Fleabag

Grew Up... in England, with her parents and her sister Claire. Though the two sisters couldn’t be more different, they have their own unique bond—especially after their mom died of breast cancer and their dad almost immediately started dating their Godmother.

Living... self-destructively, in London. Fleabag’s life has been quietly spiraling out of control ever since her best friend Boo accidentally killed herself after discovering her boyfriend had cheated on her.

Profession... owner of a guinea pig café—and a failing one at that. The café is lucky if it gets one customer a day. Fleabag is desperate to keep it running, however, especially because she and Boo opened it together. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite have the business savvy to get the loan she needs to keep the café afloat.

Interests... jogging, Barack Obama, and the occasional revenge-inspired theft.

Relationship Status... mostly single. Fleabag has a strange, strained dynamic with her on-again-off-again boyfriend Harry, as well as with a man she dubs “Arsehole Guy.” She’s not necessarily opposed to being in a relationship, but she struggles to make real connections and tends to seek out meaningless, usually unsatisfying sexual encounters instead. As she puts it, “I’ve spent most of my adult life using sex to deflect from the screaming void inside my empty heart.”

Challenge... recapturing her spark. Fleabag has been struggling to find joy in life ever since Boo’s death. She often thinks back on their happy memories together and seems unable to move forward in a health way. Underneath her sarcastic exterior, she’s clearly haunted by a sense of trauma and maybe ever guilt. She wants to get out of her funk and move on with life, but her issues feel too big and terrifying to truly confront. As she admits, “I have a horrible feeling I am a greedy, perverted, selfish, apathetic, cynical, depraved, morally bankrupt woman who can’t even call herself a feminist.”

Personality... sarcastic, judgmental, and incredibly funny—although sometimes only to herself. Fleabag is a bit of an oddball and people are often confused by her dark sense of humor. She maintains a snarky inner monologue that she tries to soften when she interacts with people, but she’s not always successful at tamping down her acerbic point of view. Though Fleabag can come across as awkward or even arrogant, deep down she has a good heart.