Some celebrities, are role models for young people at one point. Then some decided to go all out doing something crazy, which we would have never expected of them. Nowadays we have a lot of young celebrities who are bad role models for young people, and on this website, I've seen many people shine the light on them. Why? There are hardworking celebrities out there trying to make something of their career, yet people decide to focus on fools? I don't understand that. So I'm dedicating this MyTake to a few celebrities (Millenials and Gen Z) who are worth looking up to:
1) Zendaya
I have always admired Zendaya, from a young age, I started watching her on a Disney show called: "Shake It Up" I watched her DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie) "Frenemies" then she was in "Spider-Man Homecoming" which I then admired her even more because little secret about me, I've always liked Spider-Man, and she played a fantastic role in "The Greatest Showman".
Zendaya is brilliant at what she does, no doubt, but what really made me put her on this list is something she said in an interview on a talk show.
Now she debuted on Disney Channel when she 14-years-old and she left Disney Channel when she was 22-years-old. This wasn't because she couldn't find any work elsewhere, she surely had plenty of offers, with being in Spider-Man, and The Greatest Showman she chose to stay at Disney.
When people questioned her: "Why are you still on Disney?"
She responded:
I still have a responsibility as this young person that I am to create positive programming for these young people. I have little kids that look up to me, I think of that as a responsibility, and I know there's so many parents that come up to me and just hearing them say: "thank you for being that for my daughter, or for my son, being an inspiration, for them, that means everything to me.
Why I really liked her when she said this is because you get most Disney Channel stars that reach her age and complain: "Well, I never asked to be a role model." I find that pointless to say because they're putting themselves on to a children's network, what do they think they're going to become? Children are going to see them as cool people who initially they will aspire to be like, if you don't want to be a children's role model do not put yourself on a children's network.
Zendaya was not ignorant to the fact children are looking up to her, she sees it as a responsibility which is right. She's being a positive icon for the children of this generation.
2) Tom Holland
Following on nicely from Zendaya, we have Tom Holland also known as Spider-Man himself. Now I didn't exactly grow up watching Tom Holland like I did Zendaya, but I did see him in a few films over the years "The Impossible" which I just called 'the water film with Namoi Watts in it' until I just googled it, and "The Edge of Winter" was a pretty good film too. Then in 2016, when he debuted as Spider-Man, I thought he was a really good actor who played the role well, I mean I genuinely thought he was an American teenager until I googled him. Not to mention he'll be playing one of my favourite book characters "Todd Hewitt" pretty soon. Favourite book character and favourite superhero.
Why Tom is on this list is because I admire his dedication for the role of Spider-Man. He had a gymnastics and dance background and he was clever and used that to his advantage. He does most of his own stunts as Spider-Man- even though he doesn't have to, he worked insanely hard on his body so he could be the right physique for Spider-Man, he even took up boxing.
But what really struck me was the fact he enrolled at an American high school, for a few days just to see what it is like to study at an American school.
He seems to be a dedicated young person, with a nice attitude.
3) The Fresh Off The Boat Boys
These three have basically grown up on the show "Fresh Off The Boat" they're all younger than me even, and I just thought I have to put them all together because they're brothers on the show, it's like they come in a three pack.
All of them are so young, yet so incredibly hardworking in their industry.
Hudson Yang - The centre of the show, he plays Eddie Huang, which is basically the main character. He's been nominated for 7 awards and has won 3. He's spoken in front of an audience at Google, at the age of 11, to have that confidence at such a young age is amazing! When I was 11, I could just about making eye contact with people (and I still struggle with that now) let alone sit in front of a bunch of adults and be interviewed by 2 other adults! Now, he's 15, and he still is concerned about issues such as representing his community, to have that kind of awareness at that age is brilliant.
Forrest Wheeler - A sweet character whose attitude has been adorable throughout the whole series, he plays Emery Huang. He's been nominated for 4 awards and won two! And he's only 14! In 2014, he won 7 first places in the Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championship- he would have only been 10! Then in 2015 he earned his second-degree black belt in XMA (extreme martial arts) and he does several other sports like swimming and tennis, I bet his CV will be packed out with a load of activities! Like Hudson, he is aware he is representing his community, which is a type of awareness many famous people still haven't come to realise.
Ian Chen - The mini-genius character, who's cocky but cute, he plays Evan Huang. He has been nominated for 6 awards and won 3. He uploads mini-covers of songs on Instagram, I've seen and he has a good voice for his age. It shows he's only willing to improve with his talents. Not to mention he's going to be in the DC comic book movie SHAZAM! as Eugene Choi! He's a singer, a television actor and a movie actor and he's only 12! I can't even remember what I did when I was that age, and like his older co-stars, he is also aware he is representing his community which is just outstanding for someone so young.
4) Cameron Boyce
Another Disney Channel actor who has been on Disney Channel since he was 12 and he's 19 and his last project on the network will be debuted in July. I watched him on "Jessie" and "Gamers Guide To Pretty Much Everything" and here is why I think he deserves to be on this list. He's a dancer, an actor and even has done some singing.
A lot of things that happen in the industry can really change you for the worst sometimes, so for me it's important to just remember who I was before the industry, and just continue to be that.
The biggest thing that people need to understand about the industry is that it does have effects on your personal life and it's important to just remember that, while chasing your dream is important, you continuing to be yourself is also what you should prioritise.
Is something he said in an interview which holds such truth. He didn't just say this, however, he appears to live by this. At his age, many young men who have gained their fame have done drugs, behaved in an unorderly manner the list goes on.
But he still values his family, his relationship with his sister seems to be important to him, he has done an interview with his grandmother. Showing he values family is so important for young people these days because I think they're so inclined with social media and their devices I think they forget how important family can be. Having a cool young person we can look up to, as an example can help us see that if someone successful values family, then shouldn't we?
And that brings my MyTake to the end! As I said at the beginning of the MyTake I see so many people focus on the bad role models of this generation, we often forget the good. I've heard people say: "These kids can't look up to anyone these days", well those people above we can. My industry is writing and I aspire to be successful like these people, someone people can also look up to. People call the younger generations "messed up" and "trash" but there is so much more good out there, the bad is just louder. There are hardworking young people out there too. So stop looking down in the bin, and look above your head because people like these are rising. Support them. :)
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