The Utah twilight painted the sky outside, but inside the relative cool of Alex Hayes's trailer, the air was considerably hotter. Empty water bottles and stray script pages lay forgotten on the small counter. Alex and Diane Lane were locked in a passionate kiss, a tangle of limbs on the trailer's narrow couch. The on-screen chemistry they were developing as Ren and Ariel had clearly spilled over, generating its own intense off-screen energy. Their hands explored eagerly, mapping familiar territory now, the urgency fueled by long days on set and the magnetic pull between them.
They finally broke apart, breathing heavily, foreheads resting against each other. A strand of Diane's hair stuck to her cheek.
She pulled back slightly, looking at her reflection in the trailer's small mirror, a smudge of lipstick near her mouth. "You ruined my makeup," Diane murmured, though a wide smile belied any real annoyance. She reached into her bag, pulling out a compact to quickly redo the smudged lipstick.
Alex watched her, then leaned in, pressing soft kisses onto her neck. The scent of her perfume mingled with the lingering smell of location dust. "Spend the night?" he whispered against her skin.
Diane paused her makeup repair, turning to him with an affectionate, slightly exasperated look. "Alex, I've spent the last whole week of nights with you, right here in this trailer. Why are you even asking now?" Her tone was teasing, confirming the unspoken reality of their deepening involvement during the intense, isolated bubble of the film shoot.
Alex grinned, pulling her closer again. "And it's been a very great week. But," he added, his voice softening slightly, "I was taught to always ask, not presume."
Diane laughed softly, playfully tracing his jawline with her finger. "Well then, my gentleman," she teased, her eyes sparkling, "I will spend the night with you."
Their relationship, blossoming amidst the intense environment of the 'Footloose' set, was a carefully guarded secret from the cast and crew at large. Nobody knew about Alex and Diane, except, perhaps ironically, Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker. The four young leads had formed a tight bond during rehearsals and filming, and it hadn't taken long for Alex and Diane to notice the equally strong, if perhaps more discreet, sparks flying between Robert and Sarah Jessica. A quiet understanding existed among the quartet – what happened off-camera stayed off-camera, allowing both burgeoning relationships privacy.
That understanding felt suddenly fragile as Alex and Diane arrived at the arranged screening event near Provo on Friday night, July 22nd. Timed perfectly with the nationwide release of 'Risky Business', the small theater buzzed not just with the invited 'Footloose' cast members (John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest had also made it), but with the journalists and photographers Alex had invited. Flashbulbs popped as Alex, looking relaxed in casual but smart attire, helped Diane from the car.
They fielded a few questions about the progress of 'Footloose' filming and Alex offered a polite "no comment" when asked for his thoughts on 'Risky Business' opening night, deferring to the film itself. Then, a reporter from a major entertainment magazine stepped forward, microphone extended directly towards Alex.
"Alex," the reporter asked, cutting straight to the chase, "there's been a lot of speculation since you and Phoebe Cates reportedly split. Are you currently dating Diane Lane?"
The question hung in the air, sharp and unexpected in its directness. Diane, standing beside Alex, was visibly stunned, her eyes widening slightly. She hadn't anticipated such a blunt question in this setting and had no idea how Alex would handle it. Her instinct was to deflect, to let the PR reps handle it later.
But Alex didn't hesitate. He simply smiled, put a confident arm around Diane's waist, pulling her slightly closer, and looked directly at the reporter.
"Yes, I am," he confirmed easily. "I'm dating this beautiful girl right here."
Diane's breath caught. She'd half expected him to dodge the question, to use some practiced non-answer. But then she remembered who Alex was – his inherent frankness, the sometimes startling honesty that Haviland Morris had mentioned weeks ago on the 'Sixteen Candles' set. He didn't play those kinds of games.
Feeling his arm securely around her, seeing the calm confidence in his eyes as he publicly claimed their relationship, Diane couldn't help but smile back up at him. The initial shock melted away, replaced by a warm rush of affection. Without another word needed, they navigated the remaining flashes and questions and went into the theater together, leaving the reporters buzzing with their unexpected confirmation.
As they found a slightly less crowded corner in the lobby while waiting for the others, Diane leaned close and whispered, "I really thought you were going to deflect that question back there. Give them some Hollywood non-answer."
Alex looked down at her, his expression serious but warm. "Why would I? I'm not ashamed we're dating, Diane. Not even a little bit. You're beautiful, you're incredibly talented... why would I hide that?"
His simple, direct sincerity caught her off guard again. Overwhelmed by the public affirmation and his words, Diane reached up, pulled his face down to hers, and gave him a deep, passionate kiss, right there in the lobby.
After a moment, Alex pulled back slightly, raising his eyebrows in playful surprise. "Whoa. What was that for?"
"Well," she breathed, her eyes shining, "thanks for saying those things. And for... not deflecting."
"If you want to hear it," Alex grinned, leaning closer again, "I can say a lot more nice things about you."
Diane laughed softly, putting a hand gently on his chest. "Well, not right now. We have a movie to watch, remember? But definitely tell them to me tonight," she added, her voice dropping to an intimate murmur that promised later continuation. They shared another smile before joining the rest of their group heading into the screening room.
Shortly after, the lights dimmed, the projector whirred to life, and the movie 'Risky Business' started. All eyes went to the screen.