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The Star Economy
Hollywood's Most Trustworthy Celebrities
Forbes Staff, 02.08.11, 06:00 AM EST
From Betty White to Sandra Bullock, the 10 stars America puts the most faith in.
Los Angeles -- Audiences can't seem to get enough of Betty White, whether she's standing at an awards show podium,
starring in a sitcom or hosting Saturday Night Live.
Turns out they have a tremendous amount of faith in her too, according to E-Poll Market Research, which has named the
89-year-old star among the most trusted celebrities in America.
To determine which other stars the public has come to count on, we reached out to the California-based polling company,
which ranks more than 6,000 celebrities on 46 different personality attributes, including trustworthiness and likability.
"People are hardwired to 'worship' something, and celebrities are akin to modern-day religious icons," says James
Houran, a clinical psychologist who researches the topic. "We trust them because we feel we know them--they are familiar
and successful, and people want to copy them in an effort to feel successful too."
The trouble with this: What we know is simply an on-screen persona, which we subconsciously confuse, or even
substitute, for an off-screen one. Very often, that's by design. In a TMZ-fueled culture with a seemingly insatiable appetite
for all things celebrity, these stars and the pricey publicity teams that they employ go to great lengths to ensure that
details of their private lives remain precisely that. To be sure, some are more successful at it than others (think Mel
Gibson, Charlie Sheen).
Those who have not only avoided the tabloid glare but also played heroic or sympathetic characters on screen, for
instance, have fared particularly well in the public eye. Consider the résumé of Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox,
who lands at No. 1 on the list. As E-Poll President Gerry Philpott puts it, "the edgiest he's ever been is a conservative in
Family Ties." More recently, the acclaimed actor has garnered that much more respect off-screen, where we know him as
a family man and leading activist in the fight for Parkinson's disease funding, a disease he was diagnosed with more than
a decade ago.
The same can be said for Morgan Freeman, who edges out White (No. 3) to become the second most trustworthy star on
the list. But the person we have come to rely on is not Freeman the man, but rather Freeman the star, care of such films
as Million Dollar Baby, Driving Miss Daisy and The Shawshank Redemption. Strengthening that perception is a speaking
voice that is so closely tied with authority that he has replaced Walter Cronkite as the voice that introduces the CBS
Evening News.
Consistency, too, has a lot to do with a star's influence, says Philpott. He points to director-producer Ron Howard, No. 6,
who has consistently churned out highly regarded fare, from A Beautiful Mind to Apollo 13 to Cinderella Man, and twotime Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, No. 10, as examples.
Neuroscientists will tell you something called the "mere exposure effect" is at play here. Specifically, the more we're
exposed to someone or something, the more we come to like and trust it. Sandra Bullock, who lands at No. 7 on our list, is
a good example. In the last year, we've seen the Oscar winner everywhere from the big screen to the awards circuit to the
celebrity weeklies. Technically speaking, she has assaulted our senses. The result: Her image actually begins to wear a
neuro-chemical groove on our brain and, over time, repeated exposure to her triggers a sense of comfort and loyalty.
But how healthy is it to put our trust not in elected officials but rather in movie stars like Will Smith (No. 8) and Hanks (No.
10)?
Not very, says Houran, who fears that real connections and affection can be dismissed or minimized in favor of these
types of false relationships with stars. "Putting faith, affection, loyalty and devotion in celebrities tends to be unhealthy
because it is a premise based on an illusion," he explains, "the illusion of connection and intimacy."
1. Michael J. Fox
In such roles as Marty McFly in Back to the Future and Alex P.
Keaton on the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, actor Michael J. Fox
earned viewers' affection. As a leading activist in the fight for
Parkinson's disease funding (a disease he was diagnosed with
more than a decade ago), he has earned their respect. The
combination catapulted Fox to the top of this list.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
2. Morgan Freeman
In many circles, Freeman is known for his work in such classics
as Million Dollar Baby, Driving Miss Daisy and The Shawshank
Redemption, to name a few. Still others instantly associate
Academy Award-winning actor and director with his reserved
image and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has put the
latter to good use--he replaced Walter Cronkite as the voice
that introduces the CBS Evening News.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
3. Betty White
Audiences can't seem to get enough of Betty White, whether
she's standing at an awards show podium, starring in a sitcom
(most recently, TV Land's Hot in Cleveland) or hosting Saturday
Night Live. At 89, the actress shows no signs of slowing down,
as she continues signing on for film roles, TV cameos and a
collection of books.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
4. Mike Rowe
As creator and host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs as well
as the narrator for other series like Deadliest Catch, The
Ultimate Fighter and Ghost Hunters, Rowe has endeared
himself to an ever-expanding fan base. Not surprisingly, Ford
Trucks, Motorola, Caterpillar and Lee Jeans are among the
companies that have tried to leverage that connection and
growing fame. ABC tapped him as the voice of the network's
evening news program with Diane Sawyer.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
5. James Earl Jones
Jones boasts one of the most instantly recognizable voices in
entertainment history, to say nothing of his commanding
presence. Still best known as the voice of Darth Vader in the
original Star Wars trilogy, he's also lent his voice to the CNN
tagline and NBC's Olympic coverage and his acting skills to
everything from Conan the Barbarian to Field of Dreams.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
6. Ron Howard
The name--or better yet the freckled face of--Ron Howard
conjures images of an adorable redhead named Opie Taylor
(on The Andy Griffith Show) or an endearing teen named Richie
Cunningham (on Happy Days). But Howard has since proved
that he has talent on the other side of the camera as well,
directing and producing acclaimed films like A Beautiful Mind,
Apollo 13 and Cinderella Man.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
7. Sandra Bullock
In the last year, we've seen the Blindside actress everywhere
from the big screen to the awards stage to the celebrity
weeklies. Her best actress Oscar win, followed by a devastating
break-up and a secretive adoption, kept her in the public eye,
where she reaffirmed her status as America's sweetheart.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
8. Will Smith
The former Fresh Prince star has reigned over the summer box
office with commercial blockbusters like Independence Day,
Men In Black and I Am Legend. Off screen, the former rapper
has perfected the image of a charming, multi-talented family
man.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
9. Denzel Washington
The Academy Award-winning actor has never shied away from
Hollywood's meatier roles, portraying historical heavyweights
like Malcolm X and Hurricane Carter. The result: he has
commanded viewers' attention, and respect, whether he's
playing a corrupt cop in Training Day or a depressed detective
in The Bone Collector.
Source: E-Poll Market Research
10. Tom Hanks
Audiences laughed with Hanks as a wisecracking cross-dresser
on the early 1980s sitcom Bosom Buddies. They cried with him
as a homosexual AIDS victim in the 1993 tearjerker
Philadelphia. And they rallied with him as a slow-witted
Southerner in the 1994 runaway hit Forrest Gump. Throughout
these and other roles the Academy Award-winning actor and
director managed to earn their esteem, respect and trust.
Source: E-Poll Market Research