Celebrities will often be judged based on one aspect of their life, then society will disregard the rest. We’ve noticed within biopic movies, the focus is generally geared towards one dramatized event in their life. When creating a film about a celebrity who can no longer advocate for themselves, traumatic details are often shared in their biopic about them and their experiences, unintentionally becoming their lasting legacy.
In “Priscilla,” Priscilla Presley is viewed merely as Elvis Presley’s love interest and nothing more. The movie starts with her first interaction with Elvis at age 14, and ends when she eventually leaves him. Priscilla’s whole persona in this film is based around Elvis. She has no defining and independent characteristics besides her connection to the famous musician. This often happens to women in history, diminished by their maternal relations or their relationship with a man. Pricilla had more accomplishments than being the partner of Elvis. She co-founded Elvis Presley Enterprises and helped turn Graceland into a multimillion-dollar tourist attraction. Pricilla was an intelligent and hard worker, yet her achievements were overlooked so they never reached the big screen.
In the tragic event of the Airbus A320 airliner crash, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was able to save all 155 people on board by gliding the plane into the Hudson river, where he was declared a hero. In the film, this event was not only highlighted, but entirely based around this traumatic event. As he was the pilot flying the plane, he had to hastily decide to consider the risk of landing the plane in the Hudson. Although Sully had created history, he is at his core a human. After retiring, Sully continued to live through some struggle. He suffered from PTSD, weight loss, sleep deprivation and lack of focus. He was eventually able to live a fruitful life that was not highlighted in the film. It didn’t acknowledge the PTSD and pain he suffered due to the traumatic crash, his recovery and internal battles are just as important within his legacy to show the audience.
Biopics should give the audience the full picture of their entire life span, from their hardships to their biggest accomplishments. Filmmakers and producers could find a more accurate and detailed way to share their stories. Not only do the creators of films need to alter their ways, but the audience also needs to take action and demand more accurate information. The viewers need to have a more open mind about who a celebrity is, and a person and not allow their assumptions to define them. Celebrities are so much more than what we make them out to be.
