Friday, April 13, 2007

My Weekend Crush

Growing up, one actress was the most spunky, the most scrappy, the most Shirley -- Anne Shirley, that is. Megan Follows was the perfect Anne of Green Gables. As a young girl, my love for L.M. Montgomery’s books was insatiable. I had the entire Anne (with an e) series, the entire Emily series, both Pat books, countless short stories and assorted random novels. In fact, I still have them all on my bookshelf. I even made my family vacation on Prince Edward Island one summer. So when the Canadian adaptation came out on PBS, I sat rapt as Anne, Marilla, Matthew and Gilbert Blythe (to this day, I have to say his first and last name together) came to rich, vibrant life. There was the red sand of P.E. Island. There was the charming, gabled farmhouse. There was the carpetbag-totting orphan with long, red braids.

As Anne matured in the series, Megan seemed to magically mature from girl to woman before our eyes. I’m pretty sure my affinity for red-heads can be traced back to her. Not to mention freckles. I always hoped Megan would find continued stardom after she was done being that Anne girl. And while she has kept busy acting, particularly in her native Canada, Megan hasn’t had the breakout success stateside that she so deserves. Ironically, part of the problem is probably people like me who have never let her leave Green Gables. But Megan should be heartened by the fact that she will forever be a kindred spirit, a bosom friend, to girls (and grown up girls like me) everywhere. Happy weekend, all.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I too had a HUGE humungous crush on her when "AOGG" aired- haven't seen much of her since, except for, I think an occasional TV episode. Great to see her!

Wendy, R.N. said...

Anne was for all of us girls that had fantastical ideas, and never quite fit in wherever we are. I, too, loved the books, and particularly that series. Every once in a while they still air it on PBS, and I try to make sure I see it.

W. :)

Leila said...

You are so right. She was hot and righteous in Open Heart, a Cdn made-for-tv about a whistle-blowing nurse. She projects too much intelligence though and that is what stops her from breakout success. She's like Gena Rowlands. Someone needs to tweak Angela Robinson on to this gal....

Heathlee said...

Um, I think we might be kindred spirits. I begged my parents to take us to PE Island as a kid...but no go. No puffed sleeves for me :)

sharifb said...

I will have to check that out. All I know her from is the Evil Lesbo-Ex Christy on one episode of ER.

Anonymous said...

I totally echo the love of all things Anne Shirley, but have to say have been turned off ever since I saw the TERRIBLE sequel that came out a few years ago... Gilbert fighting in WWI!?! Totally unfaithful to both the books and the characters..why did they do that?

Asynja said...

Anne Shirley and Diana Barry were my original OTP. I loved Gil to pieces, but... remember when Anne and Diana broke the bed? That scene ended much differently in my young imagination. My love for Megan Follows was cemented when I found her audiobook narration of Le Fanu's 'Carmilla' - the original lesbian-subtext vampire story. Imagine Anne Shirley reading "...her hot lips travelled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, 'You are mine, you shall be mine, and you and I are one for ever.'" Very nice.

Anonymous said...

oh my word - i *loved* Megan Follows when i was younger!

Anonymous said...

Hi Dorothy;
I followed your blog over from afterellen and wanted to say how much I enjoy your humour.

But...

And while she has kept busy acting, particularly in her native Canada, Megan hasn’t had the breakout success stateside that she so deserves.

This comment kind of bothered me. Megan Follows has never stopped working http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001227/
In fact she is extremely successful. I realize she may not be household name in the states but she is well known here. I guess what I am trying to say is she doesn't need to popular in the states to be successful.
I hate to post anonymously so I am including my email address. I hope that is okay.
sass_angel@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I’m pretty sure my affinity for red-heads can be traced back to her.

Ahh, me too, me too...

Anonymous said...

I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone with an affinity for red head's who cannot trace it back to Anne (with an e!). Love her.

alex dumas said...

This totally made me go to Audible and download *Carmilla,* with Megan's narration. Oh, I miss her. And that is a great picture of her!