You gotta think about the 99% of people who don't make it.

What's the use of having a million washed up D-list actors?

Whereas if you fail on the journey to becoming an astronaut, you've at least got an engineering degree of something. Maybe you'll contribute by designing a machine to manufacture bearings for desks at a hospital or something.

Entertainment is valuable, but there are many forms of entertainment beyond television. Read a book, play a video game, invite friends over and do some fun stuff, etc. I am not a fan of TV(or streaming) because its the most passive form of entertainment around. Its valuable, but it also feels overvalued these days.

While I think they are productive at the moment in that they really push the economy by proxy through big budget movies and surrounding merch, I also feel that if the movie and TV industry disappeared that role would be easily filled by other things.

Movie stars are quasi leaders these days, sadly.