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PPicture the scene: you spotted a celebrity on the street. What happens next is determined by a few things—namely, how online you are, how interested you are in that particular celebrity, and, well, your morals. Maybe you play it cool and give them a quick glance while you angrily message in the group chat. Maybe you go for gold, take a photo and send it to a tabloid or most likely a celebrity gossip account like DeuxMoi. Or you could just bond with her like an overexcited Labrador, confess your love, and take a selfie without her consent.
The latter seems to be happening a lot lately. Before the digital age, all people wanted from a famous person was a piece of paper with their signature scribbled on it. Today this has little value. Why? Because you can't really publish it online – and if you can, who's to say you didn't sign the autograph yourself? In our modern hyper-online era, where everyone is just a meme away from becoming a viral TikTok star, if you want social capital, you need a selfie.
Understandably, celebrities are not always willing to give something like this. Take Zendaya, for example, who recently told Vogue that she changed her mind whenever fans approached her. “I think growing up I always felt like if someone asked for a picture, I had to do it all the time,” said the 27-year-old Dune star. “You have to say yes, because you just have to be grateful that you are here. And while I still feel that way, I've also learned that I can say no and kindly say that I have a day off, or that I'm just trying to be myself today, and I don't actually have to show that up all the time .”
Can you blame her? The actress is one of the busiest and most famous stars right now – why should she have to be constantly available to pose in front of strangers' smartphones? The remarks were reminiscent of those made in light of a viral video of Dua Lipa walking with her rumored boyfriend Callum Turner alongside a bodyguard. In the clip, a fan can be seen rushing towards Lipa with her smartphone and appears to walk excitedly next to the couple for a few seconds before the bodyguard quickly throws the phone to the ground. The fan doesn't seem happy about it.
When you see the video, you might initially feel sorry for the fan. Why should this poor, troubled young girl have to pay to repair her now probably broken phone because of a particularly gruff bodyguard? After all, Lipa (like Zendaya) is one of the most famous people on the planet. She could afford to buy multiple Apple Stores, not to mention a new iPhone. Of course people want to take photos with her. Wasn't the bodyguard's behavior a bit extreme?
All of this shows how distorted our relationship with celebrities has become in the age of social media. Take a look at any red carpet event footage and you'll see what I mean. Instead of trying to talk to the stars they seem to admire and respect, fans simply hold smartphones in front of their faces, desperately trying to snap a picture that they can share on Instagram and then get approval from their own friends. Unless a meaningful conversation occurs before or after the photo is taken, the celebrity in this scenario is completely dehumanized. They're a prop. A vehicle you can use to grow your own social currency.
Of course, in most cases the celebrities complied with this wish. After all, all it takes is one wrong move or comment and they are portrayed as selfish and called an asshole.
It's a real shame that no one bothers to ask for autographs anymore. At the very least, this exchange could have resulted in a conversation or a moment of human connection between two people that actually meant something tangible. What good is a selfie other than a few Instagram likes? It doesn't bring you closer to that person, nor does it offer you any real insight into who they are or how they move in the world. It means nothing.
With this in mind, it's hard to be upset with celebrities like Zendaya or Lipa who no longer want to play the photography game. With Lipa in particular, the fan didn't even try to talk to her. She just ran towards them without saying a word and tried to film herself running alongside her idol – who wants or deserves to be taken advantage of like that? To be seen as something so two-dimensional and flat – you might as well be a doll.
It's also worth noting that today's celebrities enjoy far more attention than those who were active in the autograph era. People are much more famous today than they were before social media – and as a result, they seem even further removed from us normal people. But it's a damaging narrative to hold on to. Once we start viewing someone, famous or not, as “other,” we no longer recognize them as a real person who deserves consideration, respect, and, yes, privacy.
At least that's how it seems when everyone is fighting with all their might to take a selfie with their favorite star. Next time you spot someone in the wild, I advise you to leave them alone and enjoy their free time. However, if you must approach, do so with caution. And instead of asking for a photo, why not just say hello and start a conversation? Who knows – you could create memories that last much longer than any selfie.
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