Celebrity 2.0: Lil Miquela and the Rise of a Virtual Star System

Jenna M. Drenten; Gillian Brooks

doi:10.1080/14680777.2020.1830927

Celebrity 2.0: Lil Miquela and the Rise of a Virtual Star System

Jenna M. Drenten, Gillian Brooks

Quinlan School of Business

King's College London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In this essay, we interrogate the boundary between the highly controlled Hollywood celebrity star system and the highly liberated social media influencer. By examining the case of Lil Miquela, a virtual social media influencer created through computer-generated imagery (CGI), we introduce the notion of a re-imagined virtual star system, which is defined by techno-human cultural intermediaries and the non-agentic persona as property. The virtual star system calls attention to contradictions between the real and the artifice and questions the significance of authenticity in both celebrity practice and the influencer industry.

Original language	American English
Journal	School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works
Volume	20
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2020.1830927
State	Published - Oct 4 2020

Keywords

Celebrity
Authenticity
Social media influencer
Microcelebrity
Computer-generated imagery

Disciplines

Business
Social Media
Film and Media Studies
Arts and Humanities

Access to Document

10.1080/14680777.2020.1830927License: Unspecified

Celebrity 2Final published version, 139 KBLicense: Unspecified

Cite this

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title = "Celebrity 2.0: Lil Miquela and the Rise of a Virtual Star System",

abstract = " In this essay, we interrogate the boundary between the highly controlled Hollywood celebrity star system and the highly liberated social media influencer. By examining the case of Lil Miquela, a virtual social media influencer created through computer-generated imagery (CGI), we introduce the notion of a re-imagined virtual star system, which is defined by techno-human cultural intermediaries and the non-agentic persona as property. The virtual star system calls attention to contradictions between the real and the artifice and questions the significance of authenticity in both celebrity practice and the influencer industry.",

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N2 - In this essay, we interrogate the boundary between the highly controlled Hollywood celebrity star system and the highly liberated social media influencer. By examining the case of Lil Miquela, a virtual social media influencer created through computer-generated imagery (CGI), we introduce the notion of a re-imagined virtual star system, which is defined by techno-human cultural intermediaries and the non-agentic persona as property. The virtual star system calls attention to contradictions between the real and the artifice and questions the significance of authenticity in both celebrity practice and the influencer industry.

AB - In this essay, we interrogate the boundary between the highly controlled Hollywood celebrity star system and the highly liberated social media influencer. By examining the case of Lil Miquela, a virtual social media influencer created through computer-generated imagery (CGI), we introduce the notion of a re-imagined virtual star system, which is defined by techno-human cultural intermediaries and the non-agentic persona as property. The virtual star system calls attention to contradictions between the real and the artifice and questions the significance of authenticity in both celebrity practice and the influencer industry.

KW - Celebrity

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KW - Microcelebrity

KW - Computer-generated imagery

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Celebrity 2.0: Lil Miquela and the Rise of a Virtual Star System

Abstract

Keywords

Disciplines

Access to Document

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