Reckoning: Chapter 26: Hollywood Summary & Analysis

After years of working on Fast Forward, Magda wants something different. Soon after she leaves, she is sent a script for the charming, bucolic movie: Babe, co-written by George Miller, the creator of Mad Max. When Magda arrives for the read-through of Babe, she sees the beginnings of CGI mechanics in the studio. When Miller wrote the film, it required technology that did not yet exist. Thought too young to play Esme Hoggett alongside Jamie Cromwell, Magda is asked to voice the dog, Fly; but Magda is so eager to play Esme—who resembles Margaret and Meg—that she gets the part.

The filming for Babe takes place in a small village in New South Wales. To Magda, who has just gone through a breakup, the bucolic beauty of the setting and the fairytale house will be healing. On set, there is a barn full of animals, including all the 48 Babes who appear in the final film. The set is populated with trainers who are later erased from the scenes. Each scene is bathed in golden light to create a nostalgic effect. Working on Babe, Magda has her first acting challenge: when Babe wins over Mrs. Hoggett, Mrs. Hoggett bursts into tears. Luckily, Magda’s recent break-up has put her in a vulnerable state, making it easy to cry on command.

After filming Babe, Magda goes to LA for the press conference. As the publicist drives her through the city, Magda exclaims at how LA looks like a giant Croydon. After the press conference, Magda returns to LA with her agent, Hilary, for meetings with Hollywood agencies; several executives turn Magda down, telling her to stay in Australia. Two men at an agency commend Magda’s humor, but they are disingenuous; under pretense of talking business, they slyly try to poach Hilary’s list of Australian director clients. To Magda’s admiration, Hilary deflects. The ruthless atmosphere of Hollywood unnerves Magda.

Changing tactics, Magda and Hilary arrange meetings with comic agencies. After one meeting, Magda gets an emotionless voicemail from a director, praising her humor and sending her to Bernie Brillstein, the founder of Saturday Night Live. Magda clicks with Bernie; soon there is talk of a new show built around her, requiring her to relocate to LA for six years.

A few days later, Magda’s manager at Bernie’s agency takes her to lunch at a fancy restaurant. The manager points to a blonde woman a table over—the “richest woman in the world”—and describes her lavish parties and the influence she has over the world. As Magda think longingly of this woman’s “safe harbor,” the manager points out the woman’s security, hired after her son had been kidnapped. Suddenly pitying, Magda thinks how “Warsaw is everywhere,” no matter how rich a person is. Changing the subject, the manager says that Magda has the potential to be a major star. Magda giggles. The two pillars of her existence—her sexuality and her work—are so at odds that the idea of success as an actor is absurd.

Looking at “the richest woman in the world,” Magda stops laughing; making it in Hollywood feels like climbing Everest without oxygen. Magda’s manger mentions Ellen DeGeneres, whom the public assumes and accepts is gay (in 1997 when Ellen comes out, however, she is publicly shunned for three years). Despite her manager’s assurance, Magda puts an end to this opportunity of becoming a Hollywood star.

Soon after she returns to Australia from LA, Peter visits Magda. To Magda’s surprise, Peter comes not at Margaret’s bidding, but of his own volition. As Magda serves tea, Peter asks what is holding Magda back. Flustered by his tenderness, Magda deflects. Peter asks what Magda fears. Privately, Magda is struck by Peter’s perceptiveness. Hollywood had showed her something in herself that she feared, and she felt that if she stayed there, the chasm between her real and false selves would widen. Tears fill her eyes, but Magda insists to Peter that she is fine. Peter says that Magda can do anything she desires. Magda wonders how things would have been different if Peter had said this to her earlier.