Do overseas ads hurt B-list actors?

Now that American A-lister actors like George Clooney, Diane Keaton and Catherine Zeta-Jones are making millions on ad appearances here, I have to wonder if overseas ad deals are the new image assassin. If you take a job overseas, clearly you’re available for ad work, but you’re not a candidate for the glamorous, soft-focus treatment garnered by, say, Nicole Kidman. On the other hand, you’re not really willing to shill via cheesy one-liners David Spade style. And while making commercials for overseas markets might be an old standby, Americans can easily see just how low you'll go via sites like Japander. If you're a B-lister, just a hit movie or a series cancellation away from moving up or down the food chain, risking your image for a few yen seems like a bad bet. Check them out for yourself and decide if these Calorie Mate ads featuring 24 star Kiefer Sutherland would make Jack Bauer proud.

—Posted by Deanna Zammit

May 18, 2006 | Permalink