♡ vivien harding was born in los angeles, in 1902.
♡ from a young age, her mother encouraged her to explore her creative side, relishing in the fact that her youngest daughter had taken an interest in dancing and putting on shows and displays for anyone who would let her.
♡ she got her official break at the tender age of sixteen, starring in a number of films and local stage productions. she soon earned the title of “america’s sweetheart”, mirroring the likes of shirley temple and judy garland. her career took off in her teenage years and remained turbulent and full of scandals until she was in her late-thirties.
♡ her early-forties lead with a film that labled her as “box office poison”, she’d flopped and thus began a downward spiral of self-doubt and the inevitable process of aging and fading from the limelight.
♡ at the time, a actress’ worth was heavily reliant on her youth and her income. without the same impeccable talent of the other women she shared the screens with, she knew she’d just become another name that was eventually forgotten. the realization and the harsh words of her agent and film directors that she attempted to work with, only lead her to a life of more carefree antics — becoming more of a party girl than a leading lady.
♡ it was at a hollywood party where viv met her maker, a striking man, seemingly near her own age with all the wits and charms that she’d been lacking in her life. until then, she’d never found a love that lasted longer than a few weeks, most of whom began and ended as publicity stunts.
♡ however, it seemed that only viv had good intentions about their relationship. he used her for quick fame and recognition, feigning the same love she felt towards him. when he came clean about what he was, a vampire, viv attempted to cut ties with him due to her complete disbelief that anything like that could even exist.
♡ he didn’t take the news well and when she eventually began seeing someone else, he made her his only target. he wanted her to feel the same, the shame and isolation that came from a life of vampirism.
♡ the anguish she felt, paired with her inability to step foot in the sunlight without feeling a smoking burn on her skin, kept her stuck in the shadows for decades. she solemnly kept up with every record of her death, every article about one of hollywood’s most notorious murder cases and once she was able to walk in the sun again, she took off, fled the state and made a new home for herself elsewhere.
♡ every decade or so, she uproots her small town life and starts over, for fear of being recognized or scrutinized for her never-aging appearance. now, in woodland park, she spends the majority of her time alone, deciding that keeping to herself is her best bet for peace. she’s found solace in minor artistic things, photography and artwork and earns money from selling pieces of both.
