Not too long ago, eminent producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of abusing and assaulting dozens of women who work in Hollywood, and unfortunately so, the disgraced director is not alone. Hollywood has always kept its dark secrets under wraps, but some of those Hollywood secrets have begun to see the light of day. If you dream of reaching stardom and gaining fame in Hollywood, you may change your plans after knowing Tinseltown’s darkest secrets. Hollywood is not just about spotlights, money, fame, and red carpets, there are stories of abuse, heartbreak, shallowness, and even illegal activity. Here are the top-kept secrets of Hollywood, which, of course, they don’t want you to know.
Many Stars Stage Their Photos
Some celebs look too gorgeous when photos of them being “candid” and going about their day are released by those celebrity gossip sites and tabloids. Well, we’re here to tell you that chances are those “stolen” shots were actually staged. Back in 2016, a photojournalist disclosed that there are too many Hollywood celebrities that routinely stage their photo-ops. Kim Kardashian reportedly keeps her private photographers on her speed dial and she even texts certain paparazzi on a regular basis. As per reports, she also reviews each photo, and the photos are heavily edited before they are published online or sold to tabloids. However, long before Kim, there was Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, former reality TV stars, who earned more than $1 million just by selling their photos.
Many Stars Suffer From Eating Disorders
As you can assume, the pressure on stars to look stunning and super-fit all the time is immense, which has caused some of them to even suffer from various types of eating disorders. When you are in front of the camera, it essentially means that your image is constantly put under a microscope. While celebrities are often judged and criticized by fans, their managers also sometimes pressure them into losing weight in unhealthy ways. Demi Lovato, for example, is one celeb who revealed that she once suffered from a severe eating disorder. Naomi Watts, is another actress who literally starved herself just to look ‘perfect’ at a red carpet event. Plus size model Ashley Graham once made it public that she was body-shamed by her agent!
The Casting Couch Is Not A New Phenomenon
The Harvey Weinstein scandal may have rocked the Internet today, but did you know that allegations about directors making indecent proposals to struggling actors have been raised many a time before? The ‘Casting Couch’ is a much-hated phrase, which is used to describe the improper behavior of producers or casting directors that often leaves the aspiring actors feeling traumatized and vulnerable. In an interview with GQ, Megan Fox once revealed that she has gotten too many indecent proposals from directors since she became famous. She even alleged that many of those Hollywood events are actually a ploy to target young and aspiring actors – both men and women.
Actors Are Stereotyped And Discriminated Based On their Age
Casual and systematic ageism has been integral to Hollywood. Some actresses have even revealed that they fear revealing their actual date of birth as they may end up getting discriminated against. Margot Robbie is one actress who received quite a backlash when rumors about her actual age started doing rounds on the Internet. Junie Hoang, a Vietnam-born actress, even sued IMDB once as they revealed her actual age. She eventually lost the case, but the lawsuit exposed one of the darkest secrets of Hollywood – rampant ageism. No wonder why anti-aging products are so high in demand in Hollywood and beyond.
Cheating Is Rampant In Hollywood
There are some actors in Hollywood who spend a chunk of time on the sets of different movies. They aren’t able to spend quality time with their family, their partners, and children. As a result, they often end up leaving their partners in the lurch. While some of these flings end just as quickly as they started, others can quickly escalate to become some of the dirtiest scandals full of melodrama and ugly courtroom battles. Angelina Jolie was once labeled a “home-wrecker” when she started dating Brad Pitt when they were working together on Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Pitt was already married to Jennifer Aniston at that time, and their relationship was totally destroyed when Brad and Angelina’s cheating rumors started to popping up.
Hollywood is not as glitzy and glamorous as it seems. There are crime syndicates, fixers, and even illegal substance sellers in “Tinseltown”. If you are trying to make it big in Hollywood or are even nurturing a dream of earning a place with your favorite stars, do not forget to learn about the industry in detail before you make that career move, which can honestly be said about any kind of career.
