Method Madness

Fame and stardom might be the ambition of shedloads of starlets and wannabes, but it is fraught with psychological problems. These are the findings of psychologist Dr Glenn Wilson and practising clinician Andy Evans in their forthcoming book, Fame: the Stardom of Psychology (Vision Paperbacks). The pair have identified a number of psychological conditions which can develop thanks to the pressures of fame, ranging from the relatively mild (e.g. narcissism), to fear of the public eye - Or if you like, fear of being famous. Dr Wilson explains that self-absorption is common, citing the likes of Kenneth Williams and Geri Halliwell as examples of stars who display a high degree of self-obsession. Williams' extreme self-absorption meant that everything in his world revolved around him, even the tragedy of others. In his diary he recalls going on holiday around the time of a terrible plane crash which killed hundreds of people. His comment on the diaster was that it caused his bags to be delayed. More worrying though, is identity confusion, where actors may become convinced they have absorbed the characteristics of the role they are playing.