5 posts tagged “celebrity news”

Lucy Liu

Linguist
Liu graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Asian Languages. She got a starring role in a school production of 'Alice in Wonderland' her senior year, and that launched her acting careeer.

You can't surf the TV channels or go through the supermarket checkout aisle without hearing all about Gwyneth's new baby stroller or the dirt on Britney's latest shopping spree. But between tips on how to imitate celebrity looks, are there career lessons to be learned from rich and famous women?

Joanne Meehl, president of Meehl & Balzotti Career Services, AKA The Resume Queen, sought to answer that question by taking an in-depth look at three celebrity women: Madonna, Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey. She found a lot more for women to emulate than just hairstyles.

Madonna: Mistress of Reinvention

When Madonna became famous in the early '80s, who could have predicted her staying power? In the tradition of other legends like the Beatles and Bowie, the Material Girl never lets her look, sound or show become last year's rehash.

"She is a model for us to refresh ourselves," says Meehl, who tells clients to seek new knowledge and experiences in order to stay current and sell themselves to employers. "So many people wait to be anointed with knowledge."

Madonna also rarely shortchanges herself. In a horseback interview with the pop icon, David Letterman learned that she would not be satisfied with his choice of horse.

How many times do women take what others offer, not going after their true desire? "If women ask for what they want, they worry that they'll be seen as bitches," Meehl says. The impulse is sometimes in the name of diplomacy. But when working toward a goal, you must choose the best resources and strategies.

Martha Stewart: Domestic Mogul with Moxie

Going to prison should have been career kryptonite for Stewart. But without apology or fanfare, she chose to serve her recent jail time like something to be checked off a to-do list. Stewart commented during sentencing that she wanted to be released in time to tend her spring garden.

How does the average woman stay steady in the face of such career-rocking moments? "Keep the big picture in mind," Meehl advises. Stewart "knew the garden and the business were going to be there for her when she got out." As noted in Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, keeping an eye on the end goal helps you keep the bumps along the way in perspective.

Before Stewart was a mogul of all things domestic, she was a model, investment banker and caterer. Her college major? Art history. While education and training are fundamental to success, so is simply doing.

Some women may lack Stewart's moxie. For them, Meehl suggests "building on past, even private, successes." Gradually, larger triumphs will build the necessary risk tolerance for real-world success.

Oprah Winfrey: Nurturing Visionary

Winfrey rewrites the blueprint for business success daily by replacing the model of the cutthroat businessperson with that of the nurturing helper. This is a woman who has increased her market share with tactics like encouraging people to read more. Winfrey shows women there's a place for all talents.

Think your quiet nature is at odds with your love of theater, or that your extrovert tendencies are out of whack with your love of libraries? Meehl encourages women to research professions, going beyond the common ones, to suit their unique needs and desires.

Shortly after her talk show went on the air, Winfrey formed Harpo Productions. The company now owns the television program, produces movies, operates a Web site, publishes a magazine and runs motivational conferences. Winfrey's retention of creative control reminds us not to outsource our vision to others.

Lessons from All 3 Celebrity Career Women

Underlying the success of these women is the greatest lesson of all, Meehl says: Madonna, Stewart and Winfrey all are true to their authentic selves.

Holding fast to their ambitions may have been met with derision along the way, especially since the confidence and drive needed to follow one's own path are not considered typical female traits. But the proof is in three of the most successful businesses of all time.

Who knows? If you follow their lead, you too may someday be known around the office by only one name.

Hilary Duff

If you are familiar with the entertainment business, then you probably know that Hollywood has a reputation for being an ultra-competitive industry. There are countless stories of talented actors and singers struggling to get by working low-paying jobs while they wait to land their big break. Chances of making it in show business are so slim that most aspiring performers wind up shuffling back home with their hopes and dreams crushed like branches in a wood chipper. That's what makes Hilary Duff's meteoric career rise at such a young age all the more remarkable.

The Texas native has achieved more professional success by age 18 than most people accomplish in their entire careers. Since getting her start as a child actor in TV commercials, Duff has starred in her own series, recorded three hit albums, appeared in several films and started her own multi-million dollar line of young girl's clothing and home accessories. She's even expanded her Stuff by Hilary Duff brand to include beauty products and is preparing to launch a new line of fragrance products this fall.

YOUNG MONEY caught up with Duff in Canada during a stop on her "Most Wanted" concert tour. Her casual conversation style revealed someone who is used to being in the spotlight and to handling the media. In fact, the young celebrity said she feels much older than her actual age. She believes that her success is due to a combination of luck and hard work.

"There is no secret formula for [success,]"she said. "I know that I worked very hard. I feel lucky to have all the things that I do. I love my job so much."

But fame does have a price. Duff admitted that she's had to make many personal sacrifices on her road to the top, such as missing out on time with friends and dealing with a lack of privacy.

"We could probably dedicate this whole interview on the sacrifices I've had to make. Just as an example, when I was younger my friends would go out to places at night, but I couldn't go because I would have to be up early for work on set the next day."

Many of Duff's young fans grew up watching her play the role of Lizzie McGuire on the Disney Channel. Those days are over, but Duff claims she is not consciously seeking out different projects that would appeal to an older audience. She is currently focusing on promoting her album and developing a second clothing line aimed at young adult females.

Her name recognition and personal image have given Duff a much envied level of financial clout among her peers. The pop princess was voted as one of Teen People's most powerful young entertainers in 2005. Media reports have listed her earnings for last year at $15 million. However, Duff confessed that early on in her career she actually disliked the business aspect of performing. She didn't really know how much she earned or understand the true cost of producing a television show or a concert tour.

"I didn't care so much about the money," said Duff. "I just wanted to work hard and put on a good show. Then later I started to feel a sense of responsibility about how it all comes together."

Duff learned to keep an eye on her finances after watching other wealthy artists spend their money foolishly. She's aware of how some famous entertainers have earned millions only to wind up bankrupt. For example, recording artists may mistakenly think that their record label is funding their expenses when the money being spent is actually their own.

"What you've got to realize is that the touring side [of the music industry] is mostly recoupable," she said. "When you shoot a video then the record company is going to give you the money to pay for that. But then they're going to take those costs out of your record sales. You have some people who spend a lot of money to shoot a video or to decorate their dressing room. That's all recoupable [for the record company.]"

Duff recalled feeling flattered about being asked to create her own designer clothes label. She soon discovered that she enjoyed participating in the creative and marketing aspects of running a clothing company.

"When I created the first line of clothes I didn't really have as much of an understanding of the business," she said. "The first slew of clothes that hit the stores didn't look exactly like I would have wanted. I just started learning the business side of how to get things made for the public."

Along with Duff's entrepreneurial pursuits she has used her celebrity status to promote her favorite philanthropic endeavors. She remains an active contributor to Kids With a Cause, a charitable organization that helps needy children around the world. Last year she also donated $250,000 to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

When asked about her future career plans, Duff said she wants to remain open to new opportunities. She already has several movie projects on tap and there are plans to expand the Stuff line to include bedroom furniture in 2007.

The teen star said she's grateful for her fans and for the support staff that helps run her business affairs. As do many other young professionals Duff realizes the importance of keeping a healthy balance between a busy career and her personal life.

"We're all kind of selfish in that we want to have a great personal life and a great work life," she said. "But this is America, and you can have both. I guess [the key is] feeling confident that anything is possible."

Deciding what you want to be when you grow up can be difficult. And even if you're set on being rich and famous, having something to fall back on can't hurt.

While it's hard to imagine pop culture without these icons, here's a look at some celebrities' career aspirations before they made it big:

# When comedian and former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Will Ferrell graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in sports information, he took a job as a sportscaster on a weekly cable show. But he found that his calling was in acting and stand-up comedy. He later played a newscaster on the big screen in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy."

# Eva Longoria attended Texas A&M-Kingsville, graduating with a degree in Kinesiology. After graduating, she entered a talent contest, went to Los Angeles and was signed by an agent. After stints on soaps including "General Hospital," "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "The Young and the Restless," Eva Longoria landed a role as Gabrielle Solis, on the popular television series, "Desperate Housewives."

Eva-longoria

# Instead of joining his father's oil business, Matthew McConaughey attended the University of Texas in Austin intending to become a lawyer. He reportedly changed his major to acting after discoving an Og Mandino book "The Greatest Salesman in the World" and girls all over the world have been swooning since.

# After being discovered by an agent in a pizza parlor when she was 11 years old, Natalie Portman began a career in modeling, which she later bypassed to concentrate on acting. Her role as Queen Amidala in "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" and Oscar-nominated role in "Closer" heightened her status as a Hollywood star. She took time off to study at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, majoring in psychology. Although she intends to continue acting, she also plans to practice psychology.

# Before becoming an Academy Award-nominated actress and successful hip hop artist, Queen Latifah (a.k.a. Dana Owens) studied broadcast journalism at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She considered pursuing a career either a newscaster or a lawyer.

# Denzel Washington attended Fordham University to pursue a career in journalism before getting involved in student drama productions and being drawn into acting. He finished his degree and moved to San Francisco attending the American Conservatory Theater for one year before pursuing acting work and later earning multiple awards

Denzel Washington

# "Charlie's Angels" star, Lucy Liu attended New York University before transferring to the University of Michigan where she graduated with a major in Asian Languages. During her last year of college, she landed the lead role for her school's production of "Alice in Wonderland" that launched her career in acting.

# Before Benicio del Toro was in "Traffic" and "Sin City," he studied business at the University of California at San Diego. Although his father wanted him to become a lawyer, del Toro secretly changed his major to acting and later dropped out to study the craft in New York City.

# Before playing a Harvard law student in "Legally Blonde," Reese Witherspoon attended Stanford University, majoring in English literature. The actress took a hiatus from her educational pursuits to take on roles for the movies "Freeway" and "Fear," and eventually earned an Oscar in 2006 for Best Actress in "Walk the Line."

# Years playing the piano in "Pretty Woman" and tap dancing in "Chicago,"Richard Gere attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on a gymnastics scholarship. He studied philosophy, but dropped out of school after two years to pursue acting with the Seattle Repertory Theatre and New York's Provincetown Playhouse.