Who’s Behind TikTok Megastar Paloma Diamond?

Julian Sewell, the creative genius responsible for the internet’s favourite imaginary actress spends his days teaching in South Auckland, Sam Brooks writes for The Spinoff.

“I can’t fix this! That’s what I’m talking about! You think I want the kids to go through this?! I don’t!”, screams Paloma Diamond in her Oscar-nominated film The Remedy. As she watches a clip of her performance at the awards ceremony, the silver-haired actress looks from side to side, affecting modesty but patently proud of her acting abilities. In the running against Diamond are fellow Hollywood stars Lorelei Lynch, Jane Farraway, Justina Sorgen and Taylor Witherfork.

Since being posted in March 2023, the height of last year’s awards season, the video of Diamond and her fellow nominees watching their Oscar reels has amassed more than 19 million views on TikTok alone, Brooks reports.

“A lot of what I do is just a pisstake of pop culture, celebrities, and the pretension and frivolity of Hollywood culture,” Sewell says.

The fans love it.

Original article by Sam Brooks, The Spinoff, February 10, 2024.

Image design Tina Tiller.