Why Celebs Are Over Keeping Their Private Lives Private

So what else could be behind it? Another potential benefit is the prospect of becoming a “power couple”, points out Dawn Miller, an LA-based publicist who has represented Paris Hilton. “Two celebrities making their relationship public can be hugely beneficial, particularly if they are each successful in their own right,” she says. “Suddenly you have a power couple – we’ve seen it happen so many times before – and it transports this couple into a totally different stratosphere of fame.” Think Brad and Angelina (RIP), Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, or Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Before the age of social media, it was a lot easier for celebrities to keep their love lives under wraps. In the golden age of Hollywood, actors were contracted to studios like MGM or Twentieth Century Fox, who carefully controlled the images of stars in their stable – even to the extent of staging reputation-enhancing faux relationships. But with the arrival of gossip rags in the 1950s, and the famous Confidential Magazine scandal – which saw A-listers’ private lives exposed – publicists and celebrities were forced to think differently. Stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton capitalised on the media attention, with films like Cleopatra breaking box office records due to the attention on its stars’ turbulent off-screen romance. Yet by the end of the 20th century, as paparazzi intrusion took off, there was a shift towards attempting to regain privacy. Which is where the “I keep my private life private” line came in.

Now, the rise of social media has resulted in a new generation of celebrities attempting to control their image themselves, utilising this managed exposure for various benefits. “Whether in Hollywood’s past or the digital age, the allure of PDA as a PR strategy for celebrities remains consistent,” concludes Borkowski. “It helps enhance their public image, maintain media visibility, control their narrative, and connect with fans on a personal level. The rise of social media has provided a new and potent platform for celebrities to showcase their relationships, thus making PDA a dynamic and indispensable tool in the celebrity PR playbook.”