Actor flips fan culture on its head

Celebrity worship is part of our society. Remember the publicity arising from Kim Kardashian’s photo showing her balancing a champagne glass on her buttocks?

It’s a secret pleasure for many — we know it’s somewhat pathetic, but still tune in to awards shows to see who’s wearing what on the red carpet.

British author Hannah Beer captures this toxic mess of emotions in her debut novel I Make My Own Fun. A self-confessed reformed fangirl, she writes from the perspective of Marina, a 29-year-old Hollywood actor at the peak of her career and notoriety. According to her core fan group, the Mariniacs, she can do no wrong. They describe her as the most beautiful woman in the world, an icon, grace personified.

Marina and her boyfriend Henry are attending the London premiere of their new movie, Interspace. Stuck in a private jet with Henry and her assistant Jules on their flight from L.A. to London, Marina is bored by Henry’s babbling about a sweet new man he’s met. She reveals that she selected Henry as an alleged love interest based on his good looks and lack of intelligence — in other words, he’s arm candy. Their arrangement allows each of them to covertly engage with others while seeming to maintain a loving partnership.

Once in a posh London hotel, Marina displays an even darker side, using a fake online dating profile she’s created under Jules’ name to lure a hapless victim. After some texting back and forth, Marina suggests they meet for a drink then watches with amusement as the poor guy waits in vain for 45 minutes, jumping each time the door opens, before leaving the bar.

“There’s a string of men around the world that have been stood up by ‘Jules,’ enough sad faces to fill an arena. The unwitting cast of my own private reality show,” Marina muses.

Marina’s attention is drawn to Anna, a pink-haired bartender; she’s intrigued by Anna’s seeming indifference to her stardom. After a few drinks and some flirting, Anna spends the night with her. Marina marvels at Anna’s lack of ambition and carefree lifestyle. Before Anna leaves the hotel room, Marina gets her phone number.

While still on a high from her night with Anna, Marina agrees to allow a father to take a selfie of the two of them and his son. As the man concentrates on his image in the camera, Marina steals his wallet then whispers in the child’s ear that his dad is a “f—ing loser.”

Marina is determined to play it cool with Anna, but decides to return to London three weeks after they met. Instead of falling into her arms, Anna resists Marina’s charms which leads Marina to believe they’re playing a game — and she’s willing to take the challenge, describing it as a “romantic cat and mouse.”

Renting a mansion within view of the shabby house Anna shares with roommates, Marina begins stalking Anna to learn more about her life. Since she’s certain to be recognized by her fans, she dresses in a wig and shabby clothes, lurking outside Anna’s house and the nursery school where she works, then visiting Anna’s aunt. This obsessive behaviour escalates as Marina pursues Anna, struggling to capture her attention through a series of ridiculous stunts. Money is no obstacle for Marina and she continues to show little regard for others who get in her way.

I Make My Own Fun is Beer’s take on how fame generates power and how this power can lead to abuse. Marina is a terrible person, but an interesting character.

Andrea Geary is a freelance writer in Selkirk.