In Pearl, the relentless pursuit of stardom is depicted as a futile escape from the protagonist’s inner demons, with beauty merely serving as a superficial layer to her deeper struggles. As Pearl’s story unfolds, it becomes evident that neither fame nor beauty can heal the wounds of a fractured self. This raises an important question: In our own lives, how often do we chase external validation—whether through success, appearance, or recognition—as a way to avoid confronting our deeper insecurities? What happens when we achieve those goals, yet still feel unfulfilled?