She Was Born In 1844 And Thought She Would Grow Up To Be A Nun, But She Became One Of The First Modern Female Celebs, And People Loved Her Exotic Pet Collection, As Well As Her Gossipy Personal Life
Today, there are so many celebrities whose media presence is one of the main reasons they have a successful career.
The world has come a long way regarding fame and celebrity representation. But do you know who was considered one of the first modern female celebrities?
It was Sarah Bernhardt, an actress and performer whose strong personality, determination, and media presence made her one of the most modern celebrities her generation had ever seen and kept herself in the spotlight.
Sarah was born as Henriette-Rosine Bernard in France in 1844. Sarah first believed she would grow up to become a nun. But by the time she was a teenager, she was told that her temperament and personality would be better suited for a life in entertainment.
As she entered her early 20s, Sarah began attending acting school and eventually landed a spot in Comedie-Francaise, one of France’s famous national theater companies. She made her debut in the theater in 1862 but earned herself a reputation in 1869 when she starred in François Coppée’s one-act play, “Le Passant.”
She became a single mother after having her son Maurice and stirred up quite the scandal as she had him out of wedlock and gave him her last name.
The more roles Sarah played on stage, the more people and audiences praised her for her fearlessness and bold presence. She broke away from social norms and wasn’t afraid to stand out and experiment on the stage. People loved her for her dramatic death scenes.
Eventually, she began playing roles written for men, too, and had a confidence about her that followed her into her personal life off the stage.
As her fame grew, Sarah kept her name in the press and on people’s minds, wowing people with her exotic pet collection and gossipy personal life with all her lovers and controversial relationships.
Tom Merton/KOTO – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
She’d pose for artists and inspired several pieces of artwork, from sculptures to paintings. She even became an amateur artist and would write, paint, and sculpt.
Sarah also became the face of many advertisements and sold branded merchandise. She knew how to market her own personal brand, making her quite the modern celebrity of her time.
Sarah continued to tour and perform later in life, busting more social norms and stunning audiences as she played Joan of Arc when she was 46. When she was 55, she purchased her own theater in Paris and named it after herself.
She is remarkably remembered for her performances in the 1910s after having her right leg amputated after suffering from an injury. She’d perform for troops during World War I without a prosthetic limb and did all this while she was in her 70s.
After starring in a few silent films, Sarah’s fame followed her through until her final days, and she passed away in 1923 at 78. By the time she died, she had starred in at least 125 plays and toured all over the world.
She was one of the most iconic celebrities of her time and is fondly remembered for her achievements and star power.
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