1. A computer-implemented method for animating an online identity, comprising: representing the online identity with at least one plurality of at least partially overlapping layers, wherein any portion of an item within one of the layers overlapped by a portion of an item in another layer is obscured from view; assigning a first multimedia animation component and a second multimedia animation component to a layer of said plurality of layers; applying the first multimedia animation component for holding an existing item that is displayed to a user while loading a new item in the second multimedia animation component; and at least partially in response to the new item being fully loaded in the second multimedia animation component, displaying the new item to the user and unloading the existing item from the first multimedia animation component.