Penn Badgley talks about impact of fame, celebrity culture

 

by IANS | Tue, Nov 18, 2025, 11:27 AM

Los Angeles, Nov 18 (IANS) Actor Penn Badgley has opened up about his motivation behind “Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss and Coming-of-Age”.


During an appearance on the Totally Booked with Zibby podcast, the “You” star shared: "I wanted to, and intended initially at the outset of that essay, to write way more specifically about what fame is or isn't or what, at least, my experience of it is.


"It's not just a huge part of a celebrity's life. It's a huge part of everybody's life. Our culture is just inextricably, undeniably entangled and obsessed with celebrity."


The actor actually thinks the public should "hear more" from celebrities, reports femalefirst.co.uk.


He explained: "I think we should hear more, also, from people who are famous because it just gives us more of the pie of experience. It gives us more of a share of like, ‘All right, let's just examine this from all angles' … I think the weirdness of celebrity is that, at worst, it really clouds the vision of the person suffering under it."


He also said that being a celebrity is a "huge part" of his life.


The actor said: "It has impacted my life no less than any other thing. Being a father, being a man, eventually becoming a Baha'i, which is my faith, my religion, when I was in my late 20s. Thank God when I die, the celebrity will go. Until then, as long as my celebrity lasts, it's a huge part of my life."


Meanwhile, the actor earlier shared that he became financially independent at the age of 15.


He became the main breadwinner for his family while he was still a teenager - but Penn was "close to broke" before landing a role in Gossip Girl.


During an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, the star said: "I was financially independent by 15. I wasn't always the breadwinner, but I've always needed to and wanted to provide support for my parents since then."

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