Why Do People Hate Emma Stone?

Emma Stone is one of the most popular and successful actresses in Hollywood today. She has starred in hit films like La La Land, Easy A, and Cruella.

However, despite her immense talent and popularity, Stone has also faced backlash and criticism from some people over the years. Here is an in-depth look at why certain groups dislike the actress.

Her Rapid Rise to Fame

One of the main reasons why some people dislike Emma Stone is due to her meteoric rise to fame at a young age. Stone got her big break in 2007 at age 18 when she starred in the hit teen comedy Superbad. She followed that up with starring roles in Easy A, Zombieland, and Crazy, Stupid, Love, all before age 25.

For some, Stone’s quick success sparked feelings of resentment and jealousy. It led to accusations that she hadn’t properly “paid her dues” in Hollywood before achieving fame and fortune. Her youth and beauty also played into a narrative that she had simply gotten lucky in her career, not necessarily earning her opportunities through exceptional talent.

Perceived Lack of Talent

Connected to the rapid rise is a perception among some critics that Emma Stone lacks real acting talent. They accuse her of playing the same sarcastic, deadpan character in many films, and relying more on her charm and charisma than raw acting skills.

Detractors say she has a limited emotional range compared to other dramatic actresses like Meryl Streep. They also criticize her for taking safer, mainstream projects rather than challenging herself with grittier, more complex roles. While she has shown dramatic ability in films like Birdman, some believe she needs to continue taking risks to prove herself as a true acting powerhouse.

Overexposure Backlash

As Emma Stone became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and most sought-after actresses in the early 2010s, a form of backlash emerged from people who felt she was overexposed. Stone appeared on countless magazine covers, starred in advertisements, hosted major awards shows almost every year, and was in the zeitgeist constantly.

For those already resentful of her success, this oversaturation triggered a feeling that Stone was being shoved in the public’s face and deliberately positioned by the media and her promoters as “America’s Sweetheart.” The non-stop exposure led them to actively root against her continued success.

Perceived Lack of Feminist Values

Some feminist critics have taken issue with Emma Stone for choices she has made regarding her career. For example, she starred as Gwen Stacy in multiple Spider-Man films where her character primarily existed as the love interest. She also said in interviews that her La La Land character Mia was not necessarily a feminist.

Statements like this led some to believe that Stone does not subscribe to feminist ideals or use her platform to empower women. Whether fair or not, her avoidance of weightier gender topics disappointed fans who hoped she would lend her voice to causes like equal pay and women’s rights.

Romantic Relationship Backlash

As a major celebrity, Emma Stone’s love life has also sparked resentment from some fans. When she began dating her Spider-Man co-star Andrew Garfield in 2011, some accused her of unethically dating a co-worker. Their paparazzi-followed romance and gushy public displays then put off others who found them inauthentic.

After she unexpectedly began dating Saturday Night Live director Dave McCary in 2017, the quick engagement and marriage that followed made some fans wistful for her single days. The relationship backlash ties into the feeling that Stone was once relatable but is now unattainable for everyday people.

Is Hatred Toward Emma Stone Justified?

While Emma Stone undeniably has critics and people who dislike her, it’s up for debate whether the extremeness of hatred toward the star is justified. True hatred stems from far more objectionable actions and characteristics than Stone has displayed over her career. While no star is perfect, Stone has avoided major controversies and scandal.

At just 34, Emma Stone also has decades left to take on diverse roles, speak out on feminist issues, and demonstrate overall artistic growth. Outright hatred seems premature when Stone realistically has ample time left to develop as an actress and person. Only time will tell how her career progresses.

Reasons for Emma Stone Backlash

Beyond just a gut feeling of resentment or jealousy toward Emma Stone from some people, there are a few concrete reasons and events that sparked backlash against the actress over the years.

Oscar Win Backlash

In 2017, Emma Stone won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the hit musical La La Land. While she was undeniably great in the film, some saw her Oscar win as undeserved or too much too soon in her career.

Many felt veteran actress Annette Bening was more deserving for her performance in 20th Century Women and that the Oscar win was influenced by La La Land’s overall popularity. Stone’s tearful acceptance speech also came off as insincere to some viewers.

Frequent Comparisons to Jennifer Lawrence

Around 2010, Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence emerged as two of the biggest new young stars in Hollywood. As they developed their careers, constant media comparisons between them generated resentment from fans on both sides.

J-Law fans saw Stone as inferior to the Hunger Games star’s talent and “realness.” Meanwhile, Stone supporters felt she was more versatile and polished than Lawrence. This ongoing debate caused increased negativity from fans toward their preferred star’s so-called “rival.”

Perceived Whitewashing in Aloha

In 2015, Emma Stone starred as a part-Asian character named Allison Ng in the critically panned film Aloha. Her casting sparked accusations of whitewashing and appropriation of Asian culture.

Advocacy groups like the Media Action Network for Asian Americans strongly criticized Stone and director Cameron Crowe for the controversial casting choice. While Stone defended the role, the backlash over Aloha marked a major scandal in her career.

Early Career Flops

Prior to her breakout roles, Emma Stone starred in a few high-profile film flops that damaged her reputation in some moviegoers’ eyes. Films like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, The Rocker, The House Bunny and Paper Man all badly underperformed commercially and critically.

While actors normally have misfires early on, some viewers felt Stone kept getting major roles despite continually starring in duds. Her early career struggles negatively colored perceptions of her even once she found hits like Zombieland and Easy A.

Perceived Cockiness

Some Emma Stone critics find the actress overly cocky about her talents and intelligence. They point to pretentious or philosophical quotes she has given in interviews about her creative process and choice of roles.

There is also a perception that she talks down to fans or gives off an arrogant vibe in her public personas. While likely unintentional, this ostensible cockiness triggers a distaste from people who prefer their stars humble and gracious.

Emma Stone’s Own Perspective on Her Public Image

While Emma Stone has faced backlash during her time in the spotlight, she has also shown self-awareness about her public image and desire to grow. Here are some insights into her own perspective:

On Dealing with Backlash

In a 2015 interview, Stone demonstrated understanding about the resentment she faces:

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in terms of people liking me…It’s a cycle, and I’ve been through it quite a few times. You can’t factually say why people like you or don’t like you … I just have to be aware that as much as I try to block it out, you’re still a human being.”

On Avoiding Being Overexposed

When asked in a 2016 interview about avoiding oversaturation, Stone said:

“It’s maintainable as long as you’re thoughtful about the choices you make. It’s not maintainable if the only reason for taking a part is that you want to be seen or noticed. That’s useless and empty.”

On Handling Fame’s Pressures

In a 2014 interview, Stone spoke honestly about the hard parts of being famous:

“There’s a part of me that still needs a lot of work and care. The parts that start to really break when I’m working too much or being too exposed. You have to tend to the parts that are still pretty damaged or broken. And doing this job, there’s a lot of openings for broken pieces to get hurt even more.”

Positive Qualities That Offset the Dislike

Despite detractors, Emma Stone has plenty of positive attributes both professionally and personally that likely mitigate widespread hatred toward her.

Acting Range and Dramatic Abilities

While some criticize her skills, Stone has genuine acting range beyond just comedy. Her performances in Birdman, Battle of the Sexes, and The Favourite reveal genuine dramatic talent and an ability to chameleon into very different roles.

Willingness to Take Risks

Rather than staying in a safe zone, Stone consistently takes risks like singing live in La La Land and performing in dark comedy The Favourite. She also stars in quirky independent films between blockbusters. This adventurousness keeps her career interesting.

Charitable Endeavors

Stone actively uses her platform to support worthy causes like Planned Parenthood, GLAAD, and the Motion Picture and Television Fund. Her charity activism focuses positive attention on her generosity.

Low-Key Personal Life

While fame pressures her, Stone keeps her personal life very low-profile, rarely speaking about relationships or other matters. This humility keeps her grounded and relatable to everyday people.

Free of Major Scandals

Unlike many young stars, Emma Stone has avoided major scandals, lawsuits, or embarrassing incidents. Her clean track record makes it harder to justify any extreme animosity toward her character.

Frequently Asked Questions About Emma Stone Dislike

Here are some common questions and answers about why certain people harbor dislike or resentment toward Emma Stone:

Is hating Emma Stone sexist?

Disliking Emma Stone’s acting or personality quirks is not necessarily sexist on its own. However, any hatred toward her fueled primarily by her gender or rigid beauty standards would reflect problematic sexism. As long as criticism stems from her work/words alone, it likely does not stem from misogyny.

Does Emma Stone deserve her success?

The debate over whether she deserves fame links to subjective taste and personal values. Metrics like her box office power and acting awards objectively show broad industry and public support. Yet each person weighs factors like talent, likability, and star power differently in determining merit.

Is Emma Stone a bad feminist?

Stone’s feminism is debatable but assigning a label like “bad feminist” seems unreasonable given actions speaking louder than words. She could do more to promote women’s issues but has also avoided overt anti-feminism stances. Her feminism likely falls into a grey area open to good faith debate.

Is Emma Stone overrated?

Her reputation exceeds the reality in some people’s opinions while others find her over-hated. She falls reasonably within the upper echelon of actresses but labeling stars over/underrated often comes down to subjective taste. The polarized views on Stone likely reflect her skills but room for growth.

Does Emma Stone need a new agent?

A new agent could potentially help revive her image and career. But she has stayed with management firm Anonymous Content since early in her career with no signs of dissatisfaction. As an Academy Award winning star consistently working, she seems reasonably well-served already.

Conclusion

In closing, Emma Stone’s quick fame ascent, ubiquitous exposure, and some controversial film choices have indeed provoked resentment and disdain from certain groups over the years.

However, much of the intense hatred seems disproportionate to her actual behavior and merits more nuanced analysis. She possesses self-awareness about her star status and has avoided major scandal.

While nobody in the public eye will be universally beloved, Emma Stone remains one of the most talented and humble young stars in Hollywood. With time and strong career choices, she may well overcome the most extreme dislike and settle into being respected albeit imperfect actor.

Her story remains an interesting case study on the narrow line between celebrity admiration and jealousy.