A thirsty bit-part TV actress is publicly dumped by her Hollywood heartthrob husband and gains a starring movie role on condition that she maintain a pathetic public image.

SYNOPSIS:

Actress Maddie Danz dreams of being a star but she’s playing Cook #3 in a corny teen sitcom while her heartthrob husband Cliff stars in a blockbuster with Hollywood supernova Antonella.

Maddie discovers an Oscar-vehicle script on Cliff’s desk and is ecstatic to think that he’s planning to elevate her from mediocrity to stardom, but when she finally gets the chance to dine out with Cliff and thank him for the project, he announces he wants a divorce. Maddie is shocked and asks what will happen to the script. Cliff says the part is for Antonella. Maddie wails, losing it in front of paparazzi who capture the moment of her meltdown into a puddle of sheer jealousy.

Maddie’s viral meltdown video catches the eye of the Director of a feature called ‘Bitter Betty’ about a loser in love. The Director offers the part to Maddie, who signs on to star in the film and is ecstatic, not even caring that the contract includes a clause mandating that she maintain her public image as a scorned woman.

Maddie does press stunts crying about Cliff and Antonella while shooting ‘Bitter Betty.’ The movie generates huge buzz as audiences speculate about Maddie’s lonely life and incurable jealousy. Cliff tries to get Maddie to stop but she’s in too deep.

The only one to pierce Maddie’s ego is her accent coach, Jackson, who sees – and cares about – the real her. They fall into a blissful courtship but when the movie is about to be released and the publicity escalates, Maddie follows instructions to remain publicly bitter and single, hiding Jackson, who, disgusted that she puts fame before their relationship, breaks up.

The night before the big premiere, the buzz around the film morphs online into the ‘Bitter Betty Challenge’ to take dangerous revenge against former lovers. Maddie sees how destructive this is but her PR team loves it. She tries to seize the narrative to denounce the trend but is locked out of her own social media accounts.

At the premiere, Maddie watches the film and realizes the line between she and Bitter Betty has completely blurred. She leaves the auditorium and wanders through the theater until she finds a basement bathroom where she strips, pulls out her hair extensions, smears off her makeup and throws on a cleaning staff uniform.

Looking such a fright no one recognizes her, Maddie returns to the auditorium, where the MC calls on her to speak. She ascends the podium and delivers a scathing indictment, not of show business or her peers, who she extolls, but of herself for putting fame before people. She announces she is quitting acting.

The watching world can’t quite tell if Maddie is pulling yet another PR stunt to promote the film. Only one person among the many reporters who have amassed at her door knows the truth. It’s Jackson, and he forgives all, ready to be part of Maddie’s new life.