In the face of fame, pressures mount, which can be particularly profound when such recognition arrives at an early age. This was the case for Michael Cera, the critically acclaimed actor who found himself spiraling into a crisis at the tender age of 19, following the back-to-back box office successes of Juno and Superbad. The distress he experienced nearly drove him to abandon his acting career. As Cera steps back into the limelight with the much-anticipated Barbie movie this month, he reflects on his early struggles to navigate the complexities of unexpected fame.
In the year 2007, the two blockbuster hits, Juno and Superbad, garnered a cumulative gross of over $400 million, projecting the then 19-year-old Cera into the glittering world of global stardom. The pressure that came along with this success made the young actor feel out of his comfort zone, according to his interview with The Guardian.
Cera admitted to the discomfort he felt, describing how being thrust into fame made him “uncomfortable” in his own skin, introducing paranoia and strange emotions. “Walking down the street felt like a chore. Fame has a way of making you feel incredibly uneasy,” he explained. Although fame brought about wonderful opportunities and allowed him to meet some incredible people, it also exposed him to the dark side of stardom. Cera was candid about his inability to cope with certain negative aspects, such as the intrusive enthusiasm of drunk fans, which he cited as a “classic example” of the drawbacks of fame.
He went on to explain, “When you’re young and famous, people tend to feel a sense of entitlement towards you and your personal space. It was difficult for me to set clear boundaries without coming off as disrespectful. The overwhelming awareness of people around me felt like a constant burn, akin to a mistake.”
The young actor was so unsettled by these experiences that he contemplated giving up acting. “I reached a point where I wanted to avoid roles that would only elevate my fame,” he revealed. He even turned down a golden opportunity to host Saturday Night Live, fearing that it would boost his popularity to an even more unbearable extent. Cera admitted, “I was in the middle of a crisis, and I was really struggling with the level of attention I was getting. I was uncertain about continuing as an actor.”
This period of turmoil, however, granted him valuable perspective about his career trajectory. He figured out his long-term career goals, deciding he wanted to be a “working actor who can enjoy my day-to-day life, and the world that I’ve created for myself.”
Michael Cera Versus the World
As fate would have it, Cera decided against quitting acting. In the wake of Superbad’s success, he had already committed to playing the lead role in Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Not wanting to abandon the project, he soldiered on. This film later achieved cult status, and both Cera and Wright are now set to reunite for a Netflix animated adaptation of the original graphic novel. Joining Cera for this venture are original cast members Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aubrey Plaza, Brie Larson, and Chris Evans.
Adding another feather to his cap, Cera stars in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which hit theaters on July 21. Check out the trailer below:
