By Hailey Gise and Jada Richardson
On Oct. 31, 2022, 18-year-old Heartstopper actor, Kit Connor, was forced to publicly reveal his sexuality on Twitter. A few weeks prior, a viral video of him holding hands with a female co-star went viral causing fans of the show to question his sexuality.
In a now-deleted tweet, he responded, “I’m bi. Congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself.” This statement was directed to the viewers of the show who accused him of queerbaiting, or misleading an audience to believe a person is queer as a marketing or publicity stunt. Connor’s last tweet has contributed to the ongoing conversation around the entitlement of fans to a celebrity’s private life.
Should giving up privacy be a part of celebrity life? “Hell no, like absolutely not,” said 24-year-old administrative worker, Madeline T. Many differing opinions on this topic were heard from over a dozen interviews conducted in various areas of Manhattan and the Bronx.
Opposition to invading a celebrity’s private life reflects a growing realization of both positive and negative aspects of fan-celebrity interactions. Peter Suciu in a 2022 article for Forbes, writes that celebrities are increasingly leaving social media platforms like Twitter for their mental health. Suciu adds that one of the main causes is increased scrutiny and demands from fans and the general public. However, he also reveals that celebrities, like Kim Kardashian, have and can continue to benefit from sharing more intimate parts of their life with fans.
Some New Yorkers echoed Suciu’s findings and believe sharing personal information has become a way for a celebrity to build a career. Samaria Bekele, an 18-year-old Hunter College nursing student, believes celebrities being open about their personal lives is an important aspect of establishing themselves in the industry. She said, “If they want to get further in their career they should be open to it. They become a brand in a way.”
The public attention to their personal lives is oftentimes what gets people to buy their music or watch their projects. In the film industry, PR-manufactured relationships between movie co-stars often increase sales at the box office. In the music industry, fans dissect the lyrics of their favorite artists in hopes of piecing together a dramatic personal narrative — increasing the number of streams on their songs due to repeated listening. A personal story behind the work engages the public more which causes celebrities to feel they have to share more information to remain relevant.
Previously, the only information that was out there about celebrities was what they said in interviews or what their publicists shared. Bronxite John Davis, 60, recalls learning of celebrity news only through TV or news articles in his younger years and believes that less accessibility to “the stars” of his time led to a decreased interest. When reflecting on modern media’s effects on celebrity culture, he said it has “evolved because of technology and [that] has taken it to another level.” Contradictorily, Davis admits he is now a regular TMZ watcher. He claimed he “just [wants] to stay updated on what’s going on.” Even though people know the culture is toxic, they cannot help but be involved because to not be involved is to not be informed.
However, the differing opinions are not solely based on a generational divide. Other young people also agree that celebs are not required to provide the public with all the details of their lives. Jhoanna Bonilla, an 18-year-old student, thinks artists’ “work should tell about their lives but… don’t really think you need to know more.” Others share similar mentalities. Another same-age student, Rosie Weis, believes that celebrities should only have to share personal information, “if they’re being interviewed and they sign up for the interview. Other than that it’s voluntary.”
With a high-profile career, often comes a high-profile life. Whether this is ethically right or not is subjective. Since celebrities are a significant part of our broader culture, holding people in the public eye accountable for their actions is a common phenomenon, but with this, their personal lives are up for debate. It’s an individual preference to be involved in celebrity culture or not but in the words of 57-year-old medical assistant, Sabrina, “there’s a fine line between loving a person for the work they presented and digging into [their] private life.”
Hey Gise 
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