The rise of online video stars has been rapid and taken a lot of people by surprise. YouTube now has the power to make someone a household name, and Fred Figglehorn is one of those success stories. And he’s now set to take Hollywood by storm.
Fred Who?
Fred Figglehorn first came to my attention early in 2008 when his YouTube channel started gaining fans faster than most teen pop stars manage.
In June, I covered Fred’s story, which in actual fact is Lucas Cruikshank’s story, as he’s the kid who created and plays the character in numerous YouTube videos.
In short, Fred is the six-year-old alter-ego of a 14-year-old kid from Nebraska. His charms are talking in a squeaky voice, mugging to camera, and ranting and raving in a way most six-year-olds are incapable of. At least the ones I’ve met.
From YouTube To Hollywood
Bizarrely, although the plot of most Fred episodes, which are usually nothing more than three-minute pieces to camera by the fake tween, is shallow to say the least, Fred (and Lucas Cruikshank) has built up a huge following.
Fred was created in 2006 and reached his peak earlier this year when he hit 1.4 million subscribers. However, Nigahiga has now overtaken Fred as the most subscribed YouTube channel.
Not to worry, as Fred has bigger fish to fry.
Fred: The Movie
September saw TubeFilter News report that Fred was moving to Hollywood, with a movie version of the online video character on the way. Lucas Cruikshank will be starring as the titular Fred, with other recurring characters such as Judy, Bertha, and Kevin currently being cast.
The latest rumor suggests the filmmakers are looking for a well-known actor to play a cameo as Fred’s father. And would certainly lend some weight to a project that the prospect of has probably scared as many people as it has delighted.
Filming on Fred: The Movie (working title) is set to begin on November 20, with Fred chasing his would-be girlfriend Judy across the States in what sounds like a road movie of sorts.
Viral Video Stars
Lucas Cruikshank is already reported to be making a six-figure salary from playing Fred. And he’s now set to star in a movie based on the character he lovingly crafted and has nurtured for the last three years.
No wonder more people than ever before are trying to create a viral video hit and become famous off the back of it. What was once merely a hobby for light entertainment is well on its way to becoming big business. And I can’t see where the story will end.
