Paloma Diamond: The Internet’s Newest Star
By: Kiana Tang

Paloma Diamond stuns in BLUFF–the latest (fictional) masterpiece from the internet’s favorite non-existent Oscar nominee.

Paloma Diamond. If you haven’t heard the name yet, don’t worry, by the time you finish reading this, you’ll likely have a new obsession. She’s the internet’s newest it girl, and the best part? She’s not real. At least, not in the traditional sense. Paloma Diamond is a character created by New Zealand’s TikTok content king, Julian Sewell, as a joke. A satirical parody of Hollywood’s golden age, this diva hasn’t just survived, she’s thrived, turning into a meme, an inside joke, and now, a full-blown phenomenon.

It all started with a simple premise: What if a young actress was nominated for 20 Oscars and still didn’t win? Cue Paloma Diamond, a star whose career is as glittering as it is fictional, and whose Oscar-nominated performances, like in the alleged masterpiece Bluff, have garnered significant attention, and not because they actually exist. In fact, if you try to Google “Bluff” or any of her so-called cinematic masterpieces, you’re met with nothing but the crickets of an empty search bar. It’s like trying to look up “The Greatest Movie You’ve Never Seen”–except, ironically, it’s exactly the joke.

Paloma Diamond is, essentially, social media’s ultimate inside joke. Created on TikTok, she quickly became more than just a running gag, she turned into a viral meme with layers and layers of jokes so deep, even the creators have to pause and laugh at how absurd it all is. What started as a parody of Hollywood tropes–Oscar snubs, pretentious actors, and the glamour of the film industry, has evolved into a satirical commentary on celebrity culture itself. Every “cirque” (yes, that’s a joke too) about Paloma’s alleged performances in films like Bluff, where her portrayal of “the world’s most misunderstood woman” left critics “speechless” (because, again, the film doesn’t exist), only adds fuel to the fire. What makes Paloma’s rise so fascinating isn’t just her fictional accomplishments; it’s the collective involvement of the internet. TikTok creators, YouTube influencers, and even the average viewer have all chimed in, contributing to the appeal of Paloma Diamond. People write fan theories about her nonexistent films, invent quotes from her imaginary interviews, and share “opinions” about how she should have won that very real Oscar in 2016 (even though, you know, she’s never even been nominated).

So, what does Paloma Diamond’s rise say about us, the internet generation? It says a lot about the way we engage with celebrity culture today, where parody, reality, and fiction blur into one humorous, and often absurd narrative. It also highlights just how much we love a good joke, even when it’s self-aware and meta. The idea that a completely fictional character can infiltrate pop culture to the extent that even industry professionals are writing about her is a testament to the power of internet humor and the way social media has created new pathways for viral stars to emerge, whether they’re real or not.

But let’s be real: the most fascinating part of Paloma’s success is the way she’s become everyone’s inside joke. It’s no longer just Julian Sewell’s creation; it’s a collective effort. From those “sophisticated” (read: completely over-the-top) critiques of her “Oscar-worthy performances” to the memes and fan-made videos, Paloma Diamond is our joke. And like any good joke, the more we tell it, the better it gets.

So, does Paloma Diamond represent the future of fame? Possibly. With influencers rising to mega-celebrity status, fictional characters like Paloma are now able to carve out a niche, proving that you don’t need to actually exist to be famous. In fact, in the world of TikTok, anything can go viral, and sometimes, it’s the joke that nobody expected to land that becomes the one everyone talks about.

Will Paloma Diamond ever win an Oscar? Of course not. But that’s the point. She’s already won the internet’s heart. And in the age of TikTok, that’s all you really need.