I was watching Paddington 2 and got randomly wondering if Hugh Grant was or would be called a 'national treasure.' Then started to think about what decides that particular title.
Off the top of my head I got:
– British
– famous
– long career
– critical acclaim
but not all critically acclaimed famous British actors aged 60 or above are routinely called a national treasure.
One thing might be that the actor has somehow gained love and respect of the public, as a character they play and/or as a person. Actually, being loved and likable might be more important for the title than critical acclaim. But how does an actor become 'a beloved national treasure' while others with similar or greater achievements are merely respected for their glittering career? Or maybe there are different routes to the title?
One thing that doesn't seem to count so much is international success.
On a related note, are there actors who are not yet but you consider to have a good chance of becoming a national treasure in time?