American Cinema Post 5: The Star Stystem

Persona, in the general sense, can be defined as the various masks worn in ancient Greek plays to represent the various characters they were portraying. This provides an apt analogy for the way in which stars present themselves. The various roles they take on over the course of their career and the parts of their lives and personalities known to the public combine to create a persona for the actor. If an actor purposefully takes on a role that is against their usual type, the audience may adjust their perception of them. This leads to a more intricate difinition of the actor's persona. Although it has been altered to some degree, the persona is still there.
The example of how a persona is used provided by the book is that of John Wayne. He was portrayed in his films as a Western and war hero. In his personal life he was a conservative Republican and supporter of the Vietnam War. The characters he played were often individual tough-guy types. He often reflected this psychology in his personal life as well. When he faced cancer he provided a famous quip of "I licked the big C." This issue faced in his last film, The Shootist, as well.
An actor' public persona can be defined as that part of the entirety of their persona that is visible when in the public eye. A person' understanding of a star is limited to what they let the public know about themselves as well as what is brought to the public eye, perhaps, against their wishes. Their public persona can be an extension of what is presented on the screen, as with John Wayne, or can perhaps betray what is shown on the screen. An example of this is when Ingrid Bergman starred in Roberto Rosselini's Joan of Arc. She played the noble martyr on screen but was engaged in a scandalous affair with the director behind closed doors.