I take a deep breath and scan the audience, my gaze eventually landing on a middle-aged woman a few rows back who’s watching me through narrowed eyes. She’s wondering what they all are: why I’m hesitating, what could possibly be stopping me from jumping at the chance to re-create a romantic scene with their fictional dream man.Unresolved feelings, perhaps?When her head slants disapprovingly, I know my time for stalling is up.
“Anything for Seafolly,” I say through gritted teeth, following it up with a double thumbs-up in lieu of further speech I can’t seem to find at the moment. I don’t have to look Ryder’sway to know he’s grinning like he just won the lottery. His smug satisfaction fogs the air between us thicker than the muggy Charleston humidity.
The conversation pivots to our upcoming films, and once Nate and Jase finish sharing about their current projects, the spotlight swings back to me—only this time, I don’t mind. Finally, something Iwantto talk about.
“You may have heard about my next film, the story of actress-turned-spy Elise Rhodes,” and I’m interrupted by eager applause from the audience. “I’ve been searching for a project like this for years. Female-led films can be hard to get off the ground, but we’ve assembled a talented team and everyone is committed to getting it right. I’ll have my hands full with producing and acting, but I’m up for the challenge. It’s such a passion project for me, and I can’t wait to start shooting.”
“What about you, Ryder?” Dr. Wynn asks. “Any upcoming projects to plug?”
I twist toward him and see he’s watching me with interest, head tilted, his expression…proud? The latent heat in his eyes strikes a match in my chest.
“Wow. Hard to follow that, isn’t it?” he says to the crowd, spurring more wild applause, and I flush, a little embarrassed.Did I get carried away?
With one last smile at me, he turns back toward Dr. Wynn. “I don’t have any upcoming projects in the near term.” He pauses. “Actually, I’ve decided to take a bit of a break from acting.”
A chorus of muted gasps and hushedWhat?!s ripple through the auditorium, and frankly, I’m as stunned by this news as everyone else is.
For the past ten years, Ryder’s worked nonstop, zippingfrom one role to the next like a man who’s allergic to rest. Every actor lives in fear that the next job could be their last, so there’s immense pressure to strike while the iron is hot. We’re all too aware that success is fleeting, that we’re just one box office flop away from failure, that obscurity lurks right around the corner.
Ryder is no exception. He’s known for his unrelenting work ethic, always ensuring his next project is lined up before the last one’s wrapped. He’s had his pick of the best roles and he’s chosen wisely, shifting seamlessly between genres and packing his résumé in a way that’s the envy of every working actor today—and he’s never shown any signs of slowing down. Ryder taking a break is a shocking development.What could be behind it?
Dr. Wynn looks on the verge of hyperventilation. “It looks like we’ve got some breaking news here! Ryder Perry is stepping away from acting?!”
Ryder holds up his hands. “I’m not retiring forever or anything! Everyone can settle down,” he jokes, but judging by the nervous chuckles from the audience, I can tell—his fans are traumatized. Women across the globe are drowning in despair. He’ll return home next week to a mountain of flowers, stuffed animals, and lit candles piled high outside his front gate. “Just taking a break is all.” He aims another smile my way. “Though I might reconsider if there was a part for me in Scarlett’s movie. Didn’t she make it sound incredible?”
My face bakes at the unexpected praise. Despite what most people would assume by my profession, I’m not all that comfortable being the center of attention—and I’m definitely not prepared for flattery from Ryder, of all people.
The same reporter indicates he has a follow-up question. “After the success ofThe Lost Letter,there’s been a lot of speculation over the years about why you two never worked together again, especially considering the strong chemistry you shared on-screen.”Uh-oh, here we go.Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long. “That is, until Nate gave a rather infamous interview where he let it slip that you two didn’t get along that well during filming. I think a lot of people would love to get your perspectives on that.”
There’s a simultaneous creak as every member of the audience collectively leans forward in their seats. It’s so pin-drop quiet in here, I’m surprised they can’t hear my internal screaming.
Ryder reaches for Nate’s neck and pretend-strangles him. “I think I speak for Scarlett when I say we’re just so thrilled Nate chose to share that particular detail. There’s nothing we’d rather get asked about inevery singleinterview we’ve done since.”
It’s the understatement of a lifetime. It’s the question I—we—can’t seem to get away from no matter how hard we try.What happened between you and Ryder?It’ll probably end up on my gravestone. The best (worst?) part is that every reporter acts like they’re the first one to dream up the question, like some random hack fromHollywood Gossip Weeklywill be the one who’ll get me to crack and spill the tea after all these years.
Nate hangs his head in shame. “I’m so sorry,” he tells us with a grimace. “Really wish I could get that one back.”
I paint on a smile, breezy and unruffled, and recite my stock answer. “This story’s been blown out of proportion.Ryder and I got along just fine during filming. Tempers can run hot on movie sets, especially when you’re trying to balance the opinions of a group of people who all care so much.The Lost Letterwas my first big film, and I was very nervous and focused on giving the best performance I could. Sometimes there are just different approaches on how to get there.”
“Did you see how brilliantly she just delivered that line?” Ryder breaks in, a devil-may-care gleam in his eye. “She’s so convincing. You’d never suspect she was lying through her teeth.”
The smile freezes on my face as sharp gasps pepper the air, the crowd as caught off guard by his caustic comment as I am. I stare him down, committing attempted murder with my eyeballs.What the hell are you doing?my glare telegraphs, but he just smiles back innocently, blissfully unaware of his imminent death.
Ryder faces forward again, addressing the audience. “The reason we didn’t get along back then is because I was an immature, insecure asshole.” The restless murmuring crescendos, sweeping its way across the room like a cresting wave, and my heart starts hammering against my ribs. “These guys have been covering for me forever, and while I appreciate it, I think ten years is long enough, don’t you?”
Even Jase is gawking at him now, a slack-jawed expression on his face I’ve never seen before. A speechless Jason is a sight to behold.
Ryder recrosses his legs, completely at ease despite the chaos he’s unleashed. “There was a lot riding onThe Lost Letterfor me. I was trying to reinvent myself as an adult actor, so naturally, I took myself way too seriously. It was supposed tobe my breakout role—that is, until Scarlett came along.” He smiles at me affectionately, eyes crinkling at the corners, as though we’re privately reminiscing and there aren’t thousands of people inches away, hanging on to his every word. “She waltzed into that audition and blew everyone out of the water, including me. Nate was there, he’ll tell you.”
“It’s true. She had the entire room in tears,” Nate attests, and I cover my face with my hands, mortified by the barrage of compliments.
Ryder’s grin grows wider. He’s got me on the hot seat and he’s loving it. He’s got the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand and begging for seconds. “As soon as we started shooting, it became obvious that she was going to steal the show, and I panicked. How dare she come in there and overshadow me? Who gave her permission to be so good?
“I was threatened by her talent, that’s the truth of it,” he says, absently running a palm over his beard. “I thought there was only enough room for one of us to shine. I felt my big comeback slipping away, and I handled that by throwing my weight around, being difficult, and generally doing whatever I could to throw her off.” He shoots me a wink only I can see. “She was no pushover, though. She gave as good as she got.”
The most I can manage is a weak smile in return. I’m so taken aback by his unexpected confession, I’m having trouble drawing a full breath.This is definitely not the Ryder I know.
Ryder flashes the audience another megawatt smile. “All that’s to say, any rumors about fighting on set were completely my fault. I let my ego get the better of me. The movie was hers,” he says simply, and the flutter in my rib cage becomes asnare drum. “It’s always been hers. Let’s be honest, there’s a reason we’re still talking about it ten years later and it isn’t because of me or Jason. No offense, man.”
