Non Threatening Boys*: My Big Fat James Spaderthon
Please forgive me for my past ignorance, but 2025 is the year I truly saw James Spader for who he really is: an incredible actor and a lovable freak. I’m often quite slow to pick up on hype and was never truly familiar with his game… until my Easter weekend fixation, which saw me insatiably binge-watching five of his movies back-to-back in less than 24 hours. Thankfully, my eyes have been opened.
I’d initially kicked off proceedings with a rewatch of Secretary, an exceptionally horny film where Maggie Gyllenhaal’s character takes the title role as Spader’s admin assistant. Without spoiling what happens, the story escalates into a power dynamic exploration and inevitably, what it means to submit fully. The film has an enduring appeal with Tumblr-pilled 18-year-olds figuring out the limits of their sexuality, but has had a new influx of interest as Gyllenhaal’s costumes became widely referenced within the office siren trend and the online discourse around the pornification of these unrealistic workwear styles. Enfants Riches Dèprimes recently created a direct replica of the character’s restrained officewear look in their SS25 collection.
