The effect Hollywood has on employment makes a strong case for “life imitates art.” Hard-working people can fall in love with what they see on-screen, and turn their fantasies into reality. Such was the case for famous geneticist, Dr. Adam Rutherford, whose interest in scientific research was directly inspired by the movies: “Ghostbusters” and “Back to the Future.” Hollywood is responsible for some significant boons in employment, with the greatest impact on military recruitment, but it’s also provided career inspiration for some truly incredible people in the fields of medicine, criminal justice, and science.
“Top Gun” Prompts Rise in Navy Applications
In 1986, “Top Gun,” starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis, inspired Navy applications to go up 500 percent. According to “Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies” by David Robb, these recruits wanted to be naval aviators like the characters in the film. The movie’s producer even claimed “Top Gun” worked as a recruiting video, and he wasn’t wrong. Navy recruiters often waited outside theaters, hoping to catch eager new recruits ready to sign up after watching the film.
