A Character & Family Thread

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] [name_f]Reverie[/name_f] [name_u]Collins[/name_u] (18) is Dodie’s pen-pal who now lives in Los [name_u]Angeles[/name_u], [name_u]California[/name_u] for university. After moving coasts, [name_u]Adair[/name_u] realised that she loves [name_u]California[/name_u] so much more than she ever loved [name_f]Florida[/name_f], and plans on living there after college.

[name_u]Adair[/name_u] is an aspiring film major who wants to be a director for a major company someday, but she’s started a small ‘company’ of her other film friends called [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions, where they specialise in films with darker themes. She takes a lot of inspiration from her childhood— Adair’s parents were born-again Christians and they have their share of religious trauma.

Although [name_u]Adair[/name_u] is sad that most of their friends have experienced the themes in their short films to a certain degree, she thinks it’s quite beautiful that they are turning their pain into art.

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[name_f]Maleah[/name_f] " [name_u]Mal[/name_u] " [name_m]Arjin[/name_m] Tayar (19) is a fellow member of [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions, who serves as head cinematographer and is a very close friend of Adair’s. Working on films has been a long term dream of Mal’s which began when she started exploring international media in her pre-teens, specifically Kurdish works in relation to her heritage. She’s very experimental and daring in how she stylises her work, being very grateful for how [name_u]Adair[/name_u] doesn’t just allow but encourages these freedoms, and the two can spend hours discussing their projects, spurred on by mutual imaginative power.

Her family lives in [name_m]Washington[/name_m] and she communications with them frequently, although visits used to be tricky thanks to the costs. [name_u]Mal[/name_u] does some tutoring to help give her extra income while film production is wrapping up and this is what primarily goes towards her gas money for the drive, as she’ll take other members of the company and drop them off too. She’s very close with her mom, her biggest supporter, who always sings her praises - even if [name_u]Mal[/name_u] gets a tad embarrassed by this.

Recently her brother - who’s only a year older - starred in one of the films they made and [name_u]Mal[/name_u] was delighted everything went smoothly. She knows she’s someone prone to worrying easily, being a natural perfectionist with constant high standards for herself, yet this environment had helped [name_u]Mal[/name_u] loosen up considerably and this environment not only lets her thrive but enjoy work to the fullest. Her roommate is another part of the crew who’s also her best friend and the two are known for being inseparable, having a complex series of in-jokes only they fully understand.

[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] [name_f]Eve[/name_f] [name_m]Wright[/name_m] (18) is Mal’s roommate and head scriptwriter for [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions. [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] skipped a grade in middle school, making her one of the youngest in their year. Because [name_u]Mal[/name_u] and [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] live together, the script often allows for [name_u]Mal[/name_u] to take a lot of artistic freedom with her shots, as [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] knows more than most that’s how her roommate likes to film. She’s extremely picky with who she casts, though, and oftentimes butts heads with [name_u]Adair[/name_u] on how she thinks her characters should be.

Originally, [name_u]Adair[/name_u] wanted [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] to be a recurring actress for one of their films— but didn’t realise [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] was selectively mute and couldn’t reliably do scenes at the time of asking. [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] definitely wants to explore acting in one of their films sometime in the future, but is happy being behind the scenes for now. Her two fathers are extremely proud of their daughter’s accomplishments, and often goes to their screenings.

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[name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] " [name_f]Tasia[/name_f] " [name_f]Therese[/name_f] Dzemidovich (18) is one of the prominent recurring actresses featured in [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions filmography, who was recommended by [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] thanks to the pair already being good friends. They actually met as children at a speech and language centre, as when [name_f]Tasia[/name_f] first moved from Baranovichi, she refused to speak anything but her mother tongue as she felt it would convince her parents to take her home - greatly missing her cousins, who she saw as the siblings she’d always wanted. She still feels a strong connection Belarus and loves cooking traditional dishes for when the production team have their communal lunch breaks, which pretty much everyone contributes to.

In spite of opting to become an actress, [name_f]Tasia[/name_f] is naturally quite stoic and quiet, diligently learning her lines but never being too chatty unless engaged by someone she clicks with. She takes her roles seriously and feels a connection to the characters she plays, feeling she owes [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] the right to see her creations fully realised and embodied in the most authentic, natural ways. Recently, [name_f]Tasia[/name_f] also starred in a horror web series on YouTube that’s bolstered her status in acting circles but is staunchly loyal to the company she started in and prioritises their projects above other roles she’s offered.

Her parents are very proud of her accomplishments and have seen every project she’s starred in, something [name_f]Tasia[/name_f] sometimes finds a bit embarrassing if she’s playing a more villainous or out there role, as like her, they’re typically very reserved and aloof people.

[name_f]Angelique[/name_f] [name_f]Frances[/name_f] “Angie” [name_u]Bristol[/name_u] (18) is the makeup artist and costume designer of [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions. [name_u]Angie[/name_u] didn’t plan on being part of the team permanently— she was the only one of the group with no prior ties to the rest of the members and was asked by [name_u]Bellamy[/name_u] as a favour, as the two shared a class. However, [name_u]Angie[/name_u] realised she loved working on set and readily volunteered to be an extra and the makeup artist. A British native who immigrated to the U.S, [name_f]Angelique[/name_f] is working very hard to keep her accent, though some Americanisms have snuck their way into her vocabulary.

[name_u]Angie[/name_u] is currently double majoring in both visual art and biology. Despite her cutesy, coquettish appearance, she’s always had an interest in STEM and realised she couldn’t give up either of her passions. She wishes to become either an SFX artist or a scientific illustrator, but her career’s leaning towards the former due to her position at [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions. Outside of school, she lives with her older brother and his boyfriend, often doing makeup looks on the both of them.

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[name_m]Etienne[/name_m] " Tien " [name_u]James[/name_u] [name_u]Bristol[/name_u] (23) is Angie’s older brother and official guardian now she’s moved to the U.S. Tien’s decision to move was influenced by he and Angie’s mum: a French-Canadian woman who used to be a travel writer before settling down into motherhood and she encouraged her children to spread their wings as soon as possible. Her son decided to take the plunge three years ago after graduating university and not finding much work in his chosen subject of visual communications in the [name_u]South[/name_u] of [name_u]England[/name_u], however overseas provided a tonne of opportunities he decided to pursue - as retail work was sucking Tien’s soul quicker by the day and he didn’t want to accumulate those student loans for nothing. Having always been a laidback person whose easygoing nature allows for a calm form of charisma, Tien wasn’t phased by the changes of moving, and quickly began making friends once he’d settled into his career - meeting his boyfriend at a local music venue he was talked into attending by his colleague, who’s gone onto be one of his closest friends, and they roomed together before Tien and his boyfriend were ready to move into their own place.

He’s still close with his numerous British friends though - visiting them or inviting them out to stay - and has made it clear to [name_u]Angie[/name_u] she’s welcome to do the same. Tien’s always careful when matching the personalities of his friend groups though as time has taught him about conflict, and he avoids it like the plague given he just wants everyone happy. Right now they’re preparing for their younger sister to spend part of her summer holiday with them, as while she’s much more of a homebody who’s clear she’s happy in the U.K., coming over is something she was never going to turn down. Thanks to his degree and job, Tien has done some freelance work for [name_u]Raven[/name_u] Productions too but isnt overly involved as he likes giving his sister her space. They’re close but not in an overbearing manner and prioritise each other’s happiness, only speaking about concerns they feel are valid. Tien’s boyfriend was especially relieved by this as he wasn’t sure how [name_u]Angie[/name_u] would react to him, partially due to Tien having never dated much prior to meeting him, as he wasn’t just wrapped up in work but had a bad experience at uni where someone he dated tried turning mutual friends against him out of petty spite once Tien asked they end things - so finding someone he knows sincerely respects, understands and returns his feelings means a great deal to the eldest [name_u]Bristol[/name_u] sibling.

[name_m]Henrik[/name_m] [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] [name_u]Montgomery[/name_u] (23) is Tien’s boyfriend. [name_u]An[/name_u] up-and-coming model, [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] met Tien when he had a day off. [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] couldn’t get the other man out of his head after they had parted ways for the night, and was thankful he was tipsy enough to ask for Tien’s number, but sober enough that he didn’t forget it. Once the couple got more serious, [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] warned Tien from the very beginning that he had intense schedules due to modelling and because of that he isn’t the best with texting. Thankfully, Tien was very understanding and [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] is pleasantly surprised that they’re still going strong.

When he told his older sister that no, he couldn’t go clubbing because he had a boyfriend, [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] was met with utter and complete surprise. During his late teen years, [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] was known as the Heartbreaker: boys and girls alike were told to stay away from him because he didn’t have any relationship last longer than a month. He had severe commitment issues stemming from the nasty divorce his mother went through during his younger years: the lack of stability at home left [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] anxious and he despised the idea of people leaving him. As he got older, [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] rationalised this by thinking “if I make them leave, then it’s under my control”. His best friend knew why he was doing this, but hated how other people were caught up in the collateral damage. It took meeting Tien for [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] to realise that he hated the cycle he got used to, and is now trying to confront his bad habits as he dates Tien.

Something awkward’s happening, though: the press is making dating rumours between him and a model friend, but they’re both in relationships. [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] thinks it’s funny and so does his friend, but they’re starting to notice that both their comments sections are getting flooded by the same thing…

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[name_f]Sanne[/name_f] [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] [name_u]Montgomery[/name_u] (26) is Henrik’s older sister, who tends to be his voice of advise…and reason most of the time. Working as a fashion magazine journalist, the sibling’s haven’t crossed paths professionally yet, but [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] isn’t opposed to the idea - as long as there’s no interference in her writing process, as she’s very much someone who needs quiet and space to get her thoughts together for an article. Being older, [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] has clearer memories of the unpleasant divorce between their mom and stepfather; specifically his threats of ruining her life and career, with no compassion for the children dragged in the middle of things. This led to [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] becoming very protective of her mother and she can sometimes offer [name_m]Henrik[/name_m] unsolicited advise, that’s appreciated or disliked in varying degrees depending on the situation. She’s fully aware of her Type A traits, but Sanne’s come to terms with her character, and does her best to reel in her urge to intervene, as she knows she can’t stop every potential bad thing from happening - no matter how much she wishes it were possible.

Outside of working, [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] fosters guide dogs and owns a rescue lab of her own named Marshmallow. She’s someone who prioritises quiet and relaxation based activities: enjoying yoga, swimming and audiobooks, as they combat her inclination to stress nicely. If you go on a night out with her she’s definitely the ‘mum friend’ but very loyal, compassionate and willing to listen if ever asked, having infinite time for those she cares for. More recently, [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] has begun learning to crochet and is already very fond of this, having made gifts for her mom and brother already - even if she’s not the proudest and wants to improve her craft to create bonnets and hats.

While Henrik’s relationship with Tien surprised her, Sanne’s hopeful and wants nothing more than to see them happy together. With the intrusion of the media becoming more prevalent, she’s made it clear she’ll always be there if her brother needs her, being worried his dating history could lead to him being dragged into slander or having accusations made about him. Sanne’s mutual friends with some of Henrik’s fellow models too, and is working on a series of pieces depicting their lives/experiences/opinions, to not only combat stereotypes and prejudice assumptions, but to provide to voices to those overlooked and dismissed. She’s living with two of her friends, one’s a model and the other an up-and-coming podcast creator, but has plans to move out with her significant other soon - as all three need new accommodation due to changes in their lives and careers. It isn’t a point of contention between anyone and they’ve made it clear their new houses will always be open to one another.

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[name_f]Daniela[/name_f] [name_f]Fernanda[/name_f] " [name_u]Dani[/name_u] " [name_m]Reyes[/name_m] (24) is one of Sanne’s roommates and is one with the podcast. At the rise of so many so-called “alpha male podcasts” that were just full of misogynistic men who were sad they couldn’t get dates, [name_u]Dani[/name_u], her girlfriend, and two other friends decided to make a podcast. Initially, it was satire and it made fun of those people, but it slowly branched off into a mix of politics, women’s rights, and activism. [name_u]Dani[/name_u] would have chosen to live with [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] for longer (Dani adores her and considers [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] her platonic life partner), but the place her girlfriend had found has a place where they could record their podcast in, and [name_u]Dani[/name_u] knows she can’t say no to that.

[name_u]Dani[/name_u] is the youngest of six siblings, all raised by her mother and grandmother who taught them how to treat women right. With three boys and three girls, Dani’s mother made sure to teach her boys to be kind and in touch with their feelings, and her girls to not take any crap from any man (or woman, in Dani’s case). Her father died when [name_u]Dani[/name_u] was two, but from what she heard from her older siblings, her father was an amazing man who taught her brothers how to escape from toxic masculinity. Because she was raised in a very progressive household, [name_u]Dani[/name_u] never had moments where she was belittled, and if she did, her siblings took care of it for her.

It took until high school for [name_u]Dani[/name_u] to realise society doesn’t work like her home life does. She thinks it’s quite a shame: the way misogyny (and the patriarchy) hurts both genders is very insidious and believes that gender equality would benefit everyone as a whole. Not everyone thinks like [name_u]Dani[/name_u], though: she’s received death threats through her social media and gets a lot of hate, but [name_u]Dani[/name_u] learned at the beginning of her career she couldn’t linger on the negative comments.

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Li-wei " [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] " [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] Yang (25) is the final roommate and person who serves as a listening ear to both [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] and [name_u]Dani[/name_u] most consistently as her job tends to have the least stress involved. In a situation she jokes is ‘bizarre’, Lizbeth’s an illustrator who works on graphic novels and also on children’s books (this was the surprise to her); finding her artistry incredibly relaxing and much more fulfilling than what she was studying at university. Starting out as a medical major, [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] found the pressure absolutely intolerable and it caused her to drop out, after after approach of exams caused her to start having significantly worsening panic attacks. It took her over a month to build up to telling her parents she’d left the course, getting a job in a library and moving in with [name_u]Dani[/name_u] (who she met purely by chance when both of them were looking for a roommate and found they clicked on their first meet up), and their relationships remained a little distant since then; as [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] felt quite unsupported and received little encouragement to engage with therapy, with it being treated like a top priority secret. She loves her family in spite of this, especially her younger sister who she is still very close to, and they’re moving in together once Lizbeth’s lease with [name_u]Dani[/name_u] and [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] finishes.

Due to Lizbeth’s projects focusing on inclusivity and writing discussing social concepts/issues, including misogyny, she talks to [name_u]Dani[/name_u] a lot about the industry the younger woman works in and thinks she’s incredibly strong for weathering all the hate she gets. Marshmallow is absolutely adored by her too, and Lizbeth’s the first to offer if Sanne’s tired from work and has a walk on her hands; with plans being made by her and her sister to get their own dog once they’ve settled in their apartment together. Being the oldest is something she and [name_f]Sanne[/name_f] have bonded over while living together - especially due to how they both desire to help their siblings without intruding (Sanne jokes [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] is more successful though, as she’s definitely the more restrained and easygoing one of the two of them). In spite of her performance anxiety, socialising gels perfectly for [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f], and if you go out with her she’s probably befriended several people by the end of the night, often unintentionally. One of Lizbeth’s friends has offered to work as a social media manager, but she suspects is because they have a crush on [name_u]Dani[/name_u], and while she never wants to stand in the way of happiness, [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] doesn’t want to force her way into anyone’s love life.

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Xin-wei [name_f]Alice[/name_f] Yang (21) is Lizbeth’s little sister and a rising senior at university. After [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] dropped out of university, a lot of the pressure they had put on her sister fell onto her— which was ironic because [name_f]Alice[/name_f] was the de-facto disappointment sibling. A visual arts and graphic design double major, [name_f]Alice[/name_f] heard so many disparaging comments from her parents, ranging from whether she could get a job out of college or the off-comment that [name_f]Alice[/name_f] was going to starve to death. This was odd because their parents favoured [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] over her until the incident. [name_f]Alice[/name_f] has told her sister about this, and they both laughed at how ridiculous their parents’ standards are. She’s just grateful she can share this experience with her sister, as their relationship during adolescence wasn’t the best.

[name_f]Alice[/name_f] has a growing following on TikTok and Instagram due to her artwork, characterised by its soft colour palettes and incredibly detailed backgrounds. Unlike her sister, who does illustrations for books, [name_f]Alice[/name_f] makes money through commissions and selling prints of her work. Her best friend, who happens to be her roommate until their lease is up, also promotes Alice’s work, even going as far as to commission [name_f]Alice[/name_f] to do work for the university’s literary magazine. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though she’s content with her success, [name_f]Alice[/name_f] feels her heart ache whenever she thinks about sharing her victories with her parents. The Yang sisters’ parents are doctors, and [name_f]Lizbeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Alice[/name_f] know that sharing their victories would only bring unwanted comments.

Unlike her sister, [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is introverted and has a small circle of real-life and online friends. Which makes it stranger that [name_f]Alice[/name_f], who prefers to stay at home most days, always looks forward to hanging out with a new friend she met a month ago. Her friends say it’s a crush, but that can’t be true… right?

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[name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] [name_m]Javier[/name_m] Cerezo (20) is a friend of Alice’s who met her because he’s the maternal cousin of [name_u]Dani[/name_u]. Growing up, the two parts of the family had intermittent contact as [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] was raised in [name_f]Colombia[/name_f] - where his dad’s from, and his mom moved there because his paternal grandfather needed long term care due to having MS, and Joaquin’s dad was the only family member trusted with this. In spite of being from different households, the same sentiment is shared in the Cerezo family thanks to how Joaquin’s mom stuck by his grandmother’s teachings and made sure her three son’s respect women and actively fight for gender equality. As the middle child, [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] tended to be the most adventurous and quickly developed an interest in travel to see more of the world, participating in an exchange with a Californian school when he was 16 to visit the States; spending more time with his aunt and cousins in the process afterwards, when he travelled to visit them. While he enjoys roaming, [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] also is someone who actively embraces company and dislikes being alone, as he used to hang back a lot which is something he doesn’t want to experience again.

He and Alice’s friendship was initially online based, but changed when [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] moved to attend university as an international student, opting to major in [name_m]History[/name_m] as it’s become an increasing point of fascination for him; especially the Aztec period in [name_u]South[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u]. It did surprise his parents a little, as he’s someone who always seems more interested in being outside hiking or free climbing, but when [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] wants something he can produce very good results - and his grades proved no different when he began planning on attending uni close to [name_f]Alice[/name_f]. Being so capable socially causes some people to be wary of him - as it’s impossible to imagine the isolated and nervous boy [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] once was - but his sarcastic sense of humour wins people over once he’s given a chance (and he’s always willing to make the effort). Through a fellow member of the Industrial [name_f]Music[/name_f] Society he joined, [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] met his girlfriend, someone he treasures dearly and their ideal dates are urban exploring together or listening to the Alt stations in [name_f]Colombia[/name_f] [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m] and his older brother grew up obsessed with.

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[name_f]Silvia[/name_f] [name_f]Socorro[/name_f] Cerezo (16) is a cousin of [name_m]Joaquin[/name_m], who’s lived in [name_u]California[/name_u] all her life. Her father, Joaquin’s twin brother, actually moved to [name_u]California[/name_u] with him, both in search of a better life. [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] has two older brothers (as well as a baby sister who’s 7), who are very protective of her, and rightly so as she’s one of the most popular girls in school. And for good reasons, as Silvia’s ebullient and warm friendliness is why many of her schoolmates adore her. Always seen with a different boyfriend every week, [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is often indecisive when it comes to romantic feelings and she’s flighty, never settling on one. Luckily her parents have educated her on pregnancies and she’s not doing anything like that with her boyfriends yet, keeping their “relationships” to holding hands and going out for ice cream and nothing more.

[name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is also a cheerleader for her high school. She’s a flier, and she attributes her skill to her small figure and her natural athleticism. But what she wants to pursue in her real life is acting. Her dream is to take on the stage and maybe even be in her own television show. [name_m]Even[/name_m] as a baby, [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] was a very expressive child and her parents were shocked and often amazed at how much emotion she could covey into a facial expression. She’s also a great liar, and manages to convince people to do whatever she wants with her innocent-looking puppy-eyes. Her whole family believes she can do it, and she’s hoping that her dream becomes a reality.

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