The trope of the obsessed artist refers to a character that strives to perfect their chosen craft and better themselves at it by any means necessary, which can lead to their own self-destruction in their pursuit of perfection. While the obsessed artist can inspire audiences to push toward their own success, more often than not the obsessed artist trope acts as a cautionary tale, shown through the dangerous consequences of greatness like a character's loss of control, sense of reality, or even their own life.
The obsessed artist has been featured on screen since classic Hollywood and still remains a popular trope today, helping to blur the line between dedication and delusion. From Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard to Black Swan's Nina, these are seven of the best examples of the obsessed artist in film and television.
'Sunset Boulevard'
It's almost impossible to find a noir film from classic Hollywood that is even half as iconic as Sunset Boulevard, with Gloria Swanson playing the ultimate femme fatale of cinema history, Norma Desmond, a faded silent-film star desperate to hang onto the little fame she still has. The film is pretty groundbreaking for its examination of celebrity culture and Hollywood as a whole at the time, as well as showing how the cost of fame corrupts Norma to commit awful acts due to her desperation to have her time back in the spotlight.
Throughout the film, the audience is shown how Norma has lost her sense of reality in her brutal pursuit of revitalizing her once lustrous career and will go to extreme and obsessive lengths to achieve her goal. Norma is one of the first examples of the obsessed artist trope in cinema, with the late Gloria Swanson acting with such vibrancy that gave life to one of the most iconic character portrayals and closing lines of film history.
'I, Tonya'
The story of real-life, disgraced figure-skater Tonya Harding is portrayed through the 2017 mockumentary drama I, Tonya, with Margot Robbie playing the titular role of the dedicated Olympic skater, the first athlete in history to achieve a triple-axel. The film is regarded as one of Margot's best works, with its ability to shift between the genres of a scathing satire of American culture and media, as well as a deeply empathetic and haunting portrayal of Tonya's life.
Viewers bear witness to the lengths Tonya is willing to go in order to achieve skating perfection throughout the entire film, and how this affected her relationships and sense of self. Robbie meticulously studied Tonya, from her posture, voice, and facial expressions to further emulate her. I, Tonya is a masterclass of acting by Robbie, as well as a great depiction of how someone can dedicate their lives to chasing perfection.
'Whiplash'
While J.K Simmons' performance as an abusive music instructor in this psychological drama is undoubtedly the highlight of this film, Miles Teller's portrayal of an ambitious music student being pushed to the limit is just as electrifying and riveting. Miles plays Andrew Neiman, a jazz drummer with great talent who endures physical and psychological pain due to the unbelievably high standards of his ruthless instructor, such as continuously practicing music until his fingers bleed and allowing his relationships, both with his family and girlfriend, to deteriorate due to his relentless quest for perfection.
Whiplash is unique from other films on this list as the obsessed artist does not work alone but whose ambition and musical ability are instead enabled and facilitated through the abuse of another, Terence Fletcher, who forces Andrew to self-destruct due to his teaching. It is a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled adventure that explores how far someone's obsession with achieving musical excellence can lead, paired with excellent acting performances that have helped solidify Whiplash as a powerhouse of artistic talent.
'Black Swan'
Starring Natalie Portman as Nina, a ballerina, in one of her best and career-defining acting performances, Black Swan is a 2010 psychological horror film directed by Darron Aronofsky that examines an obsessed artist's psyche that comes with the territory of chasing perfection as well as enduring the pressures laid upon her by her overprotective mother, the ballet theater director, as well as herself.
The film follows Nina through her determination to land the starring roles in Swan Lake as both the white swan and black swan, pushing both her body and mind to exceed extreme limits and experience delusions and a loss of distinguishing her own reality and sense of identity. The film is a harrowing, cautionary tale about the true cost of success, showcasing how Nina's downward spiral was spurred on by her obsession with landing a great performance.
'Neon Demon'
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and draped in all the dazzling and seductive hues of deep blue and all other colors of the surrealist vapor wave rainbow, Neon Demon is an incredibly stylish and visually stunning psychological horror that witnesses the rise and subsequent fall of an aspiring model, as well as the consequences that stem from the youth-obsessed fashion industry and overall fascination with beauty. Elle Fanning does an excellent job of playing the film's protagonist, Jesse, who undertakes the classical journey of transformation from a wide-eyed ingénue into an obsessive narcissist who succumbs to her own hubris.
The film of course utilizes the trope of the obsessed artist which is not only shown through Jesse but very strongly with fellow models Gigi and Sarah, who undergo excessive cosmetic surgery and mental duress in order to accomplish the increasingly high standards of beauty perfection. Neon Demon is heavily critical of the value and industrialization of beauty and youth, as well as exploring the morbid lengths people will go to remain at the top.
'Birdman'
The fear of losing one's relevancy and agency over their art is the main struggle of Birdman's protagonist, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), a faded Hollywood star primarily known for playing the fictional superhero 'Birdman'. Riggan, similar to other additions on this list, has his reality blurred with his fictitious world of Birdman, leading to some incredible fantasy and action sequences interspersed within the film's seamless single-shot cinematography.
Riggan is unable to literally distinguish himself from his art and struggles with wanting to be remembered and remain relevant in society. At the same time, he wants to accomplish something that truly matters to him, as he both resents and embraces his Birdman persona. It's a film that can be rewatched over and over, and you can still find something new every time, making it an incredibly entertaining exploration of an artist's journey.