Amelia Vanek

Amelia Vanek is the main protagonist of The Babadook. She is portrayed by Essie Davis.

The Babadook
Amelia Venek is a single mother and widow, having lost her late husband in an automobile accident on her way to the hospital to give birth to her only child, Samuel. Amelia struggles in her single-parent role and demonstrates signs of an affective disorder including difficulty sleeping, poor energy (“nothing 5 years of sleep wouldn’t fix”), irritability (e.g. she frequently yells at Samuel), feelings of guilt, and perhaps most of all, cognitive deficits in concentration and memory. The latter is most striking as she has significant gaps in memory related to a book titled “The Babadook.”

In addition to caring for Samuel, Amelia works full-time at a nursing home where she is an aide on Wing A which is a Neurocognitive Unit. Amelia also appears to be the primary social support for her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Roach, who herself is afflicted with a neurological disorder, specifically, Parkinson’s disease.