In the film industry, a bankable star is an actor "capable of guaranteeing box-office success simply by showing up in a movie". The bankability of an actor includes their films' box office track record, professional demeanor, and other factors. Hiring a bankable star helps a film company to secure investment, distribution, and garner media attention. Some bankable stars have so much star power that even films without a strong concept or "hook"―such as star vehicle films―are feasible to make.
Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Leonardo DiCaprio are examples of "bankable stars".
A movie star is an actor who is famous for their starring, or leading, roles in movies. The term is used for performers who are marketable stars as they become popular household names and whose names are used to promote movies, for example in trailers and posters. The most prominent movie stars are known in the industry as bankable stars.
Poster advertising a 1916 film with Mary Pickford, one of the first movie stars
Two movie stars, Sophie Marceau and Zhang Ziyi, respectively from France and China, at the Cabourg Film Festival in June 2014.
Image: Salahzulfikar 1
Image: Suad Husni