Stranger Things and Do Revenge star Maya Hawke says she’s met producers who hire based on a person’s social media following.
While a sub-section of movie fans bark about nepotism in the entertainment industry, another aspect of the business could set your sensitivities aflame. According to Maya Hawke, the multi-talented actor, musician, and daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, some producers prioritize actors based on their social media followings. Like it or not, social media is the fastest way to hock your wares to droves of fans and passersby roped in by the almighty algorithm. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, BlueSky, and, to a lesser extent, Twitter bring millions of eyeballs to celebrities, influencers, up-and-coming bands, and lesser-known individuals with extraordinary talents. Sure, you could chase trends, perform the latest dance craze, or prank unsuspecting victims of your obnoxious clout chasing. Still, social media is a powerful entertainment tool and measuring stick for a person’s ability to command attention.
According to Maya Hawke, “so many smart directors” have talked her out of deleting her Instagram account. The rub is that social media “can help get a movie funded,” she said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “‘Just so you know, when I’m casting a movie with some producers, they hand me a sheet with the amount of collective followers I have to get [from] the cast that I cast. So if you delete your Instagram and I lose those followers, understand that these are the kinds of people that I have to cast around you.’”
“It’s a really confusing line to walk,” Hawke confessed about social media acting as an extension of her career. She has 8.9 million followers on Instagram, an impressive number no matter how you slice it. However, Hawke says there’s added pressure to her social media posts because she’s the daughter of two A-list celebrities, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. To an extent, her social media standing affects them, too. If she screws up, posts something unseemly, endorses a questionable cause, or shares a view that lands her in hot water, the blowback is significant. Social media is a minefield for many who use the platform to boost visibility, and navigating the bombs gets more complex with time.
What do you think about some filmmakers using social media as a measuring stick for hiring actors? How many great up-and-coming actors miss out on opportunities because their Instagram numbers aren’t as impressive as the next person waiting to audition? What have we become? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
