Beholders  - Mia Bergeron , 2024.

American, b. 1979   - 

» They fill every silence with noise. Music, podcasts, the TV left on in an empty room. Anything but the sound of their own thoughts. Because when it’s quiet, they remember how long it’s been since someone asked how they’re really doing.

» They say “I’m just busy” to explain why they’re always alone. Busy is a shield. Busy is respectable. Busy means you’re doing fine, right? Never mind that their calendar is full of things they don’t care about, or that they go entire days without a single real conversation.

» They become the "fun one" in every group. If they can keep everyone laughing, no one will ask what’s underneath. No one will notice they’re always the one texting first. The one who plans. The one who keeps the group chat alive like it’s the only pulse they’ve got.

» They talk about “being independent” like it’s a fucking badge, not a scar. They say they like doing things alone...that it’s freeing or empowering. But sometimes, halfway through dinner at the restaurant, they look up and feel the weight of every empty chair.

» They text people just to “check in.” They say it’s to be nice. To be thoughtful. But really, they’re hoping someone will take the hint. That someone will say, “Hey, how about you? Want to talk?” Most of the time, no one does.

» They overwork themselves until they’re too tired to feel. It’s not just ambition, It’s escape. If they stay busy enough, maybe they won’t have time to notice how long it’s been since they were hugged without having to ask for it.

» They laugh off affection like a joke. They make sarcastic comments when someone is kind to them. They brush off compliments. Because letting that warmth in, might break them open more than they can handle.

» They show up for everyone else, but never ask for help. They’re the one who listens. The one who drives across town at 2 a.m. But when they need someone? They go silent. Because needing things makes them feel like a burden and they’ve been dropped enough times to stop reaching.

» They start talking to themselves. Just comments under their breath. Conversations in their head that never make it out loud. Because at some point, they stopped expecting anyone to respond.

If you're tired of the usual vices like arrogance or impatience, here are some unique (or at least less basic) character flaws to give your perfect characters: 

Pathological Altruism

A character so obsessed with helping others that they end up doing more harm than good. Their inability to let others grow or face consequences creates tension.

2. Moral Narcissism

A character who sees themselves as morally superior to others, constantly justifying selfish or harmful actions because they believe they have the moral high ground.

3. Chronic Self-Sabotage

A character who intentionally undermines their own success, perhaps due to deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, pushing them into frustrating, cyclical failures.

4. Emotional Numbness

Rather than feeling too much, this character feels too little. Their lack of emotional response to critical moments creates isolation and makes it difficult for them to connect with others.

5. Fixation on Legacy

This character is obsessed with how they’ll be remembered after death, often sacrificing present relationships and happiness for a future that’s uncertain.

6. Fear of Irrelevance

A character-driven by the fear that they no longer matter, constantly seeking validation or pursuing extreme measures to stay important in their social or professional circles.

7. Addiction to Novelty

Someone who needs constant newness in their life, whether it’s experiences, relationships, or goals. They may abandon projects, people, or causes once the excitement fades, leaving destruction in their wake.

8. Compulsive Truth-Telling

A character who refuses to lie, even in situations where a lie or omission would be the kinder or more pragmatic choice. This flaw causes unnecessary conflict and social alienation.

9. Over-Identification with Others' Pain

Instead of empathy, this character feels others' pain too intensely, to the point that they can’t function properly in their own life. They’re paralyzed by the suffering of others and fail to act effectively.

10. Reluctant Power

A character who fears their own strength, talent, or influence and is constantly trying to shrink themselves to avoid the responsibility or consequences of wielding it.

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"I think, in a way, it would be easier for Allerton to accept what was happening between them if the experience were less intense, if it were less complete, if the telepathy were less successful…There's something terrifying about getting what you've been seeking after, which is the synchronicity." Justin Kuritzkes in the Queer (2024) filmmaker commentary

Queer (2024) dir. Luca Guadagnino