When Rising Stars Fall

This week’s loss of Heath Ledger is a tragic addition to the list of rising stars whose lives and budding careers have been cut short. The early deaths of young talents, from Chris Farley to Elliott Smith, mirror those of earlier artists with more established careers — such as Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison.It’s enough to raise a question: What is it about American celebrity culture that creates such a powerful isolation? The nature of democratic society gives the son of fruit pickers the chance to become a megastar. But the effects of modern fame shift the emphasis away from the creative process and craft. Actors, musicians, models, and comedians have trades to ply, just as accountants, lawyers, and plumbers do.But the hard work of artistic life becomes crowded out by the demands of popularity and publicity. Celebrity culture extracts such demands that self-destructive behavior is almost a part of the script. Those with stage careers are almost expected to land in rehab. The downward spiral of pop music bands is so common a story that VH1’s “Behind the Music” had enough material to entertain television audiences between 1997 and 2006.Ledger’s full story is yet to be written. What’s certain is that he moved to Los Angeles from Perth, Australia, to pursue stardom. Hollywood gave him roles that highlighted his good looks, but he had started to take on more challenging parts. His death on Tuesday stopped his pursuit of greater challenges at 28.Others who have fallen too soon are easy to remember. Actor River Phoenix (1970-1993) made his first movie at 15, and about a year later landed a breakout role in the hit 1986 film “Stand By Me.” Born in Madras, Ore., he spent his early years moving frequently with his parents — who were itinerant fruit pickers — before settling in Los Angeles. The actor, who earned a best supporting actor nomination for 1989 for his role in “Running on Empty” before appearing in more than a dozen other films, collapsed outside a Los Angeles nightclub from drug-induced heart failure at 23.Comedian Chris Farley (1964-1997) made a name for himself as a member of Chicago’s famed Second City comedy troupe. Farley, who was raised in Madison, Wis., joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1990, and played a range of outlandish, larger-than-life characters. He also appeared in big-screen comedies such as “Tommy Boy” in 1995 and “Beverly Hills Ninja” in 1997. The 33-year-old actor died of a drug overdose in his Chicago apartment.Before singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley (1966-1997) died at 30, he had become a favorite in New York’s club scene. A native of Orange County, Calif., he was celebrated for his electric guitar and soulful vocals. Though he created only one album, Buckley toured internationally and was on his way to becoming a major musical force. At 30, he died in a drowning accident in Memphis, Tenn. His father, Tim Buckley, a talented folk singer, died of an overdose.The lead singer of the band Blind Melon, Shannon Hoon (1967-1995), was raised in Lafayette, Ind., before moving to Los Angeles. He sang backup for Guns N’ Roses before forming his own band that toured widely in the 1990s. It was on tour in New Orleans, just before a show, that a roadie went to collect Hoon for a sound check and found him unconscious. His drug overdose left him dead at 28.Nebraska-born singer-songwriter Elliott Smith (1969-2003) released five solo albums and recorded the song “Miss Misery” for Gus Van Sant’s “Good Will Hunting.” Smith lived near Dallas and Portland, Ore., before attending Hampshire College. At 34, he was found in his Los Angeles apartment with a single stab wound to the chest, an apparent, but not confirmed, suicide.What these and other artists could have produced we’ll never know. What we do know is that the creative industries are unlimited in their opportunity for stardom and sorrow.

When Rising Stars Fall

When Rising Stars Fall

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