Abstract

Processes of celebritization change with developments in the media and in particular through the social web. In the early days of Hollywood, it was primarily female stars that the studios produced. Since the introduction of television and with New Hollywood, the gender ratio shifted in favor of male stars. Because stars are subject to societal, economic, and sociocultural conditions and are therefore always subject to processes of change. With social media and the possibilities linked to it, the boundaries between (classic) stars and (partly self-proclaimed) celebrities are blurring. Because celebrities are only constituted in the act of media use. This leads to social media celebrities, who stand out from their community through their (special) presentation, but continue to write hegemonic gender discourses.