I’ll be honest with you, when I first sat down to watch Mare of Easttown it was a Kate Winslet thing. Years ago—before the Titanic corsets—I first met her as the murderous manipulative Juliet Hulme in Heavenly Creatures (1994), and I fell in love. Her eyes, her cheeks, blonde post-war locks—the whole countenance really. Not even a calculated, toxic sex-less teen lez affair, climaxing with a brick in stockings, blundered over an unassuming mother’s skull, could halt my love.
As Mare, she wears a lot of flannel—pretty gay, one may assume. Sadly not. She actually makes-out with Guy Pearce of all people. “EEEEEK”, I hear the chorus sing.
But shit, she’s good. Barely smiles, bottles her fears and feelings in such a way that you see all of them—in her face, the way she moves, her fractured speech.
Mare of Easttown is a wonderful show, really dark, dark as fuck actually. Definitely one for whodunnit lovers—you can build so many theories as to who killed, or stole who… but did I mention Kate Winslet is in it?
Clearly, I had hoped she’d be a sapphic heroine, and I’ve been clear about that. But not all rainbow dreams are lost—hope and brilliance nestles in her daughter Siobhan.
You see, behind the murder, lies, kidnapping—is a beautiful thing. Siobhan, played by Sydney-sider Angourie Rice, is queer. She’s maybe 17—I should fact check that before I publish, but maybe I won’t. She has the cutest queer haircut, bleach blonde with a shavey bit. She’s smart as hell (Berkeley approved), the lead singer in a band called Mannequin Pussy, and wears the clothes I wish I had at that age—cursed-be the early 2000s that bound us in halter tops and low rise jeans—hers are leather jackets, Hole hosiery, eyeliner for days…
And her sexuality isn’t questioned, it simply is. She has a girlfriend for a bit—and gets a new one later. And it’s fine, no coming out story here, no discrimination. No disapproval. Mum, Dad, Nan are all cool with it. And in a family rich with demons and stunted emotions, that’s surprising.
This I why I’m writing this, for this here excellent, supreme even, queer screen magazine—it’s great that we’re at a point where there are queer characters on tele who are, just simply themselves, and it’s no big deal.
It’s been a long time coming. Often queer characters are sideliners (the gay best friend is a common one), or there’s a coming-out element, discrimination or violence—and I’m not saying that these are not important stories to tell, but it’s cool just to have a relationship made par for the course in a show that’s not exclusively queer.
I’d like to see more of this kind of thing, and more Kate Winslet—whether in a bodice, flannel or killing a mum.
I’ll be honest with you, when I first sat down to watch Mare of Easttown it was a Kate Winslet thing. Years ago—before the Titanic corsets—I first met her as the murderous manipulative Juliet Hulme in Heavenly Creatures (1994), and I fell in love. Her eyes, her cheeks, blonde post-war locks—the whole countenance really. Not even a calculated, toxic sex-less teen lez affair, climaxing with a brick in stockings, blundered over an unassuming mother’s skull, could halt my love.
As Mare, she wears a lot of flannel—pretty gay, one may assume. Sadly not. She actually makes-out with Guy Pearce of all people. “EEEEEK”, I hear the chorus sing.
But shit, she’s good. Barely smiles, bottles her fears and feelings in such a way that you see all of them—in her face, the way she moves, her fractured speech.
Mare of Easttown is a wonderful show, really dark, dark as fuck actually. Definitely one for whodunnit lovers—you can build so many theories as to who killed, or stole who… but did I mention Kate Winslet is in it?
Clearly, I had hoped she’d be a sapphic heroine, and I’ve been clear about that. But not all rainbow dreams are lost—hope and brilliance nestles in her daughter Siobhan.
You see, behind the murder, lies, kidnapping—is a beautiful thing. Siobhan, played by Sydney-sider Angourie Rice, is queer. She’s maybe 17—I should fact check that before I publish, but maybe I won’t. She has the cutest queer haircut, bleach blonde with a shavey bit. She’s smart as hell (Berkeley approved), the lead singer in a band called Mannequin Pussy, and wears the clothes I wish I had at that age—cursed-be the early 2000s that bound us in halter tops and low rise jeans—hers are leather jackets, Hole hosiery, eyeliner for days…
And her sexuality isn’t questioned, it simply is. She has a girlfriend for a bit—and gets a new one later. And it’s fine, no coming out story here, no discrimination. No disapproval. Mum, Dad, Nan are all cool with it. And in a family rich with demons and stunted emotions, that’s surprising.
This I why I’m writing this, for this here excellent, supreme even, queer screen magazine—it’s great that we’re at a point where there are queer characters on tele who are, just simply themselves, and it’s no big deal.
It’s been a long time coming. Often queer characters are sideliners (the gay best friend is a common one), or there’s a coming-out element, discrimination or violence—and I’m not saying that these are not important stories to tell, but it’s cool just to have a relationship made par for the course in a show that’s not exclusively queer.
I’d like to see more of this kind of thing, and more Kate Winslet—whether in a bodice, flannel or killing a mum.