I am a film and media studies scholar and teacher with a particular interest in commercial genre cinema, documentary film, the Hollywood film industry, stardom, and celebrity humanitarianism. My research and teaching are principally concerned with examining the links between popular culture and broader social, industrial, and political forces. I have published a number of articles and chapters in this area, looking at topics such as the Trump-era horror film and film star campaigning.  

I recently published a book on the Fast & Furious franchise, co-edited with Dr Sarah Feinstein (University of Leeds) and Dr Fraser Elliott (University of Edinburgh). Full-Throttle Franchise (Bloomsbury 2023) is the first academic book devoted to Fast & Furious: it brings together a range of scholars to explore not only the style and themes of the franchise, but also its broader cultural impact and legacy. 

I was awarded my PhD at University of Manchester in 2017. My Arts & Humanities Research Council-funded doctoral project explored the charitable and political activities of contemporary Hollywood stars including Angelina Jolie and George Clooney, looking specifically at how the on-screen roles of these individuals intersect with their humanitarianism.

Prior to taking up my post at Liverpool Hope University, I worked as an associate lecturer and graduate teaching assistant at University of Manchester. From 2017-18, I worked as a film studies tutor for the Sefton Council Autism Hubs Project, which offered filmmaking opportunities to adults with Asperger's.

Teaching specialisms:

Film studies

Star studies and celebrity

Identity and cinema

Documentary film

Media industries 

School roles:

Level C / First Year Coordinator for Film & Visual Culture

Assessment Coordinator for Film & Media Arts cluster

Select publications:

Edited book on Fast & Furious (Bloomsbury 2023)

Article on film star campaigning in Celebrity Studies Journal (2019) 

Chapter on the representation of women in the Trump-era horror film in Make America Hate Again: Trump-Era Horror & the Politics of Fear (Routledge, 2019)

Chapter on George Clooney's Nespresso endorsement in The Political Economy of Celebrity Activism (Routledge, 2019)

Chapter on the relationship between Angelina Jolie's charitable work and her film career in Lasting Screen Stars (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016)

Organisations / affiliations:

Member of British Association for Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS)

Fellow of Higher Education Academy (HEA)