Abhiroop Das
Directed by Jay Roach, ‘Bombshell’ chronicles the stories of Gretchen Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Kayla Pospisil, who are among the many women who come together to topple Fox News CEO Roger Ailes’ abuse of power. When his relentless sexual harassment becomes too much to bear, Gretchen files a lawsuit against him, which becomes a springboard for several characters to voice out the traumatic events they have been through, with Roger’s pattern of misconduct at the heart of it. The story tracks down all the power imbalances at play and points to a way of overcoming them. In doing so, the supporting characters play a role as important as any, and Jess Carr comes into the equation to leave an indelible mark. Her dynamic with Kayla comes as a turning point for the story, opening up several possibilities in the process.
Jess Carr is a Fictional Character Who Challenges the Norms
While ‘Bombshell’ is a dramatization of a true story that unfolded at Fox News, the character of Jess Carr is an imagined construct penned by writer Charles Randolph specifically for the narrative. She is introduced into the story as one of the staffers on ‘The O’Reilly Factor’, but quickly establishes herself as a unique presence, given that she is liberal and gay. Although not inspired by any one particular person in real life, Jess’ character is informed by the real-life climate at Fox News. Actor Kate McKinnon, who essays the role of Jess, spoke about this in detail in an on-set interview. She stated, “According to first-hand accounts (…) you wouldn’t want to be open about being either one (liberal and gay) of those at Fox News.” As such, the real experiences of employees in the news media giant provided some partial inspiration for Jess and how she interacts with her profession.
The absence of real-life equivalents for Jess within Fox News is given a partial explanation within the movie itself, as she explains that Fox, a conservative media outlet, is unlikely to encourage their employees to have drastically different political leanings. Although that reasoning cannot be extrapolated to real life as is, it does provide grounds for Jess being a completely fictitious creation. In a conversation with Extra TV, Kate McKinnon stated that she was lucky not to have experienced any workplace sexual harassment in her personal life. However, this puts some distance between her life and that of Jess’, as she is surrounded by a toxic work environment that particularly targets women. Initially, she tries her best to protect Kayla Pospisil, a rookie at ‘The O’Reilly Factor,’ from possible sexual exploitation, which suggests the character might have had to deal with something similar herself.
Jess’ Relationship With Kayla Changes Both of Their Lives
Jess Carr’s character is inextricably tied to that of Kayla, as the two of them go from colleagues to companions over the course of the movie. Jess helps bring a new perspective into Kayla’s life, ultimately informing all of her major turning points. To that end, their dynamic and how Kate McKinnon brings it to life become a major talking point. The actor has spoken at length about the two friends, explaining how humor played a big role in their chemistry. Jess has a very particular takeaway from her experience as a staffer, and within ‘Bombshell’ that boils down to the phrase “Frighte. Titilate.” Ironically, the character’s rich and courageous inner life embodies that idea, which makes her need to suppress it in public all the more challenging.
McKinnon also talked about the thematic framework of the story and how that ties into her character, stating: “I think the central thesis of the story is that if you have to speak up about harassment, you have to really risk everything.” In particular, she draws attention to how colleagues play a part in this equation and how looking them in the eye can be a challenge for a survivor. To that end, her character, Jess, ensures that Kayla is provided with a safe space at her time of need, with no sense of judgment coming in the way of their dynamic. Jess is also supportive of Kayla’s decision to speak up against Roger Ailes and extends her empathy when her friend reveals the true extent of what she has had to endure. As such, Jess acts as one of the narrative’s most reliable pillars, who makes the best of her life despite mounting challenges.
Read More: Bombshell: Is Kayla Pospisil Based on a Real Fox News Producer?
