cw: cheating mentioned [not this character but an established story]
[name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] [name_f]Rebecca[/name_f] [name_u]Mika[/name_u] (19), known professionally as [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] [name_u]Mercer[/name_u], is considered Dido’s protégé of sorts. Having worked together on two projects now - first a modelling shoot and subsequently an indie psychological thriller, Quarter Past Twelve - Ophelie’s kept in regular contact with her unofficial mentor, even now she’s in [name_u]New[/name_u] [name_u]York[/name_u], settling into an apartment with three close friends [one of whom is the assistant and menteee of a respected composer, the other two are in school], while working on a new independent horror film: The Empty [name_m]Fields[/name_m]. It was [name_f]Dido[/name_f] who helped [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] regain confidence in [name_u]French[/name_u]: a language she excelled at speaking in school, however upon coming to [name_u]Paris[/name_u] she was terrified to embarass herself. Her other primary cause of initial crippling shyness around fellow cast and crew members is because of the perception she’s merely a nepo baby, getting by on connections and birth name.
The [name_u]Mika[/name_u] family have long been involved in the film and modelling industry, stemming from Ophelie’s great-grandfather - an actor who progressed into directing, specialising in surrealist films - and she’s not the only one in her family to be currently working. Her dad’s a casting agent, her sister’s a model, and one of her cousins is an FX artist, specialising in digital processes. When [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] realised she wanted to become an actress she almost talked herself out of it, the anxiety she’s been experiencing since she was 12 coming out in full force until she spoke to her mother. Ophelie’s mom is the furthest thing from the Mika’s: being a historian and curator whose happiest removed from glitz, glamour and headlines [although Ophelie’s inherited interests are primarily romantic literature, something she jokes her mom must despair over], not that it’s always an easy process.
There was a considerable scandal when it was revealed Ophelie’s sister, [name_f]Adrienne[/name_f] [now 20], was cheating on her then-girlfriend with an aspiring model, [name_f]Jessamine[/name_f]. The age and maturity gap between the two made [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] very uncomfortable - as it was obvious [name_f]Jessamine[/name_f] merely wanted to cause discord for her own ends - however she and her sister struggled in their own relationship, as [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] couldn’t believe [name_f]Adrienne[/name_f] threw away someone who evidently adored her just for a brief rush of gratification. Dido’s been someone who’s helped [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] a lot in overcoming her confusion and dismay, as well as unintentionally rebuilding her faith in relationships in principle, as the sincerity between [name_f]Dido[/name_f] and her fiancée. The sister’s are on better terms now, and the conflict of the situation is perhaps what [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] struggled with the most: [name_f]Adrienne[/name_f] was clearly manipulated by [name_f]Jessamine[/name_f] but still chose to engage in the affair, and the pointlessness of the whole thing is what caused so much heartache for everyone involved.
Amidst moving into her new place, organising the heaps of crotchet projects [name_f]Ophelie[/name_f] put on the back burner while filming, and trying to talk her dad out of throwing an insane anniversary party for her mom, Ophelie’s attentions have been distracted from the fact The Empty [name_m]Fields[/name_m] assistant sound technician blatantly has quite the crush on her…even if she’s admitted to herself they’re pretty cute.
Jessamine & Adrienne are credited to @babynamesfactory