After years of hiding away from the public, Emma Watson was recently featured on Jay Shetty’s Podcast, “On Purpose.” As a huge Harry Potter fan, I was excited to hear of her resurfacing and hopes of a reintroduction into Hollywood. However, what she explained on the podcast was different than what I expected, and rather unique for many celebrities. Rather than introduce her next new hit project, she discussed how being famous at a young age came at a high cost to her happiness and mental health. Although I was disappointed to not see her face on the big screen anytime soon, I had no choice but to agree with her statement: Fame is not worth it.

Don’t get me wrong; fame has its perks. There are dazzling elements to celebrity life, including the fans, the events and the people you meet. And the money, we can’t forget about the money. But beyond that, there are sacrifices celebrities must make, privileges they no longer have and basic rights that no longer apply.

At the core of all this is public scrutiny. Society loves to criticise seemingly invincible famous people by critiquing their every misstep. They pick apart these people, sifting out every flaw, to the point of causing genuine mental distraught. According to the Psychological Care Institute, the constant scrutiny celebrities face under the public eye can lead to fragility, anxiety and paranoia, ultimately demeaning their self-esteem. That, combined with the pressure of maintaining a public image, leads to an exhausting mix of vulnerability and burnout. 

But on top of the mental burden, you’re also forced to sacrifice your privacy. Celebrities should choose when any sort of matter, sensitive or not, should be made public. The idea that celebrities owe society information on their life is absurd, yet when they choose not to share, people take it upon themselves to get new information. Any sort of relationships, health problems or familial issues are no longer yours; they’re the public’s. The worst part about this is there’s no way to stop it. The thing about being famous is that there is no “break.” The paparazzi never stops, the criticism never stops, so what else is there left to do than relook at the identity of the person everyone’s so obsessed with?

Identity crises aren’t uncommon with celebrities. A person’s public persona and real identity are very black and white, until fame makes it all grey. Celebrities feel bound to play this “role” society has given them, so much so that they forget who they truly are. The pressure to perform while remaining authentic just further endorses external affirmation, ultimately leading to a never ending cycle of questioning whether you’re being yourself or fitting into society expectations.

But it’s not just the identity crises, or the lack of privacy, or the constant scrutiny that ruins fame. It’s losing yourself. Fame doesn’t just change you; it deconstructs you. It first cuts you into pieces with the mass amount of hate, then strips you of any sort of privacy or sacred moments wanting to be kept to yourself, and finally, it breaks you down until you’re unrecognizable. Fame isn’t about what it gives or changes about you; it’s about what it costs you.

Watson said in her interview, “If it costs you your peace, then it’s too expensive.”

But if you’d ask me, the price to pay for any sort of fame is far more than it’s worth.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Laxumi Chandrakumar at [email protected].