April Wheeler

Grew Up… wanting to be an actress. When that doesn’t work out, she has to face more realistic options. Luckily she falls in love with Frank, a man who can support her while she “figures things out.”

Living… in 1950s America. Her house on Revolutionary Road in suburban Connecticut might not be the most unique house on the block, but it conforms nicely to the styles of the times. Her attire is as predictable as her husband Frank’s solid gray suits. April takes care of her two children as any loving mother would, and she even puts on a big smile every day when Frank gets home from work.

Profession… housewife. She cooks, she cleans, she takes care of the kids. It’s not nearly as glamorous as the life of an actress, but April can handle it. Right? She always wanted to have a family. Maybe she didn’t want to have such a big house on a street where every house looks exactly like the next, but she did want to live a simple life. Maybe this was what she was always waiting for—she just didn’t know it yet.

Interests… she’s at a point where she doesn’t do much besides her duties as a housewife. Days seem longer when you don’t really have hobbies. April is taken to making lofty plans for their future, romantic fantasies about moving to Paris and finding themselves. But didn’t Frank always say he wanted to go back to Paris?

Relationship Status… married with children. There’s no doubt that she wanted to live her life with Frank. But when she decided to be with him, she didn’t know they’d come to a rough patch where bouts of screaming were commonplace in their home. The only way to save their marriage from a slow, grating destruction might be to get out of here and go where they can make themselves anew.

Challenge… making her dreams a reality. If their friends and neighbors weren’t so shocked by the idea of the Wheelers moving to Paris, maybe Frank wouldn’t think it was such a crazy idea too. And then maybe they could just do it, not think about it and instead dive right in and see what happens. Easier said than done, of course.

Personality… loving and caring, but with a sharp edge. April develops a distaste for conformity and the “normal life.” She has the guts to bring it up too, even if it means she’ll end up fighting about it with Frank for days to come. To her, the fight is worth it.