Lovecraft Country star Abbey Lee speaks about the series' central themes and says that the character of Christina Braithwhite is most certainly a "Karen." Lovecraft Country made its debut earlier this year, starring Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors. The series centers around Atticus Freeman, a Black man who journeys through a segregated United States in the 1950s with his uncle and childhood friend to look for his missing father.
One of the characters on Lovecraft Country is Christina Braithwhite, who was gender-swapped from male to female for the HBO show. Christina is the daughter of Samuel Braithwhite, the leader of the Sons of Adam, who are sorcerers that torment Tic and his fellow travelers during their journey. As of right now, the show has only aired five episodes; as a result, not much is known about Christina's ultimate motivations or where the show will take her next.
In an interview with Collider, Abbey Lee shares that Christina's character exemplifies what it means to be a "Karen." Lee highlights that Christina is an extremely "privileged white woman" who takes no issue with toying with the lives of the Black folks that she meets. Lee stresses that Christina understands the problem of "white fear" and uses it to her advantage whenever possible. As a white woman, Christina knows that she will have a layer of protection that her Black counterparts wouldn't be able to receive; as such, she isn't afraid to leverage this however and whenever she sees fit.
Lee draws connections between Christina's mindset to the attitude that some members of society embody today, highlighting that the relevance of Christina's actions to many current events is undeniable. For instance, Lee underscores Christina's interactions with Tic, where she "brings up that she's a white woman, and he's a Black man." The weight of this statement alone carries an undeniable sense of privilege, and her understanding of her place in society - as well as her willingness to flaunt said privilege - is something that is echoed in many news stories that are seen today.
While Lovecraft Country has just started its run, it has already been praised for its unflinching look at the racism which surrounds the Black experience in the United States. Given the recent string of events regarding police brutality and Black Lives Matter, this show could not have come at a more appropriate time in modern history. That being said, Christina's true colors have already started to show in the few episodes that have aired - and Lee's words hint that the worst is yet to come.
Source: Collider