As I got older, I had a bunch of friends that were various teen

Troian Bellisario, child of Los Angeles and witness to both the shimmer of fame and the ordinariness behind it, once spoke these words: “As I got older, I had a bunch of friends that were various teen stars. I’ve always known people in the spotlight and people who just grew up in L.A. and had nothing to do with the industry. It’s not a glamorous thing to me. It’s just a different type of business.” Her statement, though modest, reveals a profound truth: that what dazzles from afar often appears ordinary to those who stand near it. Fame, so idolized by the crowd, is revealed by her as nothing more than another trade, another way of life among many.

The origin of this wisdom lies in her upbringing. Born into a family already woven into the fabric of the entertainment world, Bellisario saw from youth the realities behind the veil. To the outsider, the spotlight appears like a holy fire, illuminating chosen ones with grandeur. To her, it was woven into everyday life: some friends became teen stars, others lived quietly outside the industry, and both lives carried struggles, joys, and ordinariness. By declaring that it was “not a glamorous thing,” she reminds us that glamour is an illusion, a projection cast by distance, not the essence of the thing itself.

The ancients, too, spoke of such illusions. In the courts of emperors and kings, peasants looked upon gilded palaces as though the rulers lived in endless delight. Yet within those walls, rulers bore burdens of intrigue, betrayal, and sleepless vigilance. Consider Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome, who lived surrounded by wealth yet wrote in his Meditations that all is fleeting, and that the trappings of power are nothing more than distractions. Bellisario’s words echo this ancient reminder: what the world praises as divine is, up close, often just another business, with its own labors and costs.

History also offers the tale of Marilyn Monroe, whose name became a symbol of glamour. To millions, she embodied beauty and desire. Yet behind the lights, she wrestled with loneliness, insecurity, and the weight of being seen but not truly known. The crowd adored the image, but the person bore her struggles silently. Bellisario’s perspective shields us from repeating the mistake of worshipping images while forgetting the humanity of those who live within them.

Her words carry another lesson: the importance of perspective. To those outside the industry, Los Angeles may seem like Olympus, a mountaintop where gods and stars dwell. To those within, it is simply another city, where one kind of business dominates the skyline. Just as the farmer tills fields, the merchant sails ships, and the soldier drills with his weapons, so too the actor learns scripts and steps into sets. Fame is not divinity—it is occupation. When we understand this, we cease to envy and begin to see people as equals.

The lesson for us is to strip away illusions. Do not measure worth by who stands in the light of fame or who remains in the shadows. Recognize that every trade, whether glamorous or humble, carries its weight of toil. If you find yourself yearning for celebrity, remember Bellisario’s wisdom: the spotlight is not magic, but labor dressed in glitter. Seek instead to build a life of meaning, whether seen or unseen, for true worth is not in how many admire you, but in how faithfully you live your purpose.

Practical wisdom follows. If you encounter those who live in the spotlight, treat them as human beings, not as idols. If you walk outside the spotlight, do not despise your life as lesser, for the struggles of the famous are as real as your own. Build your craft, pursue excellence, and respect the work of all—be it actor, farmer, merchant, or teacher. For in the end, the truest glamour is found not in appearance, but in the integrity of a life lived with authenticity and humility.

Thus, children of tomorrow, remember Troian Bellisario’s teaching: the spotlight is but a different lamp, and those beneath it are no greater nor lesser than you. Do not chase illusions, but honor the humanity in all paths. For every business, whether adorned in glitter or wrapped in plainness, is but one thread in the great tapestry of human labor and destiny.