star system

Noun

star system (plural star systems)

1. A group of stars (and possibly smaller bodies such as planets or asteroids) that orbit one another.

   Synonyms:

   stellar system

2. A method of creating, promoting and exploiting movie stars in cinema, emphasizing on their images rather than their acting.
   • Chapters have examined the general structural trends that have defined particular phases in the organisation of the star system, looking at the conditions in which the system emerged, how the studios controlled the ownership of star images, and the power of the star in contemporary Hollywood.2001, Paul McDonald, The Star System: Hollywood's Production of Popular Identities, Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 107