Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew Up… with his very new-age, hippie parents and his twin sister Love. Forty was raised with a lot of money, but that didn’t necessarily protect him from everything—especially given the fact that his parents were distant and did not take on much of a role in raising their children.
Living… in Los Angeles, largely on his family’s money, although he does have a day job and some projects that he picks up from time to time.
Profession… aspiring screenwriter (or, as he puts it, “director-producer, but writer first”). Forty is constantly trying to get his foot in the door, but even with his family money and his connections, he’s had a hard time. A short film he wrote called The Third Twin was an artistic success, even winning a Grand Jury prize at Sundance, but he hasn’t done much since. As he describes, his “inspiration evaporated in a haze of Hollywood parties and VIP events, and then at a certain point those evaporated too.” Even though he tends to start a project with a big vision, he rarely has the focus or the drive to follow through. Until he makes it big, he’s working as a manager at his parents’ health food store, Anavrin.
Relationship Status… single. Forty dates around and gets his heart broken a lot, but honestly the most significant relationship in his life is the one he has with his twin sister, Love. Since they were small children, Love has taken it on as her responsibility to clean up his messes and take care of him when he gets hurt or into trouble. They’ve been telling each other everything since they were born.
Challenge… his addictions. Forty is an ex-alcoholic and drug addict and is currently in recovery. However, as his sister describes it, he’s fragile and has been known to relapse frequently. It doesn’t help that her sister’s new boyfriend has been taking up more and more of her time, which is a challenge to them both given their lack of boundaries. His relationship with Love is intensely codependent, especially given his addictive personality.
Personality… playful, immature, and a bit self-absorbed. Forty has good intentions, but he’s not the most emotionally stable and can be lazy. Love describes him as someone who behaves as though he’s starring in his own movie about a “hilarious misunderstood genius working with idiots.” Less kindly, Love’s boyfriend has privately described him as a “sycophantic fame-grubbing Hollywood has-been” and someone who “reeks of privilege” (which in some ways is fair—he’s been known to show up to work unshowered, unshaven, and wearing a kimono). Love has also pointed out the biggest obstacle to his career, his lack of work ethic and follow-through: she tells him, “You keep glomming onto people thinking that’s what’s gonna make you successful…you need to help you.” Forty is trying to turn his life around, but it’s not easy.
