History PopCultureIsolation / Film

%%* UsefulNotes/{{Nollywood}} (the Nigerian film industry) produces the second-largest number of titles of any film industry, but the films are only distributed around parts of Africa and the West Indies.

* Creator/PriyankaChopra is one of the top actresses in UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}} and Miss World 2000. In the US, she's probably best known as the singer of the NFL Thursday Night Football theme song, "In My City" or as the star of ''Series/{{Quantico}}''.

* Many of the adult actors in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films are known to younger non-UK/Irish audiences only for their roles in the series. Examples include Creator/RichardHarris, Creator/MichaelGambon, Creator/RobbieColtrane, Creator/RichardGriffiths, Creator/FionaShaw, Creator/TimothySpall, Creator/ImeldaStaunton, Creator/JasonIsaacs, Creator/ZoeWanamaker, Creator/DavidThewlis, Creator/BrendanGleeson, Creator/JimBroadbent, Creator/IanHart, Creator/JulieWalters, Creator/MarkWilliams, Creator/MirandaRichardson, Creator/AdrianRawlins, Creator/GeraldineSomerville, and Creator/RobertHardy, who work as prolific stars back home often pale in popularity compared to ''Potter''. The ones who avert this include Creator/AlanRickman (somewhat), Creator/EmmaThompson, Creator/KennethBranagh, Creator/WarwickDavis, Creator/GaryOldman, Creator/RalphFiennes, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter, and Creator/BillNighy. And then you have "two-hit wonders" like Creator/MaggieSmith (''Series/DowntonAbbey'') and Creator/DavidBradley (''Series/GameOfThrones''), or actors now known for a different role entirely, like Creator/DavidTennant (''Series/DoctorWho'') and Creator/MichelleFairley (''Series/GameOfThrones'').

%%* Also true about many African-American actors, such as Mo'Nique, Loretta Devine, Creator/AngelaBassett, Boris Kodjoe, Music/JillScott, Tracee Ellis Ross, Creator/MeaganGood, the list goes on. Often when African-American actors have a movie that is a crossover hit, that movie will be treated as their first by mainstream media. Hilariously demonstrated by Creator/{{Fox News|Channel}} when Music/LLCoolJ demanded to have a pre-recorded interview dropped out of a program hosted by Sarah Palin. In an apparent TakeThat, one of the network anchors, referencing his role in the popular ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'', probably the only time most of the Creator/{{Fox News|Channel}} main demographic would have ever seen him acting, said there were no hard feelings and wished him well "[[TakeThat in his fledgling acting career]]". LL Cool J had, at that point, been acting in film and TV for nearly a quarter of a century.

%%* {{UsefulNotes/Nollywood}} (the Nigerian film industry) produces the second-largest number of titles of any film industry, but the films are only distributed around parts of Africa and the West Indies.

%%* Many of the adult actors in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films are known to younger non-UK/Irish audiences only for their role in the series. Examples include Creator/RichardHarris, Creator/MichaelGambon, Creator/RobbieColtrane, Creator/RichardGriffiths, Creator/FionaShaw, Creator/TimothySpall, Creator/ImeldaStaunton, Creator/JasonIsaacs, Creator/ZoeWanamaker, Creator/DavidThewlis, Creator/BrendanGleeson, Creator/JimBroadbent, Creator/IanHart, Creator/JulieWalters, Creator/MarkWilliams, Creator/MirandaRichardson, Creator/AdrianRawlins, Creator/GeraldineSomerville, and Creator/RobertHardy. However, they have all been highly prolific stars back home. The ones who avert this include Creator/AlanRickman (somewhat), Creator/EmmaThompson, Creator/KennethBranagh, Creator/WarwickDavis, Creator/GaryOldman, Creator/RalphFiennes, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter, and Creator/BillNighy. And then you have "two-hit wonders" like Creator/MaggieSmith (''Series/DowntonAbbey'') and Creator/DavidBradley (''Series/GameOfThrones''), or actors now known for a different role entirely, like Creator/DavidTennant (''Series/DoctorWho'') and Creator/MichelleFairley (''Series/GameOfThrones'').

** Creator/BruceCampbell, usually a bit actor in mainstream works, is a living legend in BMovie circles.
** Creator/TonyTodd
** Creator/MichaelJaiWhite
** Creator/TiffanyShepis
** Creator/JulieStrain: Basically a female Bruce Campbell.
** Creator/JeffreyCombs
** Creator/SybilDanning
** Debbie Rochon
** Creator/SummerGlau (arguably anyone who was in ''Series/{{Firefly}}''/''Film/{{Serenity}}'' aside from Creator/NathanFillion)
** Creator/AsiaArgento
** Creator/TomSavini
** Beverly Lynne
** Don Wilson
** Christine Nguyen
** Brandin Rackley
** Julie K. Smith
** Shannon Tweed
** Creator/KaneHodder
** Misty Mundae
** Creator/LanceHenriksen
** Shannon Whirry
** Creator/BradDourif
** Cynthia Rothrock
** Tane [=McClure=]

** Of course, [[MortonsFork this attitude can also go too far and be a bad thing]]; it’s hardly fair, for instance, to watch the last movie in a series without bothering to even look up the others and then whine about [[ContinuityLockOut the movie not making sense]]. This famously happened with ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''. As the first part of the GrandFinale for [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse a beloved, long-running franchise]], it was huge success that got rave reviews and made billions in the box office... but mixed in with all the praise were quite a few critics who had never watched ''any'' Marvel movie before complaining that they didn’t understand the movie at all.
* The popularity of several cult actors. But in certain circles, they're as popular as Creator/TomCruise and Creator/WillSmith. A few examples are...

* Also true about many African-American actors, such as Mo'Nique, Loretta Devine, Creator/AngelaBassett, Boris Kodjoe, Music/JillScott, Tracee Ellis Ross, Creator/MeaganGood, the list goes on. Often when African-American actors have a movie that is a crossover hit, that movie will be treated as their first by mainstream media. Hilariously demonstrated by Creator/{{Fox News|Channel}} when Music/LLCoolJ demanded to have a pre-recorded interview dropped out of a program hosted by Sarah Palin. In an apparent TakeThat, one of the network anchors, referencing his role in the popular ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'', probably the only time most of the Creator/{{Fox News|Channel}} main demographic would have ever seen him acting, said there were no hard feelings and wished him well "[[TakeThat in his fledgling acting career]]". LL Cool J had, at that point, been acting in film and TV for nearly a quarter of a century.
* In the days of drive-ins and regional film distributors, it was possible for a filmmaker to be successful making movies that did good business in one region of the United States, but were almost completely unknown elsewhere. The North Carolina-based Earl Owensby, aka "The Redneck Creator/RogerCorman," is but one example.
* The financial success of Creator/TylerPerry's movies, particularly ''Film/DiaryOfAMadBlackWoman'', seemed to catch the mainstream media off guard. Perry had been currying good favor with black audiences through his plays for the better part of a decade, but the white American majority was ignorant of his existence until Madea hit the mainstream. The audience for Perry's films is usually black women, a demographic that is either virtually ignored by mainstream films or relegated to a supporting "sassy friend" sidekick for the star. The fact that black women might want to watch movies where people who look like them want to find some fulfillment out of life besides following their white friends around and supporting them seems have found a voice in Perry's works.
* {{UsefulNotes/Nollywood}} (the Nigerian film industry) produces the second-largest number of titles of any film industry, but the films are only distributed around parts of Africa and the West Indies.

* Pre-1968 pornographic films are poorly known for a very good reason: no self-respecting theater owner of the era would have been caught dead showing one, and they tended to be screened only in underground, male-only venues. The only chance one of these vintage porn films had of gaining true notoriety was if a major celebrity [[TheCameo did a cameo in it]] (which most were ''not'' willing to do, although it did happen once in a while). This is touched upon in ''Film/EdWood'': Ed wants to cast Creator/BelaLugosi in his transvestite film ''Film/GlenOrGlenda'' because he figures that a star cameo is the only hope his sleazy film has of going mainstream.
* Many of the adult actors in the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films are known to younger non-UK/Irish audiences only for their role in the series. Examples include Creator/RichardHarris, Creator/MichaelGambon, Creator/RobbieColtrane, Creator/RichardGriffiths, Creator/FionaShaw, Creator/TimothySpall, Creator/ImeldaStaunton, Creator/JasonIsaacs, Creator/ZoeWanamaker, Creator/DavidThewlis, Creator/BrendanGleeson, Creator/JimBroadbent, Creator/IanHart, Creator/JulieWalters, Creator/MarkWilliams, Creator/MirandaRichardson, Creator/AdrianRawlins, Creator/GeraldineSomerville, and Creator/RobertHardy. However, they have all been highly prolific stars back home. The ones who avert this include Creator/AlanRickman (somewhat), Creator/EmmaThompson, Creator/KennethBranagh, Creator/WarwickDavis, Creator/GaryOldman, Creator/RalphFiennes, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter, and Creator/BillNighy. And then you have "two-hit wonders" like Creator/MaggieSmith (''Series/DowntonAbbey'') and Creator/DavidBradley (''Series/GameOfThrones''), or actors now known for a different role entirely, like Creator/DavidTennant (''Series/DoctorWho'') and Creator/MichelleFairley (''Series/GameOfThrones'').
* The only film of Creator/GeneWilder's that many younger people will be able to name is ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory''. In fact, it was one of his less successful box office hits back in the day.

* In an inversion, Australian film critic David Stratton seems to be quite isolated from other forms of media - in his review of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie'' he said he had never watched ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', in his review of ''WesternAnimation/BeeMovie'' he admitted to never having watched ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', and he also said he had never read the book ''Literature/WhereTheWildThingsAre'' in his review of that movie. Some critics and pundits would argue that such a stance is actually for the best, as it ensures that reviewers will remain unprejudiced toward the film content and avoid HypeBacklash and/or TheyChangedItNowItSucks. One theatre critic, for example, had never seen any incarnation of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'' prior to attending a Broadway revival of it; with this fresh and unjaded perspective, the reviewer was able to honestly (if kindly) evaluate the play's objective worth and point out any flaws it had. (After all, a worshipful attitude often indicates just as much bias as an unreasonably hateful one.)

** Julie Strain: Basically a female Bruce Campbell.

* The financial success of Creator/TylerPerry's movies, particularly ''Film/DiaryOfAMadBlackWoman'', seemed to catch the mainstream media off guard. Perry had been currying good favor with black audiences through his plays for the better part of a decade, but the white American majority was ignorant of his existence until Madea hit the mainstream. The audience for Perry's films are usually black women, a demographic that is either virtually ignored by mainstream films or relegated to a supporting "sassy friend" sidekick for the star. The fact that black woman might want to watch movies where people who look like them want to find some fulfillment out of life besides following their white friends around and supporting them seems have found a voice in Perry's works.

* In an inversion, Australian film critic David Stratton seems to be quite isolated from other forms of media - in his review of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie'' he said he had never watched ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', in his review of ''WesternAnimation/BeeMovie'' he admitted to never having watched ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', and he also said he had never read the book ''Literature/WhereTheWildThingsAre'' in his review of that movie. Some critics and pundits would argue that such a stance is actually for the best, as it ensures that reviewers will remain unprejudiced toward the film content and avoid HypeBacklash and / or TheyChangedItNowItSucks. One theatre critic, for example, had never seen any incarnation of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'' prior to attending a Broadway revival of it; with this fresh and unjaded perspective, the reviewer was able to honestly (if kindly) evaluate the play's objective worth and point out any flaws it had. (After all, a worshipful attitude often indicates just as much bias as an unreasonably hateful one.)

* The popularity of several cult actors. But in certain circles they're as popular as Creator/TomCruise and Creator/WillSmith. A few Examples are....

* Also true about many African-American actors, such as Mo'Nique, Loretta Devine, Creator/AngelaBassett, Boris Kodjoe, Music/JillScott, Tracee Ellis Ross, Creator/MeaganGood, the list goes on. Often when African-American actors have a movie that is a crossover hit, that movie will be treated as their first by mainstream media. Hilariously demonstrated by Creator/{{Fox News|Channel}} when Music/LLCoolJ demanded to have a pre-recorded interview dropped out of a program hosted by Sarah Palin. In an apparent TakeThat, one of the network anchors, referencing his role in the popular ''Series/NCISLosAngeles'', probably the only time most of the Creator/{{Fox News|Channel}} main demographic would have ever seen him acting, said there was no hard feelings and wished him well "[[TakeThat in his fledgling acting career]]". LL Cool J had, at that point, been acting in film and TV for nearly a quarter of a century.

* The financial success of Creator/TylerPerry's movies, particularly ''Film/DiaryOfAMadBlackWoman'', seemed to catch the mainstream media off guard. Perry had been currying good favor with black audiences through his plays for the better part of a decade, but the white American majority was ignorant of his existence until Madea hit the mainstream. The audience for Perry's films are usually black women, a demographic that is either virtually ignored by mainstream films or relegated to a supporting "sassy friend" sidekick for the star. The fact that black woman might want to watch movies where people who look like them want to find some fulfillment out of life besides following their white friends around and supporting them seems have found voice in Perry's works.

* Inuniverse example: In the movie ''Film/AMightyWind'', the folk singer groups throughout the making of the documentary are fawning all over their common producer, Irving Steinbloom. During the ending, after the audience has spent almost two hours caring about the participants, you see how the rest of the world treats Folk Music singers: mild interest and relegation to playing background music at medical supply conventions.

** Sybil Danning

* In universe example: In the movie ''Film/AMightyWind'', the folk singer groups throughout the making of the documentary are fawning all over their common producer, Irving Steinbloom. During the ending, after the audience has spent almost two hours caring about the participants, you see how the rest of the world treats Folk Music singers: mild interest and relegation to playing background music at medical supply conventions.

* {{UsefulNotes/Nollywood}} (the Nigerian film industry) produces the second-largest number of titles of any film industry, but the films are only distributed around parts of Africa and West India.

* How many people can tell you anything about Harvey Weinstein besides the fact that he has been accused of sexually abusing several actresses over his two-decade career in Hollywood?

* {{UsefulNotes/nollywood}} (the Nigerian film industry), despite being the 2nd largest film industry in the world (behind UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}}), is pretty much only known among Africans, or maybe West Indian people if you're lucky.
** Bollywood itself is almost unknown to Western audiences, despite being the largest film industry in the world.