It would be fair at this point to say that Emma Stone is the most popular young actress in Hollywood, if not the most popular actor overall. Once upon a time, she was an up-and-coming name in teen comedies, starring in films like Superbad and Easy A to make her name. Now, she’s more on par with how we began to think of Jennifer Lawrence a couple years ago: a rising star en route to a storied career and trophy cases full of Oscars. (And incidentally, the two are supposedly great friends; Stone has even poked fun at Lawrence over Lawrence’s having auditioned for Easy A).
Stone’s rise to Hollywood prominence happened somewhat gradually. She advanced from teen comedies to romantic comedies with a small role in Friends With Benefits and a key part in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Then it was on to big budget blockbusters (The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel) and criticially acclaimed films (The Help and Birdman). In climbing this ladder, so to speak, both improved and better convinced audiences of her immense talent. Then came the true breakout role in 2016’s La La Land, which immediately installed Stone as a hot favorite for Best Actress – an Oscar she wound up winning.
Stone could be back in the running for Best Actress again in just a few months. Her work depicting tennis great and LGBT icon Billie Jean King in Battle Of The Sexes earned strong reviews, and while the film seems unlikely to take home serious Oscars hardware, Stone could at least be in line for a nomination. A second consecutive nomination would solidify her as one of the best talents in the business – though she’s already more or less accepted in that club without one.
Where Stone hadn’t really come into her own as a bona fide Hollywood star until recently, however, was on the endorsement circuit. This might sound a little bit silly if you’re looking at her as a film fan. But most of Hollywood’s best and brightest ultimately do a wonderful job of marketing their personae, leveraging celebrity status to make shrewd business decisions – often advertising for some of the biggest and richest brand names in the world.
Well, this fall Stone made the expected leap in this regard too. In the midst of her rise to superstardom, Stone undoubtedly attracted attention from all kinds of brand representatives – and she seems to have chosen wisely. In October, Louis Vuitton announced that the actress will be its newest ambassador, calling her “a muse and friend” of women’s artistic director Nicolas Ghesquiere. Specifically, Stone will be wearing a Louis Vuitton gown when she makes red carpet appearances this coming award season on behalf of Battle Of The Sexes. But a partnership like this can last, and may signal the beginning of an inevitable Stone business empire.
She’s certainly among the names to watch, not just for her future work in Hollywood, but for the various entrepreneurial ways she may use her name and fame to become a true brand.
