star-maker
noun
star-mak·er
ˈstär-ˌmā-kər 
variants
or starmaker
plural star-makers or starmakers
: someone or something that creates a star
especially
: a person or performance that makes or helps to make someone a star in the entertainment industry
As producer and/or director, Judd Apatow is nothing less than a starmaker, elevating the careers of Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin"), Kristen Wiig ("Bridesmaids") and many more into legit movie stardom. —
Matt Pais
Matt Pais Jay Leno said he's looking forward to being a star-maker for young comedians on his new prime-time show. —Lynn Elber
Lynn Elber … Miller has no regrets. Unlike those other roles, her part in "Sister Act" is a star-maker. —Mark Kennedy
Mark Kennedy Examples of star-maker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There was a time when late-night TV was our pop-culture North Star, and the hosts were tastemakers and star-makers.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 19 July 2025
But its status as an instant star-maker seems to have dimmed; name recognition alone is no longer carrying the day.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
Weinstein’s reputation as a Hollywood star-maker was central to the prosecutors’ opening statements.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
His new album is poised to be a star-maker for Wetmore, who has amassed over 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2025
Rebel Ridge is just the polar opposite, a killer slow burn action film and a star-maker for Aaron Pierre.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
None of the performances feels like a potential star-maker like that of Chiara Aurelia and Olivia Holt in season 1.
—Joshua Alston, Variety, 5 June 2023
The man in charge of this band of merrymakers is Nigel Petersen — a thinly disguised Lorne Michaels — an inscrutable star-maker whose whims have shaped late-night comedy since the early 1980s.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, the horror version of Drag Race, began here on a rickety stage at a gay bar and has grown into a drag star-maker in its own right since being picked up by streamers like Amazon Prime and Shudder.
—Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
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Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 19 July 2025
But its status as an instant star-maker seems to have dimmed; name recognition alone is no longer carrying the day.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
Weinstein’s reputation as a Hollywood star-maker was central to the prosecutors’ opening statements.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
His new album is poised to be a star-maker for Wetmore, who has amassed over 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2025
Rebel Ridge is just the polar opposite, a killer slow burn action film and a star-maker for Aaron Pierre.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
None of the performances feels like a potential star-maker like that of Chiara Aurelia and Olivia Holt in season 1.
—Joshua Alston, Variety, 5 June 2023
The man in charge of this band of merrymakers is Nigel Petersen — a thinly disguised Lorne Michaels — an inscrutable star-maker whose whims have shaped late-night comedy since the early 1980s.
—Ron Charles, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2023
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, the horror version of Drag Race, began here on a rickety stage at a gay bar and has grown into a drag star-maker in its own right since being picked up by streamers like Amazon Prime and Shudder.
—Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Star-maker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/star-maker. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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