Nolte: Zoë Kravitz’s ‘Trauma’ Is Why the Movie Star Is Dead

So imagine you’re Zoë Kravitz… You’re 33 years old, your father is Lenny Kravitz, your mother is Lisa Bonet, you grew up wealthy, privileged, pampered, and beautiful, and thanks in no small part to being born on third base, you’ve been working steadily as an actress for 15 years. Then it happens, it finally happens… Your dream comes true, the dream of every dreamer in Hollywood…

You win that breakthrough role, the one that puts you over the top. You’re the best thing (in my opinion) in a massive franchise film. The Batman wins critical acclaim, opens to $125 million, and you’re not only at the center of all that hoopla and success, you are now what every little actress dreams of being when they grow up: A Big Star.

Hey, congratulations. Seriously. Even with your countless birthright advantages, we all know you worked hard, paid your dues, put in the time, and here you are… right where you wanted to be.

But then what does Zoë Kravitz go and do? Does she thank her fans, express her gratitude, show a little humility, a little self-deprecation?

Nope.

Of course not.

That’s not how it works anymore… Instead of being gracious and appreciative, on the first day after her dreams come true, we are inundated with stories about this poor little rich girl’s “trauma.” You see, Zoë Kravitz is not grateful for the fact that all her dreams just came true. Instead, she’s a — you guessed it — victim.

Look at the Monday morning news about the poor little Zoë Kravitz…

Yahoo: Zoë Kravitz’s Last Attempt to Audition for a Batman Movie Ended With Some Seriously Racist Feedback

Washington Post: Zoë Kravitz wanted to audition for a 2012 Batman film. She was told she was too ‘urban,’ she says.

Variety: Zoë Kravitz Opens Up on Losing ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Audition Because of Her Skin Color

People: Zoë Kravitz Says She Sometimes ‘Felt a Little Uncomfortable’ Filming Big Little Lies [because of white people]

Cry me a river, cupcake.

And if you read the interview, Kravitz is practicing Racial McCarthyism. No culprit is named. It’s just this vague, damning, non-specific cry-bully talk about everything that’s held this poor little rich girl down.

Overall, it’s just a toxic form of narcissism. Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

And this is why the movie star is dead…

With rare exceptions, actors and celebrities have always been self-involved narcissists. If you think about it, in a way, the profession demands it. But what’s changed over the last 20 or so years, and this has coincided directly with the death of the movie star, is that celebrities now dine out on their self-involved narcissism. Now it’s fashionable — even though you’re a rich, young, famous millionaire living a dream life in the freest country on earth — to pose as a victim, to act as though you’re oppressed and traumatized and boo hoo hoo.

Let me give everyone out there a tip… You want to know why Will Smith, Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds, Brad Pitt, Chris Pratt, and Sandra Bullock are the closest we have today to movie stars?

Because we like them.

America likes these people.

Yes, the beauty, talent, and charisma help… But there are hundreds of actors and actresses today gifted with those qualities who are nothing close to movie stars. Why? Because we don’t like them.

Above all, what creates a long career is holding on to the public’s goodwill. And you earn that goodwill by being likable. In real life, you might be a prick. Plenty of movie stars during the golden age were pricks. But in public, they were humble, grateful, and self-deprecating.

What’s more, almost none of them were born with Zoë Kravitz’s silver spoon. Jews, Italians, the Irish… They all faced actual prejudice, hostile prejudice, and did so before show business had unions and Civil Rights.

You want to be a star?

You want a career that lasts a while?

Grow up. Stop whining.

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.