What Netflix has done in changing the entertainment industry is well beyond the mere consumption of content. One significant reason for celebrities to have become worried about proliferation, like that of Netflix, is opportunities they have availed themselves of in the course of redefining fame, creative liberty, and viewer interaction. As old movie studios and television networks begin to lose their grip, it is this feature of Netflix that has made them lose control of their projects before or after the feature airs to a world audience.
Perhaps the most dramatic shift in the celebrity careers that Netflix has brought about is access to greater international audience niches. Traditionally, actors and musicians could reach a larger market base through a theatrical release or a local television network. With the streaming of Netflix to over 190 countries, stars now have immediate access to millions of viewers worldwide. For example, stars like Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) and Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) are the overnight celebrities all over the world, breaking all barriers in physical distance. Netflix also gives the stars more ‘creative freedom’ than Hollywood studios do with their strict structures.
The directors, actors, and writers associated with Netflix have the capability to experiment even more and do projects that don’t go well in the eye of mainstream genres. For example, one is Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’, where studios were too terrified to greenlight the long and pricey production. But with Netflix, they gave Scorsese the budget and artistic license he needed. Celebrities transitioning into producing or directing find that Netflix is a great platform, sometimes under their own production companies, as with Reese Witherspoon’s or Dwayne Johnson’s. This has therefore changed the kind of relationship celebrities have with their fans.
In binge-watching culture, celebrities become overnight sensations, and they have to deal with the struggles of overnight virality. Again, since there are tremendous releases at a time by way of whole seasons, the expectation of continuity with fans is all the more frequent, demanding that the social lives of stars remain relevant and walk the tightrope of being exposed to being private in an increasingly online world. Moreover, the investment of Netflix in ‘documentaries and docuseries’ has brought new channels for celebrities who want to redefine their personalities. As long as the person being photographed, such as Beyoncé in ‘Homecoming’ or David Beckham in his latest documentary, has a lot to say about their work while taking their fans closer to their experiences and struggles, an authentic narrative provided by the celebrities will definitely have them closer to the audience.
Given such remodelling models of circulation, creativity freedom, and user engagement, Netflix presents surprising opportunities as well as new challenges to celebrities. As long as the streaming giant continues its expansion, it will likely cause further disruption of traditional paradigms in the entertainment world and rewrite new standards for celebrities to build their careers and stay afloat in this changing media landscape.
