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Of Mice and Minions : ‘Ani-embodiment’ and ‘Metonymic Celebrity’ in the Theme Park Character Encounter

This chapter explores the activity of meeting characters within theme parks which provides the opportunity to meet recognizable ‘stars’ from Disney (such as the Princesses and Villains) or Universal (including Shrek, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons and the Minions). It considers how meeting characters provides an avenue for adult fans to present their own preferences regarding characters, films or brands despite their awareness that these characters are not ‘real’. It argues that theme park meet-and-greets necessitate complex negotiations of immersion, participation and affective attachment. Introducing the concepts of ani-embodiment and metonymic celebrity, the chapter explores what it means to view character interactions as forms of celebrity encounter, and how this complicates established dichotomies of ordinary/celebrity, star/character, and live-action/animation.