Let’s not kid ourselves: winning an Oscar is a life-changing experience. As George Cukor’s A Star Is Born brilliantly depicts, an individual performer can go from virtually unknown to overnight stardom in a matter of seconds.
The Academy Awards may not always reflect excellence, and the AMPAS may not accurately represent our diverse generation. However, there is no doubting the significant exposure that comes with the words “and the Oscar goes to…”.
Already established stars are given more autonomy and power. The Studio system enabled them to negotiate better compensation, select scripts, and demand top billing. Stars including Janet Gaynor, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, James Stewart, Marlon Brando, and more had already established themselves as icons of the silver screen prior to their win.
Being recognized by the Academy propelled them to an even higher stratosphere of stardom. Suddenly, they went from being referred to simply by name to “Academy award-winner” for the rest of their lives and beyond. In the movie industry it is a legacy akin to that of a knighthood.
Subsequently — especially after the Academy Awards became as well regarded as they are today — more relative unknowns achieved fame and recognition.
Julie Andrews had never starred in a film before Mary Poppins, which she accepted only after being turned down for My Fair Lady since she had not yet established herself as a major star. Christoph Waltz was an unusual guy to become a household celebrity; he was just assigned the ideal character of Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, which the Academy couldn’t help but praise.
However, the gloss on the statuette does not always last—for some, Oscar night is just another night. They win the award, enjoy their fifteen minutes of fame, return home, and wake up the next day to discover that nothing has changed in their careers. We’re not talking about actors like George C. Scott, who clearly wanted nothing.
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