How to become a celebrity: The wild ways stars have cultivated their fame from fake relationships to outrageous PR stunts – as Priyanka Chopra is accused of ‘hiring fans’

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It seems as though it is becoming easier and easier to become famous these days. 

These days, a single popular video on TikTok or other social media platforms can quickly make someone famous.

However some celebrities have exhausted a multitude of creative ways to get their name out their. 

Priyanka Chopra faced criticism this week when old video footage from 2017 at LAX showed her seemingly approached by the same two people asking for autographs on two separate occasions, leading to accusations that she hired fake fans.

The actress started the video by taking a moment to sign autographs for a fan couple before continuing through the crowd.

However, as she left the terminal, the same two people approached her again, seemingly asking for autographs on the same items. This led fans to believe the whole thing was a planned publicity stunt.

But Priyanka is by no means the only star self-cultivating her path to fame. 

I’ve noticed over the years that people will go to incredible lengths for fame. It’s honestly wild – from pretending to date someone for publicity, to actually calling the paparazzi, and even inventing entirely new identities just to get on a magazine cover. There are so many strange and unique ways people try to become famous these days!

PR stunts

If there is anyone who knows how to achieve worldwide fame it is certainly Kim Kardashian. 

Kim Kardashian is now a billionaire, worth an estimated $1.9 billion thanks to the success of her SKIMS brand and other ventures. She was remarkably resourceful in building her initial public image.

Although the 2007 release of her sex tape likely launched her to stardom, Kim Kardashian was also skilled at manipulating the paparazzi to gain attention.

Around 2006-2009, when the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians first aired, Kim Kardashian cleverly led paparazzi to believe she was with Britney Spears.

In a January interview on her sister Khloé’s podcast, Kim revealed that she always craved fame, saying, ‘It’s all I ever wanted, I lived for it.’

I’ll never forget when Jonathan Cheban, my best friend, figured out which hotel Britney was staying at in New York City! It was insane. We ended up getting a ride there in a Rolls-Royce Phantom – a total dream – all thanks to this incredibly generous and well-off person who just offered us a lift. It was such a crazy, unforgettable night!

We decided to sit in the back to avoid attention. We left the hotel with a driver while paparazzi were waiting for Britney, explained the Skims co-founder.

As we stepped out of the car, people immediately started calling out, ‘Kim, Kim, Kim, are you here to see Britney?’ Jonathan quickly whispered, ‘Don’t make eye contact and don’t say anything.’

Once inside, Kardashian and the 52-year-old influencer quickly hid in a lobby phone booth for twenty minutes, explaining they didn’t recognize anyone at the hotel.

As we left the hotel, people immediately started asking about Britney, repeatedly calling out, ‘Kim, how was Britney?’ Kim shared.

We arrived in a Rolls-Royce, but didn’t want photographers capturing us getting out of a taxi, so we sort of tricked them. The photos ended up on the cover of many magazines, and we felt like we’d really succeeded.

Ali Larter has successfully maintained her presence in the entertainment industry since the early 2000s, largely thanks to her role as Clear Rivers in the Final Destination movies, which helped boost her public image.

Ali became famous in a surprising way, after successfully playing a brilliant prank that tricked everyone.

At age 20, she became famous as the cover model for Esquire Magazine, but she wasn’t credited as Ali. Instead, she was known as Allegra Coleman.

The magazine featured Allegra, presenting her as a rising star in Hollywood and highlighting her popularity as a sought-after model.

They completely invented stories about her life, claiming she’d had a complicated romance with David Schwimmer from the TV show Friends, that Woody Allen really wanted to cast her in a film, and even falsely attributed quotes to author Deepak Chopra.

It felt like Allegra just appeared out of thin air, and honestly, everyone instantly fell in love with her. It was like she hadn’t been around at all before, and then suddenly, she was everywhere.

American journalist Martha Sherrill created a social experiment that poked fun at celebrity culture. She presented the public with Ali, a seemingly shallow and glamorous figure who quickly gained attention for her appearance and fabricated connections.

The advertising campaign itself playfully mocked Allegra and the superficial world of celebrity culture. One line from the ads highlighted this, stating: ‘I’m actually thinking… really thinking!’

Fortunately, the experiment was a success for Ali, and she quickly started getting acting jobs – but as herself, Ali, rather than her stage name, Allegra.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe what Ali said about the ‘Dinner’s On Me’ cover! He was talking about how the magazine totally played it like it was all about this up-and-coming actress, like a full-on profile piece! It’s just… chef’s kiss. They really knew what they were doing, highlighting her alongside him. I’ve stared at that cover a million times, and it totally reads that way, doesn’t it? It’s brilliant!

Okay, so this article… it all started because Hollywood is obsessed with creating these ‘it girls,’ you know? And honestly, it felt like [Esquire] was just in on the joke, like they were poking fun at the whole thing, and it was… well, it was a pretty big joke to them, I could tell!

Honestly, that little joke? It totally worked! People actually bought it, which led to me getting a manager, and then everything just… exploded! Doors started opening everywhere, it was insane!

Oh my gosh, I still remember when she first appeared on screen! It was in ‘Varsity Blues’ back in 1999, and she was absolutely incredible. That whipped cream bikini scene? Iconic! And she was acting alongside James Van Der Beek from ‘Dawson’s Creek’ – it was a perfect moment, seriously. I was instantly obsessed!

Following my work in ‘House On Haunted Hill,’ I landed a fantastic role in ‘Final Destination’ in 2000. I was so thrilled to be recognized for it, actually winning the Young Hollywood Award for Best Breakthrough Performance by a Female – a really special moment in my career!

Other celebrities have created a rouse by pretending to quit their career. 

In 2009, Joaquin Phoenix told David Letterman on the Late Show that he was leaving acting to pursue a career in hip hop.

As the host asked: ‘You’re not going to act anymore?’ the star replied: ‘No…I don’t know.’

When asked about his future plans, he said he’d been focusing on making music, specifically hip hop.

As a lifestyle observer, I’ve seen quite a bit, and this case really stood out. Over about two years, this actor started exhibiting some really concerning behavior in public. He seemed lost and often didn’t make much sense, and his appearance on David Letterman became particularly well-known – unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. It was a sad situation to witness.

It turned out that his hip hop persona and behavior during the interview were actually publicity for his upcoming fake documentary, ‘I’m Still Here’.

The musical comedy film, which followed Joaquin’s rise to fame, was directed by his brother-in-law, Casey Affleck.

Following the film’s release, Casey told the New York Times that Joaquin Phoenix delivered a career-defining performance.

He added: ‘I never intended to trick anybody.’

Sacha Baron Cohen caused a stir when he landed on Eminem during the MTV Movie Awards back in 2009. 

While performing as his character Brüno, the actor was suspended by wires during a stunt. It went wrong, causing him to flip upside down and land on top of the rapper, facing downwards.

Amid the chaos Eminem exclaimed: ‘Are you f*****g serious? Yo get this motherf****r off of me’. 

A few days later, Eminem revealed the whole thing was a planned stunt. Sacha Baron Cohen had contacted him with the idea beforehand, wanting to do something shocking at the awards show.

Dubious relationships 

Beyond the staged Britney Spears incident, Kim also cleverly used the paparazzi to her advantage during a date with Nick Lachey from the boyband 98 Degrees. She actually called them while she was with him!

Kim and her date went to the movies in 2006, but Kim wasn’t interested in romance – she was focused on becoming famous.

Kim Kardashian has said that a date in 2010 was the turning point in her rise to fame, as she intentionally called the paparazzi to photograph them leaving.

In a 2019 interview with Andy Cohen, Nick shared his perspective, stating, ‘Here’s what happened: We went to a movie, and nobody followed us.’

We were surprised to find around thirty photographers waiting for us when we exited. There’s a particular strategy to handling situations like this, and some people are very skilled at it.

Some celebrities have quickly gotten serious on first dates. For example, in 2013, DJ Khaled proposed to Nicki Minaj while filming an interview with MTV News.

He confessed his feelings, getting down on one knee at MTV and proposing to Nicki Minaj. He simply asked, ‘Will you marry me?’

A few days later, Nicki revealed the proposal was actually a publicity stunt for her new song, “Take It To The Head,” on which she collaborated.

She told Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97 that DJ Khaled is like family, but he wasn’t being serious when he proposed. She asked everyone to just drop the subject.

‘He was kidding. He’s not attracted to me, he doesn’t like me. We’re brother and sister.’

Amelia Dimoldenberg, a British TV host, is now a familiar face interviewing major celebrities at the Oscars.

Looking back to when I first started ‘Chicken Shop Date,’ honestly, dating rapper Aitch really helped people discover the show and me! It definitely gave us a boost in visibility, and I’m grateful for that early support.

She and he first connected on her web series, Chicken Shop Date, in 2019, where she interviewed him about his relationships.

When Amelia questioned Aitch about love at first sight, he said he thinks it’s possible, but he hasn’t experienced it himself.

‘But I would like to think that one day I’ll look at someone and fall in love.’

In 2022, Aitch built anticipation among his fans by sharing a series of TikTok videos hinting at a new relationship, which was later revealed to be with Amelia.

For their first date, Aitch treated Amelia to milkshakes, but he made sure to keep her identity a secret.

It was obvious they were falling for each other, as he posted another sweet video showing him and Amelia enjoying a cozy bowling date.

He responded to the video with a dismissive message – ‘Yeah, you guessed it. F off now’ – and then shared a photo of himself and his partner looking affectionate.

Shortly after that, Amelia talked about their relationship in an interview with Kiss FM, and confirmed they were dating.

Aitch then shared a picture of them on Instagram, calling her ‘Amelia Armstrong’.

Around this same period, the journalist had a quick cameo in the music video for “Baby” by him and Ashanti.

Despite initially seeming like a good match, the couple ultimately broke up, a fact they revealed in a video where they were shown giving each other ‘best friend bracelets’.

This left fans believing the relationship was a PR stunt to promote his new song.

Despite years of rumors that their relationship was fake, designed for publicity, neither person involved has ever confirmed or denied the speculation.

Steve-O has also claimed his ‘fling’ with Nicole Richie in 2006 was just for publicity.

The celebrity previously revealed on The Howard Stern Show that the person in question was seeking attention for reasons beyond their weight.

It was clearly a planned event to get attention. She offered to pick me up – I can’t drive – and I suspect she also contacted the press. Photographers showed up everywhere, swarming us from all sides.

Kim’s stepbrother, Brody Jenner, confessed to pretending to be in a relationship with Lauren Conrad while they were both on the reality show, The Hills.

Brody admitted they never officially dated, but they did have some initial chemistry and enjoyed spending time together, which translated well on screen. He explained that the producers hoped they would continue to foster a romantic connection, even though both of them were happy being just friends.

She was fantastic, and we all had a really good time working together. It was effortless to film scenes with her – we had great chemistry and genuinely enjoyed being around each other. We were close, but it wasn’t a romantic connection.

There were rumors that Brody dated Nicole Richie for about two months, but she later clarified on MySpace that they were never actually a couple.

She admitted they were never actually a couple. While she enjoyed spending time with him and thinks he’s a good person, she never felt a romantic connection. She believes any continued attention is simply a desire for media coverage.

In a 2007 interview with Details magazine, Spencer Pratt, who managed Brody Jenner’s public image and career, revealed that he’d originally suggested the relationship as a way to boost his friend’s visibility.

Jake Paul, the YouTuber and boxer, has a history of creating fake relationships – he’s staged a fake wedding twice to get attention.

In 2017, he staged a mock wedding with fellow vlogger Erika Costell in Las Vegas and then shared videos documenting their life as a ‘married’ couple.

Just three months after the initial claims, Jake admitted the relationship was a fabrication. He explained, ‘We weren’t actually dating at all. It was all for show, like professional wrestling – everyone knows the WWE isn’t real, but it’s still entertaining.’

Two years after the first incident, Jake repeated the act with another YouTuber, Tana Mongeau, holding a mock wedding with her in Las Vegas.

He admitted that everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes can lead to unusual situations, like a sham marriage. He didn’t want to discuss it further.

Sometimes, just being romantically linked to a star is enough to do the trick.

It’s not uncommon for celebrities to create fake relationships, but Rihanna’s old publicist went to an extreme: he pretended she was having an affair with Jay-Z.

Beyoncé and Jay Z separated for a year amid rumours the rapper was having an affair with Rihanna.

The famous couple reportedly began separating around 2005, coinciding with Jay Z discovering Rihanna at age 17 and helping her release her first hit song, ‘Pon De Replay.’

Rihanna’s previous publicist, Jonathan Hay, admitted to starting the rumors. He said he did it in an attempt to boost publicity for her first single, “Pon de Replay,” when she was just 17 years old.

He later told The Daily News: ‘I apologized to [Beyonce] this whole thing is very awkward.

I was really surprised to hear about the upcoming release of Becoming Beyoncé, and honestly, the timing couldn’t be worse for me personally.

‘The pr stunt that I did was out of desperation to help break Pon de Replay, he admitted. 

That was a risky move, and honestly, I wasn’t confident it would succeed. I was just trying anything and hoping something would work.

He admitted he hadn’t expected the story to become so widespread. He was particularly upset to see Beyoncé featured on the book’s cover and to learn that people were making money by spreading rumors and sharing their opinions about her.

I’m embarrassed to even have to address this, but I want to make it clear that this rumor isn’t true.

Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson recently sparked romance rumors with affectionate public displays while promoting their new movie, The Naked Gun.

During their week-long romantic getaway, he playfully referred to her as his “future wife” while they were having dinner at a small French restaurant.

She assisted him with gardening, carefully working around a rosebush that had been taken over by mint. Once, Liam Neeson, wearing only a bathrobe, even had to scare a bear away from his breakfast window.

After spending a week in upstate New York, everyone went back to their other projects. They later came back together to promote The Naked Gun to the media.

Rumors about their relationship really took off after they were spotted looking lovingly into each other’s eyes at the New York movie premiere.

After the film’s London premiere, Pamela was spotted getting cozy with Liam, even kissing his cheek. She further fueled dating rumors when she playfully applied lip balm to him during a live TV interview while promoting the movie.

However, in December she announced they had stopped being a couple, but they are still friends and he continues to support her work.

She revealed to People magazine that she and Liam had a brief romantic relationship, but it didn’t begin until after they finished working on the film. She clarified that while staying at his countryside home, she had her own separate room, and both their assistants, as well as family members, also visited.

Buying followers 

Social media often presents an unrealistic view of life with edited photos and filters, and it’s made even more misleading by the fact that people can actually purchase followers to inflate their numbers.

In 2018, accusations surfaced that Paul Hollywood, James Cracknell, and Martha Lane Fox had paid a company suspected of using fake accounts to artificially increase Twitter followers.

Over 200,000 people have used the services of American company Devumi, including many well-known figures like reality TV stars, athletes, comedians, and models.

A New York Times investigation revealed that the company boosts people’s online presence by selling fake Twitter followers and retweets. They accomplish this using a network of at least 3.5 million automated accounts.

Paul Hollywood, a judge on The Great British Bake Off, is said to have purchased a portion of his 600,000 Twitter followers from a website based in the United States.

After Hollywood, 51, was contacted by the New York Times, he deleted his account.

Baroness Lane-Fox, the co-founder of LastMinute.com and Lucky Voice, says a dishonest employee made at least seven separate purchases over a year using her email account.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve seen firsthand how impactful board positions can be! Back in April 2016, when I joined the Twitter board, my follower count exploded – I gained a whopping 25,000 new followers in just a few days. It really highlights how visibility can boost your online presence.

Some claimed they thought Devumi was supplying real fans. 

British rowing Olympic champion James Cracknell bought 50,000 followers from Devumi in 2016. 

He explained to The New York Times that he didn’t want people following him unless they genuinely wanted to, calling it a form of deception if they did so without real interest.

He added: ‘People who judge by how many likes or how many followers, it’s not a healthy thing.’

Following a New York Times investigation revealing fraudulent practices, the company was closed down.

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2026-03-21 18:21