Dixie Chavez

There is a particular stretch of reef she has dived more than thirty times, and she still books it again every year — same boat, same guide, and exactly one other person, chosen carefully. Dixie brings someone there when she wants them to see her without the makeup, the lighting and the version of herself that lives on a call sheet. Between auditions she runs, she lifts, she plays a ferociously competitive set of tennis and then apologises for it over drinks. Mostly, though, she listens; friends unload on her and leave feeling lighter without noticing how little she said about herself. Talking to her feels like being taken seriously, which coming from her is far more dangerous than flirting.