How Tom Hanks Puts Jennifer Lawrence to Shame
Celebrities don’t get much bigger than Tom Hanks.
He’s been famous since he tugged on a skirt for his ABC comedy “Bosom Buddies.” Along the way he earned two Oscars, starred in iconic movies like “Forrest Gump” and proved his versatility by directing the cheery romp “That Thing You Do.”
All of the above means fans love to say hello to him wherever he goes. It’s unavoidable. And, chances are, Hanks makes those moments matter. Sometimes he poses for selfies along the way.
Need proof?
Elizabeth and Ryan! Congrats and blessings! Hanx. pic.twitter.com/Uy2GIqYphU
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) September 24, 2016
Not Jennifer Lawrence.
The young Oscar winner’s fame is fairly new, but she’s already withdrawing from her loyal fan base. How? She won’t pose for selfies with fans. And, by her own admission, she’s frequently rude with well wishers.
“I have just started becoming really rude and drawn into myself because I have to protect my bubble that is just like, ‘I have a weird job — don’t let this be a reality’. That is more important to me than someone thinking I am rude. So I make it clear by my body language that I don’t want to be talking to a stranger. And if they keep talking to me, I just get rude. I don’t say anything but I am just like, ‘mmm-hmm, yep, nope, OK, bye’.
“I need it — otherwise I just wouldn’t go out. Because I would be like, ‘Yeah, I love you too — oh my God, we’re such good friends, let’s take a selfie’. I would be doing that with 50 people a day. You can’t live like that.”
Yes, it’s a weird social construct that finds fans thinking A-list stars are their chums. And there’s no doubt that some fans ignore social niceties when it comes to these random encounters.
And then there’s Hanks.
He seems to handle the fame/life balance pretty well. And he’s been uber-famous for decades. There may be a lesson in there somewhere. After all, Hanks wouldn’t have his riches without the folks who line up to see his movies year after year.
He seems to get that. Does Lawrence?
Her attitude suggests otherwise. It’s part of her overall public persona these days. She recently wrote an “open letter” blasting the results of the free and fair U.S. election. She wants us to get angry.
She’s entitled to her opinion, but why should the average movie fan care about her political views?
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How did Hanks, an unabashedly liberal star, handle Hillary Clinton’s loss? He wished Donald Trump well and hoped he becomes a great president.
Yes, Lawrence has a “weird job.” But it’s one countless struggling actors would kill to have. She should remember that the next time a total stranger wants a micro-moment of her time.
I already decided not to see Passengers because of her comments about Trump. I will wait until it’s free on tv.
“My fans want my shirt, they can have my shirt. They’re the ones who put it on my back” – Elvis Presley
And considering how poorly her new film is doing, I’d say her former fans have gotten the message.
While I can understand it being frustrating to a celebrity when someone they don’t know comes over and tries to start a conversation with them, at the same time, a huge part of why they are a celebrity is due to the fact that fans feel some connection to them. What Ms Lawrence is doing is only going to push many fans away from her.
Not that this surprises me. It seems that a lot of younger celebrities didn’t grow into the role “hungry” and looking for work. Nor do they have much experience with acting on a stage. They just don’t get the fact that the audience really matters and it shows in how they treat people.
The funny thing is that Kim Kardashian and her family does appear to get it. Sure, they go out of their way to avoid being in situations where strangers can approach them, but a huge part of why they are popular is that they for the most part have been so public about every aspect of their lives and make it seem like their fans are close to them.
Tom Hanks is actually by all reports very private outside of his work, but he is also approachable when he does run into a fan, much like Bill Murray and a few other very famous celebrites. Think of someone like Henny Youngman who was famous for wandering around looking for groups to perform for when visiting a town. They get the fact that the audience is key to their success.
Maybe its harder for female celebrites, but overall I can say that Miss Lawrence hasn’t impressed me recently and I don’t really have any urge to see the movies she is cast in.
A friend of mine said he saw Bill Murray in a restaurant and he took a french fry and said “nobody is ever going to believe you.”
I’ll be as G rated as I can here. From what I’ve seen of her pictures that circulated a few years ago, Lawrence only likes selfies with a messy face.
I give Hanks props for being gracious and approachable with people. He looks like he’s having fun.
I’ve never seen a celebrity burn up his or her own credibility as fast or as thoroughly as Lawrence has. She was on the verge of being the next Sandra Bullock, but for the last three years she’s gone out of her way to tell regular Americans how much she hates us, every chance she gets.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I now see her as a liability rather than an asset when deciding whether to go see a movie. Not a deal-breaker, but definitely a liability.
And she was soooo sweet and genuine, a young woman who seemed in shock at her success but took it all in stride. Now, she’s just another hard-left celebrity willing to insult half of her audience. Sad.
Think what happened was…she met Lena Dunham. And became her disciple. Ever since then, she’s gone…sour.
Well if she keeps this up, her ‘weird job’ will go the way of Lindsey Lohan’s ‘weird job’.
If fans don’t like you, you don’t get the paydays she’s demanding.