Renata

Grew up… with her two other sisters, father Arthur, and mother Eve. Her mother Eve is an interior designer, and always wanted her family to be like the homes she decorates– orderly and perfect. But their dysfunctional family is far from that. And like a black hole, her mother’s bipolar outbursts tend to suck everybody else in.

Living… with many insecurities. Dealing with her family has contributed to her anxiety. Having a very cold and distant mom has left her and her sisters with issues of their own. Her sister Joey is pretty brutally honest with her mother and calls her out for being so unfeeling and spiteful.

Profession… critically acclaimed poet. She writes deep thoughts about life in her poetry, but she has a harder time expressing her own emotions. For example, this is the way she talks about death: "I can't seem to shake the real implication of dying. It's terrifying. The intimacy of it embarrasses me."

Relationship Status… married to her husband Frederick who is struggling to find his path as a writer. Frederick has been abusing alcohol in order to cope with his lack of success in comparison to her.

Challenge… dealing with her parents’ divorce and mother’s suicide attempt. When her father Arthur boldly announces that he's seeking a divorce, the family shows its cracks. Eve tries to commit suicide, which causes old family wounds to resurface. All three sisters are bothered by how fast her father decides to remarry, especially with their mom's volatile condition.

Personality… intelligent, artistic, but not without her own neuroses and fears of her own. Renata has lived her life trying to meet her mother’s unrealistic expectations. Although most people would call Renata a huge success, she doesn’t feel that way.