Lady Gaga’s acting career saw a major leap forward when she starred alongside Bradley Cooper in 2018’sA Star Is Born, for which she was nominated for Best Lead Actress at the Academy Awards while quietly breaking another record.A Star Is Bornhas been remade three timessince the original 1937 iteration, depicting the tragic love affair between a young actress and/or singer who falls in love and gets her big break with help from a washed-up celebrity whose fame is fading.
Cooper also received a nomination at this year’s Oscars when he and Gaga delivered a poignant love storyshowcasing the characters' personal and professional struggles as individuals and together. The story is also reframed to focus on the two leads' careers in country rock music, as the exact nature of the characters' genre of stardom is usually changed with each iteration. Other details have shifted betweeneach remake ofA Star Is Born, yet one thing about the female lead remained constant — until Gaga took to the stage.
Lady Gaga’s A Star Is Born Character Is A Departure From The Tradition Of Gaynor, Garland, & Streisand
Before Gaga, the female lead ofA Star Is Bornwas played by Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand; in all three of these actresses' movies, the character’s first name is Esther. Then Gaga’s movie somewhat strangely broke tradition with her playing a character named Ally. The name of the male lead has been altered over the years, as well as Esther’s last name and stage name — but she was officially always Esther before 2018.
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Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Ally (no last name given) & Jack Maine
The team behind the newestA Star Is Bornpossibly decided upon Ally as their star’s name because it sounds more modern,offering a stronger brand for the character as she becomes a musical star in the story. As she rises to megastar status, Ally and her management settle on her being known mononymously while promoting her music. This alteration cast helps the fictional music producers, but otherwise, is a moderately unnecessary change, especially when the name was consistent for so long.
A Star Is Born’s Name Change Adds Little To Lady Gaga’s Character
Lady Gaga’s Ally Fulfills The Same Narrative Role As The Esthers Before Her
Ultimately, the name Ally doesn’t add or take away from Gaga’s version of the character. It may sound younger or more saccharine than the old-fashioned-seeming Esther, but she is still the same star who is about to get a series of lucky breaks but always faces losing the love of her life to his failing career inA Star Is Born’s ending. The name is just as irrelevant to the powerful performance Gaga gave during her turn withA Star Is Born, which set her up for exciting new opportunities we are still seeing play out.
A Star is Born
Cast
A Star Is Born follows seasoned musician Jackson Maine as he discovers and falls in love with struggling artist Ally. With Jack’s encouragement, Ally reaches stardom, but their relationship becomes strained as Jack grapples with personal challenges, impacting the dynamics of their partnership and their paths to success.
