality, which the position requires.