Astrid Van Renesslaer

## NextGen

**Astrid Juliette Morgan (neé Van Renesslaer)**, better known as *The Aesthete,* is an artist from Manhattan, New York. She is portrayed by Saoirse Ronan.

> WEAPONIZED INNOCENCE, WILTED FLOWER CROWNS, DRIED PAINT, INK STAINED FINGERTIPS, HUMMING A SWEET MELODY
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## Bio

Astrid Juliette Van Renesslaer was born on march 15th, 1994, the middle child of Emmaline and Roger Van Renesslaer. The Van Renesslaers were an old banking family that had influenced life in America since the Revolutionary War, and the name came with scrutiny and high expectations.

Astrid was, from day one, gentler than her family encouraged. As a young girl she wanted only to make people happy, and at times she would fall into fits of melancholy, seemingly over nothing. As she grew older, she struggled to keep those fits to herself, but she knew her family already thought of her as the weakest of her siblings, and so she continued to push the intense emotions down. Her older sister was set to take over the family banks, and she was a strict, no-nonsense business woman. Her older brother was the rebel of the family, but had forged his own paths of success all the same. Her younger brother was the little prince of the family, a sports star and social elite in their circles.

As she grew, Astrid found art to be the only outlet for the dark emotions she battled, and she found she was innately talented at it. Astrid, typically one to hide in the shadows and be content to let life pass her by, shone as an artist. Her family was accepting, but not supportive, of Astrid's passion. They expected she'd grow out of it and follow in her family's footsteps in a career within business, and they sent her to an ultra competitive prep school in the hopes of fostering that sense in her. Astrid hated it there, and when she graduated, she went on to major in Fine Arts at Columbia University. Art was the first way that Astrid ever defied her family, but it was too important to her to give in.

Despite her family's reservations, Astrid quickly rose in the art world, praised and recognized for her artistic eye and sweet nature. Just three years out of college, Astrid quickly gained fame and reputation as one of the world's best young artists, though with all the pressure on her, Astrid's found it harder and harder to keep her pretty little smile up.

In October of 2020, Astrid had her first solo show, held at Tate Modern and curated by one of Astrid's closest friends, Hugo Teng. She spent the following six months in a whirlwind, achieving the most success and acclaim she'd ever experienced in her career. In the following April, Astrid discovered she was pregnant, and she gave birth to twin girls at the end of December of 2021.

Astrid's postpartum depression left her struggling to create the art she loved so dearly. Instead, she devoted all of her time to caring for her twin daughters, honoring Bo's request that they raise their children without the assistance of a nanny.

Eventually, Astrid found her way back to her craft, and the art world eagerly welcomed her back.

## Relationships

##### Bocephus Morgan

Though the Morgan family and the Van Renesslaer family were old friends, Astrid didn't formally meet Bo until high school, when she was dragged to a party at their boarding school by her older brother, Orion. Panicking after losing Orion to the crowd of high schoolers that Astrid already felt intimidated by, she was accosted by the younger Morgan twins, who took her under their wings from thereon out.

Bo and Astrid in particular, of their group, grew close as the years went on. It quickly became evident to everyone but the two of them that they shared feelings that weren't strictly platonic, but the two denied it for over ten years, when finally, they got together.

Not long after, the couple got pregnant with twins, and their daughters were born. Six years later, following Bo's marriage proposal, Astrid became pregnant with their son.

##### Orion Van Renesslaer

Her big brother and first best friend, Astrid had a special connection with Orion from day one. They were both different from their other family members; though where Orion carried his ostracization with defiance, Astrid internalized hers, anxiously. Orion was Astrid's first and best defender against the criticisms of their parents and the taunts of their siblings, and even from her own crippling fear and self-doubt.

When Orion, after founding his own company, moved to the West Coast, Astrid was heartbroken, but she was determined not to let him know it. The move and company were important to him, that much was clear, and being away from their family was good for him, no matter how much it hurt Astrid.