October 2010

The worst thing about celebrities? Even when you're trying not to pay them attention, you do. That actor who went to jail this summer–you know the one I mean, don't you?

Thought so.

Celebrity culture is everywhere. And that can get pretty tedious. "… even those of us who profess not to be impressed by it, or interested in it, are still affected by it in certain ways," says Stella Duffy.

Why write about it, then? Because "it so often involves lying and secrets–and that's always good for fiction.

From that simple observation came Parallel Lies. She set the story in Hollywood "because I think there's a big shiny thing about 'Hollywood' (the reality and the myth!)" and "…film, it's all about lying and trying to make it seem real. Or being real and then allowing it to be sold as a lie, so I figured actors were the perfect cast…!" It helped too that "when I wrote this I'd been working in the US–in theatre, in San Diego and NYC, so US acting culture felt more relevant to me than it had done in the past, and I was keen to use that new knowledge in my writing work."

She did and she created Yana Ivanova, a movie star who has already become a legend–and who'll do whatever it takes to stay that way. Her fans know she's living with another actor, Jimmy. What they don't know is that the marriage is simply a matter of business: out of the spotlight, behind closed doors, Yana Ivanova is a lesbian.

Let's face it, other actors have made similar deals chasing fame. To them Stella says: "Come out, come out, come out. Be brave, stand up, get on with it, get over it. We will never overcome the homophobia of the world while we give in to our own homophobia."

She goes on to explain: "I do know some not-out performers, I don't understand their reasoning, I think it's self-centered and unaware (of how valuable all of us being out is, of how important it is for all of us to be out and not just leave the work of changing the world to a few brave ones) …"

Stella's earned the right to her views: "I'm aware this can be seen as a radical stance, but having been out for 30 of my 47 years, I'm more than a little tired of being in the vanguard of LGBT politics… (I can barely imagine how exhausting this must be for the true LGBT pioneers, ten, twenty, fifty, or a hundred years earlier!)"

You'll find these arguments in Parallel Lies, but she says "I hope they're not sledge-hammered home." Actually she's too subtle a writer for that. Besides, there's more to the story than politics. She wanted to write about "privilege, power, money," and relationships that are "dangerous, erotic and sexy" and she also wanted to write "a great swimming pool".

Yup, there's a reason for that cover; see Hot off the Press below. (I'm not going to say anymore than that, though.)

Stella lives in London with her wife, the playwright Shelly Silas.