Maya Hawke Says Some Producers Cast Based on Actors’ Amount of Social Media Followers

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/maya-hawke-producers-cast-instagram-followers-1236137692/

37 comments

  1. >“What I always wanted to be is an actor where the work is what the draw is, not the personhood. But the industry keeps changing, and you have to change with it and understand that all of these things are getting blurred,” she explained.

    >Though she noted that there are “wonderful, incredible actors” she admires and “whose personalities we all know very well,” many are left to just figure “out the footing in these changing times of social media and public personality and also how difficult it is to get things made.” She then explained how actors can be cast based on the number of followers they’re bringing with them.

    >“I don’t care about Instagram, Instagram sucks. But just so you know, if you have over this many followers, you can get the money movie funded. Well, I want to make the movie, so it’s a really confusing line to walk,” she said.

    >While working, Hawke recalled speaking with “so many smart directors” about deleting her Instagram until they inform her why it’s important to have. “They’re like, ‘Just so you know, when I’m casting a movie with some producers, they hand me a sheet with the amount of collective followers I have to get of the cast that I cast so if you delete your Instagram, and I lose those followers, understand that these are the kinds of people I need to cast around you.’”

  2. Built in marketing. Makes sense. Why cast someone with 1000 followers when someone with 100000 followers is just as good and also wants the role? That person is going to post about the project on their social media and it’s just cheap/free advertising.

  3. Yeah, this has been known for a long time. This isn’t some bombshell insider information. They also get told how many posts they need to make on the project in the contract.

  4. iirc it’s known that Sophie Turner was Jean Grey instead of Saoirse Ronan because of Instagram follower count.

  6. I know this from first hand experience, plenty of financiers/producers ask, “what’s their follower count” and that’s what kills a movie faster than it starts production/inevitably tanks

  7. It’s the same with the book business. Writers need to have tons of followers in order to be given chances.

  8. To be honest that’s not a bad strategy. They are in the business of making money. Now if the directors were doing that it would be a problem.

  10. They’re interested in making a buck so the more exposure they get the better for them by casting people with a wide fan base.

  11. Is this how Kim Kardashian got a scripted tv show with Ryan Murphy?

  12. Ah yes. Good to hear about how movies are really cast from a true outsider who never gained an edge with a famous name.

  14. Elle Fanning lost a role for not having enough followers on instagram. She never said what movie it was. She said it happened twice to her.

  15. I mean that’s certainly not limited to the movie industry. Almost all businesses look at new staff social media stats nowadays. Personal branding unfortunately is a reality here to stay.

  17. Makes sense. These people are no different than regular actors. They show they can make their own content online and gain a huge following. Especially for indie creators it’s a good starting point to get eyes on your project.

  18. It makes sense (especially for a smaller movie); you want as many eyes on your project as possible

  20. Imagine the person who reads this who also lost a role because Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawkes kid auditioned

  21. For certain roles? Oh I’m sure. It’s no different than in the past of “she gets the roll because she’s more popular” and will theoretically “sell more tickets”

  22. I mean book contracts also get issued this way, that’s how scripts get greenlit for some authors too. This is the way. We’re all but Musk-erberg’s slaves.

  23. I can’t remember which music artist I saw but yeah it was basically them on instagram live like “hey guys, my record label won’t release my new album until I have a bigger social media presence, so here I am creating content, please like my stuff…” just basically the “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” of navigating corporate bureaucracy, it was obvious they didn’t want to do it but they had to

  25. So just like the Jets sign or don’t sign football players based on Madden Ratings

  26. So producers hire actors for their popularity ? Breaking news

  28. They also cast on whose dna created you and the money people have

  29. Please do something original Hollywood and pick normal looking people. I am so bored of the monotony of faces with the filler and Botox, show us someone who can move their face to show emotion.

  30. I’m not surprised but it is kind of crazy when I think about it.

  34. This is true and also hair makeup and wardrobe are also held to this standard. Your work can be limited and literal shit and you will get hired w more followers than someone w better work and less people following them.

  37. ‘It’s not enough that I’m the child of famous actors’

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