The art of celebrity reinvention

Arnold Schwarzenegger became a household name thundering that immortal line: “I’ll be back.” And during his career, spanning four decades and counting – he certainly has been back – again and again.

It seems Arnie’s had a go at pretty much everything – starting out in body building, becoming an A-list Hollywood superstar, then turning his hand to politics.

These days, he’s spruiking his autobiography and salvaging his reputation amid scandalous marriage-ending revelations he fathered a love child (with the live-in housekeeper, no less).

In his latest incarnation, Arnie’s returning to the big screen and hoping to reignite his Hollywood flame. Whether he makes it depends if the public still views him as box office gold. Arnie’s wheel of fame – it seems – is turning full circle.

In the fickle and often fleeting world of celebrity, longevity in the public eye is something of a contradiction in terms. To survive, indeed to stay ahead of the pack, those in the spotlight create new looks, new themes, sometimes entirely new careers and even new names. Having trouble keeping up with Lady Gaga’s latest persona? You’re not the only one.

Shane Warne has gone from the master of spin to the master of transformation. Before our eyes – and through the pages of countless gossip magazines – he’s turned from beer-swilling, ciggie-puffing, scandal-plagued sporting hero to slick aristocrat-in-waiting with Liz Hurley on his arm and an English manor in his property portfolio. Not even the tabloids a few years back would have seen that one coming. These days you wouldn’t be shocked seeing him grace the cover of Horse and Hound. Wearing tweed.

Angelina Jolie – a wild child who once had a penchant for wearing a vial of blood around her neck – now immerses herself in charity work and appears at the UN, in between starring in movies, raising six kids and having one of the highest-profile and most scrutinised relationships on Earth.

Sure, plenty of people have had some rebellious years and inked their bodies, but not many have morphed virtually seamlessly into the showbiz stratosphere, while raising humanitarian awareness across the globe.

Sport stars have turned politicians (Imran Khan), singers have taken to fashion design (Victoria Beckham), and sometimes even a simple yet strategic move will give a career a boost (Kylie and her hot pants).

But if Arnold Schwarzenegger is the king of reinvention, then Madonna is the Queen – after all, she’s been doing it since the 80s. She’s had more looks than I’ve had hot dinners – from the permed hair and crucifix wearing stage, to the Erotica stage, to the Japanese-looking phase, to the bling-chick-in-back-of-a-stretch-limo phase.

Even now, at the age of 54, she shows little sign of slowing down. The critics might be circling, the hits are dwindling, and there have been some awkward headlines of late – but you can’t deny that Mads just keeps on keeping on.

Of course not everyone needs to reinvent themselves to stay in the spotlight long after others have disappeared. Elle Macpherson has gone from quintessential Aussie model to international businesswoman, but she’s done it without altering her brand – or her look (cue yet another pic of her frolicking in the surf, wearing a white string bikini).

But my master of anti-reinvention award goes to Richie Benaud. The legendary cricket commentator has been a fixture on summer TV screens for an eternity.

Test matches have been won, lost and tied – and Richie hasn’t changed one little bit. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

He proves you don’t always have to be a chameleon… when the cream, beige, off white and bone will do just perfectly fine. Marvellous.

Nina May has been a journalist for more than 20 years and now co-hosts First Edition and News Now on Sky News. She is a proud ambassador for Melanoma Institute Australia (www.melanoma.org.au). You can follow her on Twitter @NinaBMay