Ryan flashed a warm smile as he accepted the fork and knife handed to him by Ivy. It was these little acts of thoughtfulness that made him appreciate her even more.
He didn't necessarily have to develop a romantic interest; someone with her personality would make an awesome friend to hang out with.
"Ms. Dunhill," Ryan began, his voice casual but sincere, "we're in an era driven by social media buzz, right? So, if our film with Colton gets some extra attention because we're seen hanging out together, it could be a good thing."
Ivy frowned slightly, not quite convinced. She got what Ryan was saying, though.
"I get your point, but if we draw too much focus, it might overshadow the work of the whole crew. That's not ideal."
Despite being relatively new to the scene, Ivy had already learned some of the industry's unwritten rules after enduring her fair share of setbacks.
Their roles as a couple in the film meant that off-screen interactions were inevitable.
They both wanted the film to be a hit with praises and at the box office, but if fans got too wrapped up in shipping them as a real-life couple, it could complicate things later on.
Ivy hoped her audience would appreciate the movie for its storyline, not just the chemistry between the leads.
If altering the entire film to cater to a portion of the audience's preferences leads to a significant deviation from its original direction, it might not be worth the trade-off in the end.
Ryan nodded, understanding. "I totally get where you're coming from, Ms. Dunhill. But our director hasn't raised any concerns, right? If he thought this was bad for the film, he'd be the first to put a stop to it. I mean, Colton's put his heart and soul into this project. He wants it to succeed more than anyone."
Ivy nodded back. "You might be right. Maybe I'm overthinking it."
She was getting the hang of acting, but navigating showbiz was still new territory for her, as it was for Ryan.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Kiss that Sparked it All