Hidden details in Black Mirror’s Hotel Reverie make the love story even more devastating

People have noticed blink and you’ll miss it moments in Black Mirror’s Hotel Reverie that add to the details we know about the life of Dorothy Chambers, played by the ever-captivating Emma Corrin.

Hotel Reverie, starring the likes of Emma Corrin, Issa Rae, and Awkwafina, is a devastating companion episode to the earlier San Junipero. Issa Rae’s character Brandy Friday is put inside a movie to remake a classic black and white film under the same name, and after some technical glitches, she and the leading star, Dorothy Chambers, fall in love. Of course, this is a Charlie Brooker story, so there’s obviously a twist at the end and Dorothy winds up dead.

All in all, it’s a pretty sullen episode, especially with the ending, but now, details uncovered by people on Reddit have once again reminded us why Charlie is the goat.

Dorothy’s life before Hotel Reverie was revealed in brief Black Mirror moments

About halfway through the episode, Dorothy finds herself outside of the film and recalling memories from her actual life. Newspaper clippings flash across the scene and people with very quick fingers managed to pause Netflix at just the right moment. The details the articles revealed only adds to the emotional gut punch of the episode.

In a clipping with the headline “Dorothy Chambers set to star in Hope Cove”, it was revealed how Dorothy signed on to a film about “a young woman returning to her hometown after the war, seeking to rebuild her life amidst the picturesque yet emotionally charged setting of Hope Cove.”

The next clipping we see is a report about RKO Studios, an American studio, wanting Dorothy to make her start in Hollywood.

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“Known for her captivating performances on the London stage and her recent success in multiple media pictures, Chambers has caught the attention of Hollywood‘s elite with her talent and magnetic screen presence,” a portion reads.

“Having made her mark in the theatre circuit with critically acclaimed roles in West End productions, Chambers transitioned seamlessly into the world of cinema. Her film debut in Hope Cove, followed by standout performances in My Kingdom for a Pig and Saint Juniper, has showcased her versatility and acting prowess, earning her praise from audiences and critics alike. Now, with RKO Studios expressing keen interest in signing her in a lucrative contract, Chambers stands at the threshold of international fame.”

Amidst headlines about “wicked whispers” and “what is Dorothy hiding”, presumably a reference to her closeted lesbian desires, we then see the announcement for the first Hotel Reverie film starring Ralph Redwell, Adam Marskall, James Turner, and Maisie Robinson.

We then start to see the downfall of Dorothy Chambers

The following headlines painted a picture of Dorothy’s inevitable fall from stardom, and it looks to have started when she left an untitled project by her Hotel Reverie co-star James Turner.

“Chambers, who was set to play a leading role in the highly anticipated film, has not yet disclosed the reasons for her sudden departure, prompting widespread curiosity and conjecture among industry insiders and fans alike,” a snippet from 1950 read. “The announcement was made yesterday by the film‘s production company, which expressed regret over Chambers‘ decision to exit the project.”

The next headline we saw was Dorothy’s retirement from acting, which cited “personal struggles” as the reason for abandoning Hollywood. Another headline suggested Dorothy was visited by a renowned Hollywood psychiatrist during her “self-imposed seclusion.” The final detail the newspapers revealed was Dorothy’s untimely death.

The clippings would lead you to believe that Dorothy’s struggles in life centred around her sexuality. It’s a theme all too familiar to queer viewers, and one that was considerably worse during Dorothy’s age.

You can read the full transcripts of the newspaper clippings here.

Black Mirror season seven is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Featured image credit: Netflix