Caste and Cast: Effects of Status and Networks on Film Career Identities

This paper examines how (individual) career identity is constructed in a labor market in terms of status and social networks. We view individual careers as a series of processes of career identities in a labor market, and a labor market as having multiple categories that constrain and channel individual career identities. In particular, we examine how individual career identity is shaped by status and networks by looking at the typecasting of film actors and actresses in the American film industry. We report results based on statistical analyses and discuss general implications regarding career identity and management.