An actor's public persona is defined largely by the characters he plays, the records he releases or the public persona he generates. At the same time, the artifice of that persona generates a curiosity about the celebrity as a person. Is he really like he appears in the movies? Is he extraordinary or different in some way? Or is he just an "average Joe," who engages in the same day-to-day routine as you or I? In the Golden Age of Hollywood, big studios would use those questions to generate interest in a celebrity (and by extension, the projects he was engaged in) by arranging interviews detailing what the celebrity was "really" like. Such pieces aimed to achieve a fusion of the extraordinary and the ordinary--pointing out how "special" the celebrity was while emphasizing traits which helped ordinary people identify with him--and in so doing, create a closer connection to whatever qualities people saw in him.
In the first half of the 20th century, the celebrity media machine was much simpler, because celebrities were often much more approachable than they are today. Many of them were listed in the phone book, and one could arrange an interview simply by calling them up. The media environment of the 21st century, however, has rendered such accessibility impossible. Furthermore, there are countless more media outlets now than there were 30 years ago--more movies, more TV channels and more home video/DVD options, to say nothing of the exploding potential of the Internet--and as such, there are demonstrably more celebrities on the pop culture scene. Where movie stars and recording artists were once carefully cultivated by the studios--and their "extraordinary" status used as a selling point--today, every late-night cable show and direct-to-DVD movie produces a new batch of celebrities interested in pushing themselves and their product. As many cultural scholars have noted, we now have people who are famous simply for being famous (think Paris Hilton). Celebrity interviews are more aggressive in that environment, with media trying to reveal things that the celebrity may regret.
Celebrities have much to gain from appearing in interviews, but also a great deal to lose. Interviews present an opportunity to spin public perception of who the celebrity is and what she represents. As such, celebrities and their handlers are often very interested in asserting control over the tone of the interview, and how it is ultimately presented. If it slips out of their control, it can cause incalculable damage to their public image and their career. A prominent recent example was actor Tom Cruise's 2005 appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show, where public perception of his "bizarre" behavior led to a loss of his box office draw power. Generally speaking, celebrities now conduct interviews either to push a specific project, to support a specific issue which they feel strongly about, or to present a specific impression of who they are behind the scenes and what their personal lives are like.
The gateway to celebrity interviews is the publicist, who manages a celebrity's public persona and uses media exposure to enhance the celebrity's standing. Most celebrities hire personal publicists to arrange interviews, photo shoots and other opportunities. Studios and record companies also retain publicists to promote their movies, albums, TV shows and other endeavors. Celebrities hired to work on studio projects are often contractually obligated to give interviews in support of them. In all cases, the aim is maximum public exposure, so outlets with a large reader base or which cater to a desired demographic are usually favored when granting interviews. Publicists will also outline the tone and tenor or an interview as a precondition for allowing one, and certain subjects may be "off limits" for interviewers who wish to remain on the publicist's good side. For example, when actress Winona Ryder appeared at a press conference for the movie A Scanner Darkly, it was her first direct exposure to the press since her arrest for shoplifting in late 2001. Her publicist stipulated that all questions needed to focus on the film and not her personal life.
Journalists who interview celebrities approach the same dynamic from the opposite side. An interview with a big star will increase exposure to the journalist's outlet, and will likely pay more than an interview with a lesser known celebrity. Thus, it pays to stay in a publicist's good graces. At the same time, some outlets thrive on "gossip" and gain increased readership by pressing celebrities about topics they may not wish to discuss. The give-and-take between asking hard questions and retaining a good relationship with publicists can be extremely delicate at times. Interviewers with a large audience and well-established credentials may be able to leverage tougher questions, while those from smaller outlets are more beholden to publicists' demands about what is and is not asked in the interview.