Harry Potter - 500 million copies sold, grossed ÂŁ1,800,000,000 Harry is an orphan. His parents died when he was young trying to protect him from Lord Voldermort, the most evil and powerful wizard to have ever lived. Throughout his life, Harry suffered from neglect at the hand of his carers. At 11 years of age he began attending The residential Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Whilst attending the school he learned about the power of love and ultimately used that to defeat Lord Voldermort with the help of his friends, Ron and Hermione.
Joe Goldberg: You (Netflix) – 40,000,000 viewers in week of release Joe Goldberg ran away from home at a young age after suffering from abuse. Raised by a book store owner who was just as if not more abusive than his parents, Joe had a less than ideal childhood. Whilst in his mid to late twenties, Joe began obsessing about and then stalking women in his life. It was rumoured that he had even killed his ex-girlfriend, whom he had also stalked. Shortly after this rumoured murder he met Beck. Through stalking her he tricked her into falling in love with him. He then began to murder anyone who got in the way.
Paul Spector: The Fall -Weekly audience of 4,000,000 Paul Spector grew up in a series of abusive children’s homes in Northern Ireland. His mother was unable to care for him due to poor mental health and later died through suicide. His father is unknown. Paul in his adulthood became a grief counsellor. He was a father to two young children and husband to Sally Ann. At nights he stalked, raped and murdered young women. The press dubbed him ‘The Belfast Strangler’. Paul later embarked on an abusive relationship with a 15-year-old girl before ultimately being imprisoned and completing suicide.
Nulla: Australia – Grossed £165,000,000 Nullah is an aboriginal child who lived with his mother and an abusive cattle station manager, later revealed to be the man who raped his mother before she fell pregnant with him. When hiding from the authorities who are forcibly removing aboriginals, his mother drowned. He is taken under the wing of the plantation owner’s wife, Lady Sarah. Soon after he is tricked and taken prisoner to a boarding school for aboriginal children. The aim was to assimilate him into Christian culture. Lady Sarah attempted to rescue him. However, during his imprisonment at the boarding school, World War Two broke out & the island the school was on suffered bombing & invasion. Nullah escaped and was rescued by Lady Sarah. He later returned to the bush with his grandfather.
Sophie: The BFG - grossed £141,000,000 Sophie is an orphan. She was living in an orphanage when she was kidnapped by a giant who belonged to a clan of cannibals, who frequently kidnapped and ate humans, mostly from children’s homes. Sooner after her kidnap, the giant is revealed as ‘The Big Friendly Giant’ who traps dreams & nightmares before passing them on to others. Although he had kidnapped Sophie, it was not to eat her but to hold her captive as a ‘friend’. Together they set about disrupting the mass eating of children by the other giant’s and attempt to trap them with the help of The Queen who has a dream passed on to her by the BFG. They ultimately imprisoned 9 giants and save any more children from being eaten.
Tracey Beaker: Tracey Beaker Books & TV Show 100 plus episodes & 1.5 million books sold Tracy Beaker was the victim of neglect as a child and ultimately spent most of her childhood in a children’s home before being fostered by her former social worker. Tracy experienced difficulties in her childhood as a result of her behaviour. She was known to tell lies & be vindictive towards other children. In adulthood, Tracy is a single mum who is unemployed and living on a housing estate. She begins a relationship with a successful football player which ultimately fails when he cheats on her with another young woman who had been in Tracy’s children’s home.
Anne Shirley: Anne of Green Gables – 50million copies of novel sold, Netflix series renewed for third season Anne is orphaned at a young age. She is later sent to a brother and sister who hoped to adopt a boy. Disappointed that they have been sent a girl, they look to send Anne back to the orphanage. However, they soon realise that Anne is worthy of their love and attention. Anne begins to help them on their farm, goes on to show prowess in her education before later going off to university. However, soon after arriving at university her adoptive father dies & Anne returns home to help look after her mother.
Pip: Great Expectations – Grossed £42,000,000 Philip Pirrip, called Pip, is an orphan who is raised by his sister and her husband. Pip is routinely abused by his sister’s husband. He later escapes his sister’s home by becoming apprenticed to a blacksmith. During this apprenticeship he meets and falls in love with Estella. Pip begins to resent his rank in life and hopes to become a gentleman with financial and social status. A mysterious benefactor makes this dream a reality with a surprise windfall. Pip then becomes a gentleman but soon discovers that money and status does not make him feel fulfilled. Pip after a series of mistakes and poor behaviour loses his fortune and returns home, reuniting with Estella.
Will Hunting: Good Will Hunting – Nominated for 9 Oscars, Won Two, Grossed £174,000,000 Will Hunting was the victim of physical, sexual and emotional abuse as a child. He lived in a series of different children’s homes and foster homes. Will in his adulthood was incredibly intelligent. One day during his shift as a janitor at the prestigious MIT, he completed a complicated equation challenge meant for pupils. The Professor who set the challenge found Will and as part of a bargain with the court, saved him from prison by putting him to work at MIT and assigning him a therapist. Through therapy Will reveals the extent of the lifetime impact the care system has had on him. The relationship with his therapist leads to him having enough self-belief to put his intelligence to use in a career & following the woman he fell in love with.
Jesse: Free Willy – Grossed £118,000,000 Jesse was a young boy, who after being caught stealing food and vandalising a theme park, was placed with a foster family and ordered to carry out community service at the theme park. During his service at the park, he meets Willy, an orca who is being kept at the park to attract visitors. Jesse and Willy bond, before the park manager spots the relationship and attempts to have Jesse host trick shows with Willy. Unhappy at this relationship being exploited, Jesse & his friends create a plan to free Willy and re-unite him with his family. This ultimately succeeds before Jesse goes home to a loving foster family.
John Connor: The Terminator Franchise – Grossed £775,000,000 John Connor is the son of Sarah Connor, an individual who believed that machines under the banner of Skynet were seeking to take over the world and thus begun acts of violent resistance to thwart this plan. As a result of his mother blowing up a computer factory, John is taken into foster care. In his teenager years, a machine disguised as a police officer arrived at the home looking to kill John. However, he was kidnapped before this by The Terminator who believed he was vital to plans to stop machines taking over the world. John and the Terminator come together to fight against the rise of Skynet. John later becomes the leader of the resistance against Skynet.