As odd as it may sound, a movie comprised of button eyes, ghost children and evil “other mothers” has comforted me since its 2009 debut.
This movie, also known as “Coraline,” has remained popular over the years, beyond my attachment, as it was re-released in theaters during the summer of 2024 for its 15th anniversary. I dragged my family to the Aug. 19 showing, further emphasizing my obsession with the movie to them.
That’s why when Vulture released an article about “Coraline” author Neil Gaiman’s sexual assault allegations on Jan. 13, 2025, my mom was quick to notify me. The article went deep into the sexual assault and human trafficking allegations against Gaiman from former nanny Scarlett Palvovich and others.
After reading the article, I checked my social media pages to see what other fans thought about the allegations. To my surprise, I saw no discourse about Gaiman’s actions, despite my social media exploration pages often having Coraline-related content.
While this may correlate with the decreasing percentage of U.S. adults following the news, as only 38% were reported in 2022 by the Pew Research Center, I was not shocked by the lack of accountability for a well-known author like Gaiman.
This was, unfortunately, not the first time an artist I liked did something that warranted accountability or legal action, yet fans failed to follow through.
“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, for instance, has been in the press multiple times for her statements regarding transgender people.
If fans truly value an artist’s work, they must hold them accountable as a person.
In this instance, fans should advocate for justice for Palvovich and other victims in whatever way possible, and avoid funding Gaiman.
For example, in the past, my family has bought “Coraline” merchandise from LAIKA Studios, the animation company that produced the movie, as gifts for me; however, I no longer want to support the company if it is still sending money to Gaiman.
LAIKA Studios has not made a statement at this time, but a UK stage production of “Coraline” was canceled following the allegations, according to Deadline.
Generally, authors do not receive backend compensation or residuals after a movie is made from their books, according to Beverly Boy Productions. On average, they earn a one-time rate that is 2 to 3 percent of the production budget.
If they, for some reason, did receive residuals, though, obtaining second-hand physical media of a book or movie is a great way to avoid supporting these individuals.
Additionally, small businesses on sites like Etsy and Redbubble are alternatives to author or artist sites if one still wants to support the art, but not the artist.
Ultimately, as much as I love “Coraline,” my love for the story cannot outweigh my responsibility as a consumer and, most importantly, my moral obligation to advocate for the women impacted by Gaiman’s reprehensible offenses.
The choice of where to spend our money, attention and advocacy is an important decision we make every day and a powerful one that should always prioritize justice over blind loyalty and nostalgia.
Cecilia Wallace can be contacted at wall1238@stthomas.edu.
