The Power of Star Quality

 On a recent trip I was standing at a tram stop in Newcastle, opposite the stage door to the Civic Theatre. A production of Frozen had been staged that evening, and there were a small sea of - almost exclusively - girls waiting to see the performers come out.

When the cast did appear, scrubbed of makeup, the squeals were close to ultrasonic: I think my ear wax may have melted. The players, to their credit, greeted the kids with smiles and tolerance and paused for selfies and autographs and everyone went away happy. It looked a good result all round.

It did make me wonder a little about why we idolise some people sometimes conflate their public character's characteristics with their personal traits. There are some people that just draw the eye, too - that star quality, that is far rarer than competence. 

But I thought I didn't get it, and was immune.

And then I remembered living in Wellington a few years ago, when Ghost in the Shell was being filmed. I, along with a lot of others I suspect, indulged in mild fantasies of spotting Scarlett Johansson in the street somewhere. So: who am I to talk?