As time passes, Hollywood cycles through generation after generation of up-and-coming A-list stars.
The 2000s saw Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga rise to fame. The 2010s ushered in Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Bieber, Emma Stone and Ed Sheeran. And the 2020s welcome stars such as Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo.
Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Timothée Chalamet all have a few questionable things on the internet. Getty/Instagram
But unlike those that came before them, there is something that haunts that last group’s rise to fame. And we’re seeing it now, more than ever.
Like every generation, the new era of A-list stars has to adjust to something their predecessors never encountered. Think social media or AI deepfakes.
And while each issue possesses its own unique threats and challenges, there’s perhaps no hurdle more entertaining for audience members than that of the digital footprint.
Essentially, a person’s digital footprint refers to the permanent trail of images, videos, status updates, and retweets shared on the internet. Sure, you can delete something in hopes that no one ever saw it, but you’d have to make sure you get to it before the internet sleuths do; otherwise, it’s immortalised online forever.
So, while many stars surely played around with video cameras as kids and performed at school talent shows, this generation of celebrities is the first that had the knowledge and the access to upload those moments to the internet.
You might be thinking that since these videos would have been posted 10 plus years ago, there’s no chance of them popping back up at the height of a star’s fame.
Actor Timothée Chalamet is known to have one of the most iconic digital footprints of all time. nna\mleach
But, you’re neglecting to recognise the fact that these stars have fans that are just as, if not more, chronically online than they are, and who are more than capable of digging up a YouTube video with 45 views from 12 years ago.
Thankfully, though, Gen Z celebrities seem to be taking it in their stride when these videos are unearthed, which makes it even more fun for fans to engage with.
Keep scrolling to see some of the stars with our favourite digital footprints.
Timothée Chalamet
We wouldn’t be able to start this list with anyone other than Timmy, a man known for having one of the most iconic digital footprints of all time.
Back in the day, Chalamet performed under his rap alter ego Lil Timmy Tim. His 2012 performance at LaGuardia High School – including that flawless cover of Roman’s Revenge – is now viral and a major piece of lore among fans.
While Chalamet has spoken about the challenges of being “intensely judged” online, it’s this digital footprint that has afforded him some opportunities in the industry, with Wonka director Paul King admitting to The Times that he saw “some of Timmy’s high school performances” online when casting for the film.
Maybe that’s why the actor doesn’t seem to shy away from discussing his alter ego on talk shows. Check out the clip above.
Sabrina Carpenter
While Sabrina Carpenter’s digital footprint isn’t quite as well-known as Chalamet’s, those who are aware of it are also aware of how deep it runs.
As a child star, there are plenty of clips from Carpenter’s early career floating around the internet. But what perhaps delights fans more are the things she posted of her own will.
Famously, there’s a video of her pretending to “communicate” with her cat in a home video, a series of tweets begging for more followers, and a video of her passionately singing to the breakup anthem Picture to Burn at less than 10 years old.
Billie Eilish
Perhaps a fan-favourite digital footprint is Billie Eilish’s obsession with Justin Bieber – and it’s proof that once embarrassing videos can lead to the best moments in life.
Eilish is famously a major Bieber fan, with a viral video of her at a young age confessing that she’s worried about one day getting a boyfriend and not being able to love him as much as she loves Bieber.
But while most reluctantly embrace the cringe of their old content, Eilish openly shares the content with fans, giving us our first glimpse in her 2021 documentary The World’s A Little Blurry.
Most recently, she took to Instagram to share a dump of photos and images documenting her intense case of Bieber Fever after the star brought her on stage during his Coachella set as his One Less Loney Girl.
The dump included the two – some would call them iconic – videos above.
Belmont Cameli
You might not know his name just yet, but Belmont Cameli is the breakout star of the hit TV show Off Campus.
He’s been world-famous for less than a month, but the internet has already done what the internet does best – they’ve found his digital footprint.
Posted 12 years ago to the YouTube account Phil Cameli (Cameli’s full name is Philip Belmont Cameli) is a video titled Grammar Rapper, accompanied by the following video description.
“Listen up to these educational rhymes spat by the one and only Grammar Rapper”.
In the video a young Cameli raps about – you guessed it – Grammar, and it’s prompted people to leave some pretty entertaining comments, a favourite being, “I think he forgot his password”.
While on the surface level the clip might seem embarrassing, trust us when we say it has done nothing but bolster Cameli’s status as the latest heartthrob to hit the Hollywood scene.
Stephen Kalyn
With a quick, fanatic rise to fame clearly comes a quick, unfortunate unearthing of videos you made as a teenager.
Another breakout star from Off Campus, Stephen Kalyn, has gone viral on social media as fans have found clips of him in his high school play, starring as none other than Troy Bolton in High School Musical.
The videos circulating online include a clip of him and now-fiancée Victoria Lovatsis performing as Troy and Gabriella on stage, and a pre-recorded performance of Kalyn delivering a passionate rendition of the soundtrack favourite, Scream.