A STAR IS BORN ACTIVITY PACK

A Star Is Born
(Ha nascut una estrella)
Nivells: 3r i 4t ESO, batxillerat, cicles formatius,
centres formació adults. Àrees: llengua anglesa /
educació per a la ciutadania i els drets humans /
educació ètica cívica / món contemporani / música i
història de la música / arts escèniques, música i
dansa / cultura audiovisual, cinema, tv, fotografia.
Temes: dones / món laboral, relacions laborals /
relacions humanes, psicologia / alcoholisme,
drogoaddiccions / família, relacions familiars
www.cinemaperaestudiants.catTRÀILER

2www.cinemaperaestudiants.cat
Índex d’activitats
Fitxa tècnica i artística. Sinopsi ………………….…………………………………….....………. 2
Before the film
Activity one. The trailer …………………………………………………................…………………. 3
Activity two. Vocabulary at a concert ………………………..………………………………………. 4
Activity three. Song “Shallow” ……………………………………………………….…………………. 5
Activity four. The 27 club ……………………………………………………….……………..…………. 6
After the film
Activity five. The characters ………………………………………………………..........……………. 8
Activity six. The plot ……………………………………………………….…………….........…………. 9
Activity seven. “A Star Is Born” remakes ……………………………….…………………………. 10
Extra activities: Win an oscar! ……………………………………….………….........……………. 12
Fitxa tècnica i artística
Direcció: Bradley Cooper. Interpretació: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott. Guió: Eric Roth. Gènere: drama, musical, romàntic. Any: 2018. País: EUA.
Durada: 136 minuts.
Sinopsi
Jackson Maine és un músic veterà, però la seva carrera és a les acaballes per la seva dependència de l’alcohol. Maine descobreix una cantant prometedora
anomenada Ally, una jove aspirant a estrella que somia amb triomfar en el món de l'espectacle. Decideix ajudar-la i llançar-la a la fama i es converteix en el seu
mentor. Entre els dos naixerà una relació amorosa apassionada que es veurà enterbolida pel caràcter autodestructiu del cantant.
Bradley Cooper and P. Scott Sakamoto in A Star Is Born (2018)

BEFORE THE FILM
ACTIVITY ONE. THE TRAILER
1. A Star Is Born is a story about love, music, and fame. Watch the trailer and
put the sentences in the correct order.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSbzyEJ8X9E
 Jackson and Ally sing together for a huge audience while we see how they start a
relationship.
 Jackson Maine is playing “Maybe it’s time”
 “It’s the first time I’m worried about you” is what a friend says to him while
they’re having a conversation.
 One night, a woman is singing on a small bar while Jackson Maine is listening to
her and drinking.
 After finishing the concert, he gets into the car and drinks some whiskey.
 “Jack, Jack, please it’s not funny,” says Ally. But Jackson believes in her talent, so
he wants her to trust him.
 Jackson starts to feel attracted by Ally, and he wants to sing with her on a stage.
 “I don’t sing my songs” is what Ally says to Jackson Maine the first time they
meet.
2. Complete the dialogue between Jackson and Ally with these
words:
single / beautiful / personal / songs / comfortable / write
 Jack: Can I ask you a ______________ question?
 Ally: Okay
 Jack: Do you ______________ songs or anything?
 Ally: I don’t sing my own ______________ .
 Jack: Why?
 Ally: I just don’t feel ______________ .
 Jack: Why wouldn’t you feel comfortable?
 Ally: Almost every ______________ person has told me they like
the way I sounded, but they didn’t like the way I look.
 Jack: I think you’re ______________ .

ACTIVITY TWO. VOCABULARY AT A CONCERT
In many music festivals, there are people from many countries. Try to
learn these words and expressions so the next time you go to a festival
you can talk to an English speaking native.
1. Match each word with its definition below.
stage / sold out / catchy tune / wristband / gig / opening act
/ terrace / loudspeaker / soloist
a. A piece of equipment used in public places so that large numbers of people
can hear someone speaking or music playing.
b. Wide steps on which people stand to watch a football match, a concert.
c. A musician who performs a solo.
d. A single performance by a musician or group of musicians, especially
playing modern or pop music.
e. A tune pleasing and easy to remember.
f. The area in a theatre that is often raised above ground level and on which
actors or entertainers perform.
g. A piece of material that goes around the wrist, for example, to hold a
watch.
h. When a film, concert, etc. is sold out, all of the tickets for it have been sold.
i. The ceremony at the beginning of an event or activity.
stage
soloist
sold out
wristband
opening act
gig
loudspeaker terrace
a. Have you heard Ally’s last song? It’s a ____________ ! Every day it’s on my mind!
b. Without the ____________ , we can’t go to the ____________ to see the ____________.
c. Come on! Hurry up! I know Ally is playing at 22h, but the ____________ is at 19h, and I don’t wanna
miss it! The band that is playing is Tame Impala!
d. We wanted tickets for last Jackson Maine’s tour, but his concert in California is already ___________.
e. Woah! It was amazing at Coachella! The ____________ of the band left the stage and went to the
____________ to sing from the back! We could hear him perfectly because we were in front of the
____________ .
catchy tune
2. Fill the gaps in these sentences.

ACTIVITY THREE. SONG “SHALLOW”
[Verse 1: Bradley Cooper]
Tell me somethin', girl / curl
Are you happy / nappy in this modern world? 
Or do you feel / need more? 
Is there somethin' else you're pearchin’ /
searchin' for?
[Refrain: Bradley Cooper]
I'm fallin' 
In all the good times / good vibes
I find myself longing for change / range
And in the bad times, I hear / fear myself
[Verse 2: Lady Gaga]
Tell me something, boy / toy
Aren't you tired tryin’ fill that bolt / void? 
Or do you need more / bore? 
Ain't it hard keepin' it so valour / hardcore?
[Refrain: Lady Gaga]
I'm fallin'
In all the good times / minds
I find myself longing for change / range
And, in the bad times, I fear / hear myself
[Chorus: Lady Gaga]
I'm off the deep end, watch as I fly / dive in 
I'll never meet the ground / crown
Flash / Crash through the surface where they can't
hurt us 
We're far / near from the shallow now
[Post-Chorus: Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper]
In the sha-ha, sha-la-low 
In the sha-sha-la-la-la-low 
In the sha-ha, sha-ha-ha-low 
[Chorus: Lady Gaga]
I'm off the deep end, watch as I fly / dive in 
I'll never meet the ground / crown
Flash / Crash through the surface where they can't
hurt us 
[Post-Chorus: Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper]
In the sha-ha, sha-la-low 
In the sha-sha-la-la-la-low 
In the sha-ha, sha-ha-ha-low 
Shallow is the central theme of the film. It has been
composed by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, A. Rossomando
and A. Wyatt. Among other awards, the song won the
Oscar for Best Original Song in 2019. It tells how Ally
and Jackson feel regarding their relationship.
 Listen to the song, and choose the correct option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo_efYhYU2A

ACTIVITY FOUR. THE 27 CLUB
“SHALLOW”
In A Star Is Born, the protagonist
Jackson Maine suffers from the
addiction to alcohol and drugs, and his
lifestyle doesn’t help him to recover.
Jackson Maine could be considered the
prototype member of The 27 Club.
Have you ever heard of this group of
people?
In popular culture, The 27 Club is a
group of musicians, artists, actors and
athletes who have died at age 27, often
as a result of drug and alcohol abuse,
or violent means such as homicide,
suicide, or transportation-related
accidents. The deaths of several 27-
year-old famous musicians between
1969 and 1971 led to the belief that
deaths are more common at this age.
However, statistical studies have failed
to find any unusual pattern of musician
deaths at this age, comparing it to
equally small increases at ages 25 and
32. A 2011 BMJ (British Medical
Journal) study noted instead that
young adult musicians have a higher
death rate than the rest of the young
adult population, concluding that
"Fame may increase the risk of death
among musicians, but this risk is not
limited to age 27”
1. These four musicians belong
to The 27 Club. Can you match
the biography with its photo?
a. British soul and jazz singer. He/She won many
Grammys and his/her most famous song, ironically,
was named Rehab. He/She died of alcohol
poisoning.
b. He/She was one of the most famous rock-stars of
his/her era. He/She used to sing rock, blues, and
soul. He/She died of a drug overdose.
c. Leader of The Doors. He/She developed an active
addiction to alcohol in the 60s. There’s no official
cause of the death; the only thing we know is that
he/she had heart failure.
d. He/She is considered one of the greatest exponents
of the grunge genre. He/She always suffered from
depression; that is why he/she developed a drug
addiction and committed suicide.
Jim Morrison
Kurt Cobain
Amy Winehouse
Janis Joplin
The 27 Club graffiti is a mural that was painted by the Israeli graffiti crew, Kis-Lev, on the sidewall of a large building in Tel Aviv, Israel in
September 2014. The artwork is 3 m high by 7 m wide, and depicts seven artists from the "27 Club". The mural has received much criticism.
By Jonathan Kis-Lev, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36065648

Creative artists are fifth in the top 10 professions with high rates of depressive illness.
But does depression attract them to the job? Or does the job make them depressed?
Drugs and alcohol have featured in the lifestyles of so many performers for so long
that sometimes it's difficult to tell if depression is the symptom or the cause. Some
artists use them to steady their nerves before performances; others use them to
come down from the high of the performance. Many people who become
performers do so to fulfill a craving for acceptance and love from their audience; they
need that affirmation to be able to feel good. But having a love affair with thousands
of people you don't know can lead to dissatisfaction, heartbreak and disappointment
– often as soon as you leave the stage, or go home to an empty house.
It also appears that a high proportion of people with depressive illnesses are
attracted to working in the arts, though often their problems go undiagnosed and
untreated. Robbie Williams* has often spoken of his battles with depression.
2. Read this text and comment on it in class.
* Robert Peter Williams is an English singer-songwriter and entertainer. Williams has reportedly battled mental illness, alcoholism, and substance abuse throughout his life. His friend Elton John
booked him into a clinic to cope with his drug use that emerged from a depression.
Often, what makes an artist great is the fact that they're born with exceptional
sensitivity. So, some of them worry that medical treatment would stifle their
creativity or make their output less attractive. This feeling also makes them less able
to handle the pressures of not knowing where their next income will come from, and
the demands of being always at the height of fame.
Does this mean that you have to suffer for your art? There is a particular morbid
fascination in watching an artist crash and burn, but the reality for the sufferer is that
depression is so debilitating that it's impossible to create anything at all. It's only
when you emerge from a period of illness that you can look at the darkness and find
the words to describe it. So maybe the key to being a great artist and songwriter with
a long and happy life is to dare to go to those dark places – but don't make them your
home.
Adapted from https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/dec/17/musicians-depression
Do young adult musicians have a higher death rate than the rest of the young adult population? Are musicians
more likely to suffer from depression?

ACTIVITY FIVE. THE CHARACTERS
 Read the descriptions and match them with their pictures.
1. He/She is in his/her twenties. He/She works as a waitress and used to work in
a drag-bar where sometimes sings because his/her dream is to become a
singer. But when he/she is about to give up, the most important country
singer appears in order to launch his/her artistic career.
2. He/She is in his/her thirties. He/She is an important country musician who
suffers from tinnitus and who is battling an alcohol and drugs addiction. Due
to his/her addictions, his/her career is arriving at its end while his/her
couple’s career is rising and rising.
3. Ally’s father, who is his/her sixties. He/She is retired and likes playing card
games with his/her friends at home. He/She believes a lot in his/her
daughter’s talent and that is why he/she wants her to fight for her dreams.
He/She affirms he/she was a crooner, even better than Frank Sinatra.
4. He/She is Jackson’s brother and manager. He/She, as Jackson’s main support,
feels really worried about because He/She is witnessing how Jackson is ending
up with his life due to his addictions. He/She sold the ranch where Jack grew
up so the singer, when discovers the news, punches his/her face and, as a
consequence, he/she quits as his/her manager.
5. Jackson’s childhood best friend. In fact, he/she is his best supporter apart
from his brother since he/she also feels worried about the excess of fame that
Jackson is suffering. When they were younger, they started playing together
in blues clubs.
6. Ally’s friend and confident. He/She tries to cheer up Ally when he/she knows
she has broken up with her boyfriend. Both work together at the same
restaurant and he/she becomes the first person to know who is Ally dating.
7. He/She is a music producer and Ally’s manager. He/She knows very well how
show business world works, and that’s the reason why he/she will do
anything to materialize Ally’s success even rejecting Ally’s own opinions as an
artist or lying to her environment.
Jackson Maine
Noodles
Ramon
Rez Gavron
Lorenzo
Bobby Maine
Ally
AFTER THE FILM

.Activity five. Song “Shallow”.
ACTIVITY SIX. THE PLOT
 Read the text and decide whether the following
statements are true (T) or false (F). If there’s not enough
information to answer choose doesn’t say (DS).
1. Ally works as a waitress with her best friend.
2. Ally lives in California.
3. Ally sings La Vie En Rose by Chloe Piaf at the drag bar.
4. Jackson meets Ally in the restaurant where she works.
5. Jackson is a very important blues musician.
6. Jackson’s career is failing while Ally’s career is succeeding.
7. Jackson attends the rehab program for one year.
8. In the Grammys, Jackson can’t play the guitar due to his
intoxication.
9. Rez decides to cancel the European tour.
10. Jackson sings with Ally in the last concert of her American tour.
VOCABULARY
to give up: renunciar / to cheer up: animar / to struggle: lluitar / gig:
concert / to quit: deixar / to plummet: enfonsar-se / to soar: pujar en
popularitat / rehab: rehabilitació
Ally is a young girl who works as a waitress in a restaurant with her best friend, Ramon. Her dream is to
become a star since she is a singer and a songwriter, but she has just given up as she has been trying her best,
but hasn’t obtained any results. Ramon tries to cheer her up and takes her to the drag bar where she used to
work, to sing a song for a small audience.
Jackson Maine is a very talented and established country artist who is on tour, playing a concert in California.
He tastes the negative aspects of being on top as he is struggling against drugs and alcohol addictions with
the help of his brother and manager, Bobby. By chance, when he finishes California’s gig, he visits the drag
bar where Ally is performing La Vie En Rose by Edith Piaf. During the performance, Jackson starts feeling
surprised and astonished because of the high quality of the performer and wants to meet her. They spend all
night talking, and Ally tells him how difficult it has been for her to achieve her dream and her refusal to
continue fighting for it. So, Jackson decides to invite her to his next show; an invitation, at first, she refuses.
Jackson insists a lot and Ally, accompanied by Ramon, decides to quit her job and attends the concert. There,
with Jackson’s encouragement, sings a song on stage with him. Jackson starts mentoring Ally and, at the same
time, they fall in love and start a relationship. Their romantic relationship marks the second half of this story
since we see how Jackson’s career plummets while Ally’s career soars.
Jackson’s problems with alcohol and drugs get worse. His fans and all the people are witnesses of his decline
at the Grammys, where he is playing a tribute to Roy Orbison, and Ally receives an award. He enrolls a rehab
program, supported by Ally, who wants him to perform in her European tour. However, Ally’s manager, Rez,
thinks that’s not a good idea because Jackson’s image is affecting negatively to Ally’s professional career.
While Rez is trying to convince her, she decides to cancel the tour to stay by him and take care of him. Ally
loves Jackson so much and wants him to perform with her in the last concert of her American tour, but, at
last, he breaks his promise and doesn’t go to the show.

ACTIVITY SEVEN. “A STAR IS BORN” REMAKES
What is A Star Is Born? Here's a look at all
four versions of the movie.
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's version of the movie
A Star Is Born is the fourth adaption of the film. The
three previous versions came out in 1937, 1954, and
1976. Each version of A Star Is Born tells a slightly
different love story.
1937: Janet Gaynor and Fredric March
The original A Star Is Born film follows the journey of
aspiring actress Esther Blodgett (Gaynor) as she picks
up her small-town life in North Dakota and moves to
Los Angeles to pursue a career in Hollywood. Esther
meets famed actor Norman Maine (March) at a party,
and despite his obvious drunkenness, they hit it off.
With Norman's help, Esther eventually lands a role
opposite him in a significant film, and almost
overnight, she becomes a bona fide celebrity.
Setting the stage for future adaptations, the original A
Star Is Born tells an unlikely love story while exploring
the pitfalls of fame. But as some critics are quick to
point out, it lacks empathy toward its main character's
alcoholism. Also interesting? There are no musical
numbers involved in the original movie.
1954: Judy Garland and James Mason
In the film's first remake (and perhaps its most well-
known version), we find Esther (Garland) making a
modest career for herself with her band in Los
Angeles. When former superstar Norman (Mason)
stumbles upon a show of hers one evening, he
immediately recognizes her talent and urges her to
pursue a career in acting, as well.
From here, the 1954 version of A Star Is Born follows
the plot of the original film — but this time around, it
spends much more time focusing on Esther
(eventually called Vicki) as an artist and her talents.
This remake is nearly three hours long and packed full
of musical numbers.
 Did you know that this is the 4th version of A Star Is Born? Yes, there are three more versions of the same
story! Read these texts to find the differences between all the versions. Then complete the table on the next
page with two main features of each film.
Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. A Star Is Born (1937)

A Star Is Born 2018
(Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)
A Star Is Born 1976
(Barbra Streisand & Kris
Kristofferson)
A Star Is Born 1954
(Judy Garland & James Mason)
A Star Is Born 1937
(Janet Gaynor & Fredric March)
1976: Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson
If the 1954 version of A Star Is Born carefully echoes the plot of its predecessor, the 1976 version
completely turns it on its head. In this remake, Esther Hoffman (Streisand) meets falling rockstar John
Norman Howard (Kristofferson) at a bar, where she rescues him from a drunken fight with a fan. Despite
his obvious struggles with alcoholism, the pair hits it off, and they quickly become romantically involved.
Although this adaptation can take credit for transforming A Star Is Born from a story about old
Hollywood fame into one about the toxic "rockstar lifestyle," it was far from a hit with critics: Most call
the 1976 film their least favorite of the four, noting that it lacks true romance and features somewhat
lackluster music. Bummer.
2018: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
The film was directed by Cooper himself and nominated for eight Oscars this year. The newest A Star Is
Born both borrows a bit from each of its predecessors, and pays its attention to the tragic love
story. The 2018 film delves deeper into each of the characters' trials and tribulations, and of course,
features an iconic soundtrack.
Adapted from https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/a26412507/a-star-is-born-original-remake-movie-plot-
comparison/)
VOCABULARY
to hit it off with somebody: congeniar amb algú / bona fide: genuí, autèntic / pitfall: dificultat, risc /
bummer: rotllo (col·loquial) / to delve into something aprofundir en alguna cosa
A Star Is Born 1976
A Star Is Born 1954A Star Is Born 1937

Original Lyrics
I'm off the deep end, watch as I dive in
I'll never meet the ground
Crash through the surface, where they can't hurt us
We're far from the shallow now
In the shallow, shallow
We're far from the shallow now
Example of possible lyrics
We cry down the willow; it will get better
Together we’ll meet the ground
Leave behind your fears, where they can't catch us
We were down the willow then
Down the willow, willow
We were down the willow then
EXTRA ACTIVITIES: WIN AN OSCAR!
As it has been previously mentioned, the song Shallow won the Oscar for Best Original Song
in 2019 apart from a Grammy, a Bafta, a Golden Globe and many more.
1. Now, change the lyrics of the song and feel free to create your version like in the
example below.
2. Listen to Lady Gaga’s acceptance speech at the Oscars. Then, read the text on the
right and prepare your speech giving thanks for an award.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2lysk2YXXM
How to Give a Thank You Speech
If you've received an award, and you have to give a thank you speech, it's the
chance to express how sincerely grateful you are to the people who helped
you. To write a thank you speech, you can follow these steps:
1. Start with an expression of gratitude.
You can start by saying thank you for the award you're receiving. Say
something like "I'm so honoured to be here tonight, and grateful to be the
recipient of this award..."
2. Talk about your esteem for the people who are giving you the
award.
Take a moment to express your sincere regard for them. Talk about how
honoured you are to be recognized by such a great organization.
3. Tell a funny or poignant story.
In a thank you speech, it's charming to tell an anecdote or two about
something that happened leading up to the honour you're receiving. Saying
something to keep the mood light and bring smiles to people's faces will be
appreciated. You could tell a funny story that happened during a project you
worked on, or an obstacle you had to overcome to accomplish your goals. Try
to bring other people into the story, too, instead of just talking about yourself.
Talk about something that involves your co-workers, your boss, your kids, or
other people in the audience.
4. Mention the names of people who helped you.
It's nice to give credit to the people who helped you. Create a short list of
colleagues, friends, and family members without whose help you wouldn't be
receiving this award. You can introduce the list by saying, "I'm especially
grateful to a few amazing people whose support is the reason I'm up here right
now..." Then recite the list of people who helped you. Take the audience into
consideration, too.
5. End it on a high note.
When you finish listing people you want to thank, the speech is just about
over. End it by saying thanks once more, and repeating how sincerely grateful
you are. If you want your speech to be especially memorable, you could
consider including an additional flourish. For example, you dedicate your
award to a person. Say something like, "And lastly, I want to dedicate this
award to my mother... It's because of her faith in me that I'm up here today
accepting this award. I love you, mom."
Adapted from https://www.wikihow.com/Give-a-Thank-You-Speech

Direcció i concepció gràfica
Cinema per a estudiants
Activitats i adaptació de textos
Sofia Royo Vizcaino i José Pica
info@cinemaperaestudiants.cat

A STAR IS BORN ACTIVITY PACK

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