Heather McNamara, portrayed by Lisanne Falk, is one of the Heathers, and a supporting character in the cult classic film Heathers. She is the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad at Westerburg High and is arguably the nicest of the Heathers. Heather McNamara's signature color is yellow, symbolizing her cautious and timid nature.
Early Life
Not much is actually known about Heather McNamara's early life other than that she became one of the three Heathers prior to her Junior year. Her parents are divorced. It is revealed that she suffers from depression during a call into the popular radio show "Hot Probz".
Appearance
Heather McNamara has long, wavy blonde hair and brown eyes and tanned skin. She wears the colour yellow throughout the whole film as her signature color. She also has a slight lisp, like the other Heathers.
After Heather Chandler's death, in some scenes, she wears either yellow or gray and black clothes. This likely symbolizes that she is trying to cope through her depression and life, and possibly trying to cope and find her place after Chandler's death. After Heather Duke embarrasses her, she wears black. This symbolizes that she has hit her lowest point and there is no hope to see any more.
Personality
One of the nicest characters in the whole film, she looks quite friendly and open. She doesn't seem to have a close relationship with Chandler or Duke, but Chandler seems to trust Heather enough to let her into their clique and speaks to her in a much kinder way than she speaks to Duke. Nearing the end of the movie, she reveals that she has depression and admits to Veronica that she is not very strong-willed or independent, saying that if everyone else jumped off a bridge, she probably would too. Heather McNamara spends most of her time with the Heathers playing croquet at Veronica's house.
One could argue that she has a codependent, submissive personality as she seems to always need an alpha but never attempts to dominate herself. Of all the girls, McNamara is the weakest and most easily influenced. This is evident in her dynamic with several people. First, her relationship with Chandler is one of submission as a henchwoman i.e. her delivery of Martha's note and her gathering of Veronica to the cafeteria early in the movie. Without Chandler, her role at this point seems undefined, undeveloped and perhaps even nonexistent, possibly hinting her redundancy in the clique.
Her relationship to men seems to be one of an acceptance of abusive inferiority. Her date with Ram which was suppose to not involve cow tipping ended with just that and implied date rape, which doesn't seem to phase McNamara at any other point in the film. It is alluded that this behavior is common, and McNamara is aware of it, among the guys of the school as Veronica indicates her participation in the double date with Ram is contingent on it not involving cow tipping.
Upon Chandler's death, Duke's ascendance to the head of the pack is met with no challenge from McNamara. With Duke at the head of the Heathers group, McNamara demonstrates an almost aimlessness without her alpha. Her phone call to the radio station to complain of her life is clearly a sign she is trying to communicate with the other girls albeit passively, and the aggressive reaction from Duke throws McNamara into a shame spiral which causes her to attempt suicide.
The new leader did not respond the way McNamara had possibly hoped for, possibly her attempt of a cry for help from the girls. It is unclear whether McNamara would have actually ended her life at this point, but it is clear she did stand down and submit to her new alpha after the acknowledgement of support from her friend was provided via shoe shopping. This demonstrates how fickle her character is as the aggressiveness of one girl leads to death and the kindness of another leads to sudden renewed life.
Relationships
Veronica Sawyer
Heather McNamara is arguably the closest friend to Veronica Sawyer of the three Heathers. The duo goes on a double date with Kurt and Ram with Heather referring to Veronica as her best friend. Veronica later stops Heather from committing suicide after Heather Duke bullies her, and they skip school to go shopping afterward.
Heather Chandler
Not much of a relationship is shown between Heather Chandler and Heather McNamara. Heather Chandler appears to trust Heather McNamara enough to make several requests of her throughout the film and allowing her to join the Heathers. Heather McNamara is always seen with her arm around Heather Chandler showing that they are comfortable enough to have friendly physical contact.
Heather Duke
Heather Duke and Heather McNamara do not seem particularly close, with Heather McNamara showing no concern for Heather Duke’s bulimia in the beginning of the film, and in turn Duke relentlessly humiliates McNamara's depression and weak will, clearly not caring of her suffering nor even her life. Heather McNamara follows Heather Duke's orders after the death of Heather Chandler. After learning about Heather McNamara's depression and suicidal feelings, Heather Duke decides to embarrass her, causing McNamara to attempt suicide.
Ram Sweeney
Heather McNamera has a crush on Ram Sweeney in the film. She goes on a double date with Veronica, Kurt, and Ram.
Attempted Suicide
Heather McNamara calls into a popular radio show known as "Hot Probz", she tells the host her name is Heather but retracts and says her name is Madonna instead and eventually settles with Tweety. She explains her depression, how the last boy she had sex with committed suicide, she's failing math, she didn't make it as cheerleading captain and that her parents were divorced.
Veronica talking Heather out of suicide.
Veronica Sawyer and Heather Duke overhear the show, which prompts Heather Duke to bully Heather McNamara the next day at school. Heather McNamara runs out of the classroom and to the bathroom where she attempts suicide by overdosing on prescription drugs. Veronica runs into the bathroom to stop her. After a brief but impactful talk, the two decide to skip the rest of the school day and go shopping.
Quotes
- "Yeah, where's your urge to purge?"
- "Suicide is a private thing."
- "God has cursed me, I think. The last guy I had sex with killed himself the next day. I'm failing math. I was supposed to be cheerleading captain..."
- "Do they even have Thanksgiving in Africa?"
- "Probably." - Response to Veronica asking "If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?"
- "God, they won't expel him, they'll just suspend him for a week or something."
- “Fucking child protector caps.”
- "Gross."