The factors that make one successful actor a “star” rather than just an actor who works frequently, is due to a mix of factors that have been widely discussed by journalists, social scientists, producers and a range of other experts. While every major star or celebrity is different, upon examination, they often possess a few qualities in common that greatly contribute to their star power. For example, a baseline quality that nearly every star possesses is that they are aesthetically pleasing with an attractive appearance. However, there are lots of actors and actresses living in Hollywood who are stunning but who have nowhere near a comparable level of fame or success. A more specific factor in creating a “star” would be more accurately expressed as having “watchability.” Hollywood has demonstrated that nearly every star in the history of cinema has possessed a visual and behavioral quality that is so engaging; the audience doesn’t want to look away. Some experts refer to it as the celebrity “je ne sais quoi” factor, but it’s more than that. Often these stars will have a demeanor that does not reveal everything—a component...

Humphrey Bogart had such a quality, as did Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan and Angelina Jolie.
When it comes to Denzel Washington, he definitively has such a star quality. His face is perfectly symmetrical and very attractive. His personality is such that audiences are used to him playing both good guys and bad guys, so they are never quite sure whether they can trust him onscreen, something which contributes even more to his general sense of intrigue. This makes audiences want to watch him, because they aren’t sure what they will get. He also has a very memorable and melodic voice: most stars in Hollywood have a voice that one can easily identify, which is very distinct from others. The film that I selected for this essay is Remember the Titans, directed by Jerry Bruckheimer in 2000. I selected this film because I think that it best demonstrates Washington’s range as an actor. In this film he is both a good guy and a bad guy. Playing a coach for a football team called the Titans, he has to be the bad guy in that he has to give that team a lot of tough love in order to force…