An actor, unlike a model, at least has the potential to show us a character we can adopt. It might be an aspirational call to justice in the Mr. Smith who goes to Washington, or crusading for the same in the character of Atticus Finch. It might be black empowerment in Black Panther or female empowerment in Wonder Woman. It might be journalistic communities chasing the truth in Spotlight or The Post. In response to any of these a young person might say, “That’s me,” and then spend a life following their lead. Our fictions often hold out better characters to emulate than the dead-end desire to
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