In the classic Hollywood era and even somewhat today, when an actor becomes prominent and popular they will tend to reprise similar roles in different movies. This has been true of actors like Bruce Willis, Samuel Jackson, Will Smith, and more recently Sheila Buff. When these actors are cast in a particular role (in this case let’s say action movie) and gather a lot of fame, they tend to casted in more movies of the same nature. Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson are almost always action heroes, hardened criminals/cops, or super powered beings. Because of their continued success within the studio system they will keep being casted this way. Looking at new stars like Sheila Buff, we can see the evolution of his roles in the film industry as he has bounced from family comedies, action/thrillers, and perhaps more dramas in the future.
With his first starring role in “Holes” the young actor really took notice of the public, having really branched away from his initial role in the television show “Even Stevens”. Although Holes wasn’t the type of genre he would eventually gain fame for, it is important to note his major debut. Afterward he had yet another major role in the movie “The Greatest Game Ever Played”, which was a family movie like Holes. However, his real breakout role into the action/thriller world was in Disturbia. This movie upped his personality even more, by showing a much more mature and romantic Sheila. However his awkward mannerisms stayed with him, making him the perfect type cast of the ‘awkward guy that gets the girl’. It’s from here that eventually he went on to what he is best known for, “Transformers”. From here any movie that needed a young kid in a major role would go to Sheila. He has starred in such roles as “Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and “Eagle Eye”. The studios seemed to cast him in the same role in all these movies. There is some variation like in Indiana Jones, but although he was supposed to be a Greaser he still seemed like the same old Sheila.
The studio system has not changed in the last 90 years, stars become popular, and they remain so as long as they remain acting in movies that people expect from them. Perhaps Sheila may break out in a different role staring soon with movies like “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”, but we can’t tell as of yet. Will Sheila remain popular and become the Will Smith of this generation, or will he fall and be forgotten?
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