Celebrity Consequences: Week 32

Let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions for topics you would like me to cover that would help you in your own artistic journey and creative practice.

Birthdays: August 5-11

• Loni Anderson (5 August 1945): Actress known for her role as Jennifer Marlowe on the TV sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, for which she was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Awards. Despite her blonde bombshell image, she originally studied to become a teacher before switching to acting. Loni has been a spokesperson for COPD Foundation , a support organisation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which afflicted her smoker parents
• Jesse Williams (5 August 1981): Actor and activist known for his role as Dr Jackson Avery on Grey's Anatomy. Jesse won the Humanitarian Award at the 2016 BET Awards for his activism, focused on racial justice. He has a double major degree in African American Studies and Film and Media Arts from Temple University in Philadelphia. PA.

• M Night Shyamalan (6 August 1970): Filmmaker born in India known for directing The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Split. M Night's films often comprise supernatural plots and twist endings: his most famous film, The Sixth Sense, was nominated for six Academy Awards. He self-financed his 2015 film The Visit to regain creative control over his work: it grossed $98m USD worldwide on a budget of $5m USD.
• Vera Farmiga (6 August 1973): Actress known for her roles in The Conjuring series and Up in the Air: for the latter, Vera received an Academy Award nomination. She began her professional career on Broadway in the original US production of the Ronald Harwood's play, Taking Sides. Vera is fluent in Ukrainian: she was raised in an insular Ukrainian American community in Irvington, NJ, with Ukrainian being her first language; she did not learn English until she started kindergarten at the age of 6.

• Charlize Theron (7 August 1975): Actress and producer known for her roles in Monster, Mad Max: Fury Road and Atomic Blonde: for the former, Charlize won an Academy Award for Best Actress. She originally started her career as a model, before training to be a ballet dancer until a knee injury led her to pursue acting, initiated by a sliding doors moment in a Hollywood Boulevard bank with a talent agent.
• David Duchovny (7 August 1960): Actor known for his roles as Fox Mulder on The X-Files and Hank Moody on Californication. David won two Golden Globe Awards: one for The X-Files and the other for Californication. He has degrees in English Literature from 美国普林斯顿大学 (BA) and 耶鲁大学 (MA): and began his career with aspirations to be a novelist, an ambition he has realised over the last decade.

• Dustin Hoffman (8 August 1937): Actor known for his roles in The Graduate, Rain Man and Kramer vs. Kramer: Dustin has won two Academy Awards for Best Actor, for Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man. He originally aspired to be a classical pianist, studying at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, and also enrolled at Santa Monica College intending to study medicine. Finally turning to acting, ignoring his aunt's warning that he was "too ugly" to be an actor, he attended the Pasadena Playhouse . Dustin took ten years doing odd jobs before his breaking role in The Graduate.
• Meagan Good (8 August 1981): Actress known for her roles in Think Like a Man, Shazam! and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Meagan began her acting career at age four, with small role in TV shows Amen and Doogie Howser M.D. and appearing in various commercials for the likes of MARSHALLS LLC , 麦当劳 and Barbie ? . She has been an avid comic book fan, ever since seeing in black superheroes – like Catwoman and Storm – positive role models through which she could navigate the racism she experienced growing up in her Los Angeles neighbourhood.

• Gillian Anderson (9 August 1968): Actress known for her roles as Dana Scully on The X-Files and Margaret Thatcher on The Crown. Gillian won Emmy Awards for both roles. She has a British accent in real life, despite being known for her American roles, as she spent much of her childhood in the UK. Gillian was awarded an OBE for her services to drama in 2016 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
• Anna Kendrick (9 August 1985): Actress and singer known for her roles in Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air and Into the Woods: Anna was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Up in the Air. She started her acting career as a 12-year-old in the 1998 Broadway revival of musical, High Society, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. She is an accomplished singer and performed all her own vocals in the Pitch Perfect films, including the viral "Cups" song.

• Rosanna Arquette (10 August 1959): Actress known for her roles in Pulp Fiction, Desperately Seeking Susan and Crash. Rosanna won a BAFTA Award for her role in Desperately Seeking Susan. She is part of the famous Arquette family of actors, with siblings Richmond, Patricia, David and Alexis Arquette. Rosanna was one of the first actresses to support the #MeToo movement that went viral online in 2017.
• Antonio Banderas (10 August 1960): Actor known for his roles in The Mask of Zorro, Desperado and the Shrek series (as the voice of Puss in Boots). Antonio has been nominated for several Golden Globe Awards and won a Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes Best Actor award for Pain and Glory. He originally pursued a career in soccer before a foot injury forced him to switch to acting. Antonio remains a lifelong fan of Málaga CF.

• Chris Hemsworth (11 August 1983): Actor known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and in Rush and Extraction, Chris rose to prominence in his native Australia in the long-running TV soap, Home and Away. His portrayal of Thor has made him one of the highest-paid actors in the world. Chris once worked in a pharmacy as a "breast-pump cleaner" before finding success as an actor.
• Hulk Hogan (11 August 1953): Professional wrestler and actor known for his contributions to wrestling entertainment and for a parallel career in the media with roles in films like Rocky III. Hulk (real name Terry Gene Bole) is a multiple-time world wrestling champion and was the face of WWE during the 1980s. Before his wrestling career took off, he played bass guitar in a band called Ruckus and nearly pursued a career in music.

Things in Common

Career Reinventions

Many of these celebrities, such as Charlize Theron, Antonio Banderas, Dustin Hoffman, Hulk Hogan and Chris Hemsworth, initially pursued careers in fields other than acting, including ballet, soccer, music, and janitorial work, before making successful transitions to film and television.

Awards and Recognitions

Charlize Theron, Dustin Hoffman, Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have all received significant awards in their careers, including Oscars, Golden Globes, and Emmys, highlighting their critical acclaim across various platforms.

Breaking Stereotypes

Celebrities like Dustin Hoffman, who was once considered "too ugly" for acting, and Jesse Williams, who pursued acting after a career in education and activism, have shattered industry stereotypes through their talent and determination.

Multitalented Individuals

Anna Kendrick, Meagan Good, and Hulk Hogan have showcased talents beyond their primary careers, such as singing, comic book creation, and music, demonstrating their versatility in the entertainment industry.

Cultural Impact

Celebrities like Charlize Theron and Gillian Anderson have played iconic roles that have had significant cultural impacts, such as Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road and Dana Scully in The X-Files, respectively, influencing popular culture and media representations.

International Influence

Antonio Banderas and Vera Farmiga bring a multicultural influence to their work, with Banderas as a prominent Spanish actor and Farmiga's Ukrainian heritage influencing her roles and performances.

Activism and Advocacy

Jesse Williams, Charlize Theron and Gillian Anderson are known for their activism, whether it be in social justice, women's rights or global humanitarian causes, using their platforms to advocate for change.

Can you think of any other connections between these famous, creative celebrities?

Calls to Action

1. The Artist in Your Own Residence community at Founders and Mentors is a place to find hang out with other like-minded members in a relaxed, supportive and informal atmosphere, to find sustainable motivation to work on long-held artistic ambitions, to participate in peer-to-peer mentoring partnerships, to make tangible progress with creative projects, and to attend events, both online and IRL. It's a place of encouragement and celebrations: to meet people, network, learn, relax, and be nice to each other. If you would like to join the community for free, please click this link ??https://community.12ronnies.com/share/0chitX5arUVS32Gj
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3. Artist in Your Own Residence is a low-pressure, peer-to-peer mentoring scheme for anyone who thinks of themselves as being creative. If you would like to apply to join the scheme and take part in the program, please click this link ??https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc93v3ZXW9PJ7JLTgmWWNjghkW9N2wPSc0Dc9OZKfRJgRNg7A/viewform
4. Let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions for topics you would like me to cover that would help you in your own artistic journey and creative practice.

Become the artist in your own residence that changes the world!

Christopher Norris