Al Pacino names acting’s first-ever superstar: “He had a tragic life”
The history of celebrity is a fascinating one, with the question of who was the first garnering much debate. While some people cite classic figures like Julius Caesar or Cleopatra as early examples of celebrities, the modern definition of the concept has resulted in people ranging from the actor Sarah Bernhardt to the poet Lord Byron earning the unofficial title of ‘the first ever celebrity.’
It is hard to pinpoint who would be considered the first, and people have differing ideas on how to classify what counts as celebrity. Still, it is fascinating to imagine how people would’ve fawned over or taken a dedicated interest in celebrities in the days before social media, television, or even radio. These days, we’re so used to the worship of public figures – even those who have contributed very little to society – due to our exposure to them through the media, often leaving us clued up on celebrities we’re not even particularly interested in.
It seems like it is in our human nature to simply become fascinated by others. People have always loved to gossip, live vicariously through others, or know the inner workings of someone else’s life – the messier the better. Hollywood icon Al Pacino once revealed who he believes to be acting’s first “superstar,” a bold claim that only someone as legendary as him can surely make a case for.
His pick dates far back, way before the invention of cinema, demonstrating just how long people have been interested in actors. Talking to The Stacks Reader, Pacino revealed his fascination with Edmund Kean, a Shakespearean actor who lived between 1787 and 1833. “Kean was the first acting superstar. You know, [Lord] Byron called him the sun’s bright child. Someone said watching him act was like watching bolts of lightning cross the stage. But he had a tragic life; he couldn’t cope with fame.”
The way that Kean is described is certainly compelling, and we only have these written records of his talent as proof that he was magnificent, although it would be interesting to see how he would compare to the acting greats from cinema history. “It’s funny, at first, he couldn’t get work—he had these dark features, and he was considered too short,” Pacino explained.
He continued, “But he dethroned [John Philip] Kemble with his first Shakespearean performance at Drury Lane. Actors were scared to share the stage with him. But then there was a big scandal—he got involved with an alderman’s wife. He came to America, where they destroyed the theater he was supposed to appear in. So he retreated up to Canada, where he joined a tribe of Indians.”
Kean was subject to security in The Times after it was revealed that he was having an affair, an early instance of an actor being criticised for their personal life to the point that it affected their career. Was Kean’s predicament an early example of cancel culture? That might be too bold a statement, but the fact that Kean’s chaotic personal life was of interest to others – to the point that people tossed fruit at him in the street – is certainly fascinating.
