From YouTube Star to the Big Screen: The Forbes 30U30 Hollywood & Entertainment List
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By: Jared Augustine
Digital stars are now making a splash in a much bigger pool. The reputation and fame of online celebrities was once defined by the limits of the Internet and their followers on social media. Now, however, these influencers are releasing half of their title and becoming simply celebrities.
Digital celebrities moving into the mainstream, such as Tyler Oakley being at the forefront of Hillary Clinton’s campaign, is a foregone conclusion in today’s world of social media. Being featured in a political campaign, on Entertainment Weekly, or showing up in a gossip column are to be expected for anyone with extraordinary reach and notoriety — which digital celebrities clearly possess.
We are beginning to see this transition already of online celebrities breaking into film and television. In total, 13% of this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list were digital celebrities. Tyler Oakley began on YouTube as a comedian and LGBT activist. He now has a production deal with Ellen DeGeneres as he hosts his own online show on her digital network.
Tyler Oakley is not the only digital star expanding into traditional media. Ryan Higa, Cameron Dallas and Lele Pons were also named to the 30 Under 30 list this year, each transitioning their careers to mainstream media outlets. Cameron Dallas who originally gained fame from his online experience on Vine, is now the star of his own Netflix original series, Chasing Cameron. He has also appeared in movies and had other one-time gigs in television shows. Lele Pons is another former Vine star, who is working on shifting her comedic talents to traditional media.
Digital celebrities are becoming more than simply online creators. They are now moving into the world of Hollywood and studios are recognizing their valuable talent. The Hollywood Reporter discusses how these influencers already have a huge audience online, “yet younger viewers are clamoring to watch their favorite digital stars in something more than short YouTube videos, six-second Vines or Snapchat stories”.
This has led Hollywood and the entertainment industry to recognize the significance of these online stars and their potential for success in bigger projects. What has yet to happen with vast regularity, and is perhaps a bit more interesting as we look to 2017, is whether they can crossover into the primary sources of traditional stardom such as cinema or network television.
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