When news broke that Shia LaBeouf would no longer lead Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” no one batted an eye – but when news broke that Shia LaBeouf would be replaced with none other than boy band sensation Harry Styles, people began to pay attention. From that moment on, a lot was expected from the film. For months leading up to its September 2022 release, a day wouldn’t pass without a friend raving about how amazing it looked, and even established online movie critics had nothing but good things to say about its potential.
With many moons passed and $19.2 million in tickets sold in North America, the verdict is officially in—the movie was mediocre at best. Scoring a 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film had reviews proclaiming it as abysmal, plastered beside ones calling it fun and entertaining. Even with the lackluster this-is-the-greatest-movie-of-all-time-esque reviews, it was Styles’ co-lead, Florence Pugh, who boasted the brunt of the film’s short-lived glory, while Styles’ acting chops were not as well-praised. But why was a movie with a lead who had fewer than five real acting credits to his name over-embellished this much in the first place?
The buzz that swarmed “Don’t Worry Darling” made me wonder why people automatically assume that a movie led by Harry Styles would be so much better than a movie starring Addison Rae, despite neither of the two being famed for their acting skills, and whether or not these people are justified in their assumptions. How many celebrities have actually succeeded in their random acting pursuits?
The first A-lister that came to mind was Taylor Swift, an incredibly talented and intelligent singer-songwriter who has earned over 10 Grammys throughout her career. Ever since Swift began to really gain traction in 2010, she has only been involved in a handful of films, but even those rare on-screen appearances were enough to construct her reputation as a not-so-great actress. She had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene in “The Giver,” a voice-acting role in “The Lorax,” and approximately five minutes of screentime in the recently released “Amsterdam”—another subpar film with a high-budget cast. If Swift’s on the hunt for an EGOT (Emmy/Grammy/Oscar/Tony) like people say, it won’t happen anytime soon. Taylor Swift does so many things right; her documentary, “Miss Americana,” is worth the watch a million times over, and her directing of her music videos for “Cardigan” and “All Too Well” truly showcases her talent. Her acting career, however, leaves something to be desired.
Lady Gaga is another eccentric, meat-dress-wearing, pop sensation that I never expected to turn to acting. Upon learning that she joined the “American Horror Story” cast for “Hotel” and “Roanoke,” my expectation was that these seasons would not live up to their predecessors; why not choose an already established actress? Why Lady Gaga? But my groundless hunch was far from the truth; Lady Gaga is a phenomenal actress. “A Star is Born” earned her an Oscar nomination, and she gave a strong performance in “House of Gucci,” as well. Her on-stage performing talents transferred beautifully to her big-screen presence, and Lady Gaga is one who I believe will certainly continue to have a fruitful career as an actress.
Nora Lum, otherwise known as Awkwafina, is one of my favorite actresses, and it still bewilders me that her celebrity status was not achieved by acting. She played the trumpet in high school, studied Journalism and Mandarin in college, and rose to fame post-grad as an internet comedian in 2014. Her hilarity attracted many directors, which eventually led to her prominent roles in “Ocean’s 8,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Farewell,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”—all within the span of three years – and all amazing films. With countless projects lined up for her in the future, it feels like her voice can be recognized in almost any movie that comes out nowadays, and her acting career is a massive success.Most celebrities that attempt acting either as small cameos or in relatively low-budget films are received so poorly that their acting career attempts are almost immediately forgotten, like Britney Spears in “Crossroads” or Mariah Carey in “Glitter,” so it’s strange that so many fans believed Harry Styles’ first lead role would be an instant classic. With that being said, when you are already famous and have the facilities, it’s not too difficult to switch career paths; if Styles wanted to spontaneously become a lawyer like Kim Kardashian, nothing would stop him. With all the lead roles going his way, it’d be almost challenging for Styles not to make something of his acting career, but honestly, successful celebrities-turned-actors like Lady Gaga and Awkwafina have me not only expecting a successful future for Styles but actively anticipating one as well. To be even more honest, I think I understand why people were so excited about “Don’t Worry Darling.”