Stardom isn’t a profession, it’s an accident.
Lauren Bacall Overnight stardom can be harmful to your mental health. Yeah. It has ruined a lot of people.
Clint Eastwood To be a star is to own the world and all the people in it. After a taste of stardom, everything else is poverty.
Hedy Lamarr The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.
John Wooden Pop stardom is not very compelling. I’m much more interested in a relationship between performer and audience that is of equals.
Ani DiFranco Stardom is only a by-product of acting. I don’t think being a movie star is a good enough reason for existing.
Natalie WoodTo handle that stardom, the red carpets, the photo shoots, people all of a sudden recognising you and following you in everyday life, it’s a bit weird. It’s strange, and it can have funny effects on you.
Roger Federer I see stardom very clearly as a construct that’s been created in order to sell things.
Julie Christie A sign of celebrity is that his name is often worth more than his services.
Daniel J BoorstinThere is not a more unhappy being than a superannuated idol.
Joseph AddisonThe nice thing about being a celebrity is that when you bore people, they think it’s their fault.
Henry KissingerStardom can be a gilded slavery.
Helen HayesWhenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself, I always take a trip to the US. The immigration guys kick the star out of my stardom.
Shah Rukh KhanIllustration: Sameer Pawar
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(This story appears in the 27 December, 2013 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)