Perfectionism is something characteristic of our Western society, which preaches excellence in everything we do. And this, although it seems like a positive thing, is not always so.
The perfectionist person can have many problems, both with self-esteem and socialization, since they have very high standards that, of course, are not always achievable. In psychology, the perfectionist trait is included in enneatype 1; Among its characteristics are a low tolerance for “imperfection” and an internal voice that always highlights its mistakes.
7 celebrities who have a reputation for being perfectionists
In today’s article we introduce you to several celebrities known for their perfectionism. In some cases, they may be widespread rumors; In others, even they themselves have recognized it in their interviews. In any case, the 7 celebrities we mentioned are famous for their perfectionist personalities.
1. Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999)
Among the great figures of history, artists are known to be especially perfectionists. In the field of cinema, we find Stanley Kubrick, director of masterpieces such as Spartacus (1960) or the mythical 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).
The annals of cinema are full of anecdotes about his perfectionist and obsessive character.; for example, his record (worthy of entering the Guinness Book) of repeating a shot no less than… 148 times!
In reality, and according to those who knew him and worked for him, Kubrick took his perfectionism to quite cruel levels.
Actress Shelley Duvall (1949-2024), protagonist of the fabulous The Shining (The Shining) suffered a real mental strain after working with the director.
2. Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
If there is a famous person who matches the characteristics of enneatype 1, it is Steve Jobs, the sadly missing computer entrepreneur and co-founder of the Apple brand. At least, that’s what his collaborators say, who portray him as an incredibly demanding and perfectionist person.
It seems that, when he was little, Jobs was helping his adoptive father build a fence at his California home when he told him that I had to put the same effort into both the front and the unseen part, even if no one could see that part of the fence.. In this way, a perfectionist personality was forged that the businessman poured into each of his products.
But Jobs wasn’t just demanding of himself. His workers also suffered from his extreme perfectionism; On one occasion, one of them received a call from the businessman (it was Sunday morning) because the yellow color of the Google icon that appeared on the Apple iPhone did not suit him. Immediately, and without waiting for Monday, Steve Jobs had all his workers change that “imperfection.”
3. Clint Eastwood (1930)
Among filmmakers there are great perfectionists. In addition to Kubrick (a very notable example) we have Clint Eastwood, who He has a reputation for executing his films with millimeter precision and great attention to detail..
His career took off relatively late, in the 1960s, when the actor was already over thirty years old. Previously, he had participated in some low-budget westerns (although some, like Dirty Harry, are icons in film history). However, Eastwood would soon demonstrate to the world his tenacity and polish when making his own films, and today he is a reference filmmaker.
The figure of the politician Margaret Thatcher is undoubtedly the most controversial. Admired by some and reviled by others, the former British Prime Minister displayed autocratic leadership during her mandate.characterized by a strong and determined personality.
Popularly known as “The Iron Lady,” Thatcher manifested a type 1 personality by putting the weight of her politics on demand and tenacity, as well as a love for a job “well done.” Another characteristic of this type of personality is the lack of inclination towards flexibility, a quality that, in fact, The Iron Lady lacked.
5. Jane Fonda (1937)
And we return to the field of cinema to talk about Jane Fonda, the legendary star who acknowledged that throughout her life she had believed that “no one would love her unless she was perfect.” Terrible sentence that, unfortunately, many perfectionist-type personalities carry deep inside, in the form of an unhealed wound.
According to her own memoirs, as a child she felt that her father (also actor Henry Fonda) would despise her for not being “physically perfect.” This desire for perfectionism was exacerbated as an adult, when, already within the competitive environment of cinema, she put pressure on herself to achieve perfection in every sense..
Jane Fonda has stated that she has been fighting “the need for perfection” her entire life. Today he says he feels much better, since he has abandoned the need to please everyone and has discovered the power of being yourself. A real life lesson, without a doubt.
6. Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
In the musical field there are also celebrities who are or have been extremely perfectionists. This is the case of the well-known leader of Queen, Freddie Mercury, famous for spending hours working on his music to achieve a perfect finish. On the other hand, he was especially careful with details, something that is also very characteristic of perfectionist people.
This love of detail is especially evident in one of his early hits, Bohemian Rhapsodyin which the singer incorporates a whole range of musical registers, from operetta to the purest rock. On the other hand, his bandmates, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Roger Deacon confessed that, to give birth to the single, they engaged in marathon days of up to 12 hours of work. Everything so that Bohemian Rhapsody out, simply, perfect.
7. Serena Williams (1981)
In the sporting field there is also a place for perfectionism. And, not in vain, it is a highly competitive activity. Professional tennis player Serena Williams already recognized years ago that she was extremely perfectionist and that everything “she could improve,” she tried to improve.
In the 2012 documentary Venus and SerenaWilliams admitted that perfectionism can be self-destructive. In the case of tennis, a perfectionist player can become confused after missing some shots and “destroy” himself. Serena Williams is, like Jane Fonda, another of the celebrities who have given up their perfectionism in favor of a better quality of life.
