It’s a classic pipeline these days: A book goes viral on BookTok, and the next thing you know, it shows up on Netflix’s trending now list. Read enough of these books or watch enough of their screen adaptations and you may notice the same plot points cropping up again and again. So how do you approach material audiences already have expectations for—and how do you craft a unique performance when the plot has played out onscreen dozens of times before? Here’s what you need to know about tropes across the BookTok landscape, plus a few tips and tricks for bringing them to life onscreen.
A trope is a plot element common enough in literature, film, TV, and other forms of art to earn its own name and be instantly recognizable to the audiences who love it. For actors, tropes can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they give you an automatic roadmap for what viewers will expect from your performance, which can alleviate some of the stress of decision-making on your part. On the other hand, this also means you have to make sure your work lives up to the audience’s collective expectations.
Booked and Busy: The Actor’s Guide to BookTok CastingEnemies to lovers: Far from a BookTok exclusive, enemies to lovers is one of the oldest romantic tropes: Two characters who initially can’t stand each other find themselves falling in love. Think of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy trading barbs in “Pride and Prejudice” or hockey rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov circling each other on the ice in “Heated Rivalry.” It’s a perennial favorite for good reason; emotions run high with this trope, which is thrilling to watch if executed correctly. Remember that even combative chemistry is still chemistry. Actors hoping to excel in this trope should focus on building rapport with their scene partner to help the audience root for the characters, no matter how unlikely the pairing might seem at first.
Fake dating: The fake dating trope occurs when two characters have to pretend to be in a relationship and (spoiler alert) usually end up developing real feelings. Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) sold the ruse in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (2018), and their chemistry helped turn the Netflix adaptation into a full-blown franchise. The entire concept of fake dating feels very made-for-TV, so actors should try to explore why their character might go along with something like that. Are they saving face? Attempting to make someone else jealous? Acting out of a sense of duty? Maybe they harbor feelings for the person they have to fake date and are actually thrilled at the prospect. The reason could be anything, but make sure it’s clear to you. Fake dating also requires a layered performance, since the characters are acting like they are in a relationship. Sure, you’re a professional actor, but your character likely isn’t. Even if the characters put on a convincing show, try to find moments where their true feelings slip through, even for a second.
Forced proximity: The forced-proximity trope occurs when two characters have to spend a lot of time together, which, you guessed it, usually leads to romance. In “Red, White & Royal Blue,” a wedding-cake catastrophe forces America’s first son and a British prince into a PR-friendly truce—and a whole lot of time together. Unlike enemies to lovers, forced proximity doesn’t necessarily imply animosity (though it can be a part of it, as Alex and Henry prove). Be sure to clarify for yourself the relationship at the start of the story: Are they friends or strangers? If the forced proximity in the story is literal (e.g., stranded on a desert island), keep in mind that closeness usually leads the relationship between the characters to develop more quickly than it might otherwise.
Grumpy/sunshine: The grumpy/sunshine trope involves two characters with completely opposite dispositions—usually, as the name implies, a bubbly, happy character and a grouchy, pessimistic one—who meet and fall for each other. In “The Hating Game,” Lucy Hale’s upbeat Lucy Hutton spars with Austin Stowell’s buttoned-up Joshua Templeman from across a shared office. To play this trope successfully, actors should try to telegraph these personalities without making them as cartoonish as the trope’s name suggests. Instead, infuse the characters with choices that emphasize their dispositions: Consider how they might walk, talk, and present themselves with such opposite worldviews. While these types of characters usually don’t do a full personality 180 over the course of the story, they do usually learn something from one another. Allow your character some growth as the plot unfolds. How does the sunshine character soften the grumpy one? Similarly, how does the grumpy character ground the sunshine one?
Morally gray main characters: The morally gray main character trope is fairly self-explanatory: any story that features a protagonist who is less than a model citizen. Just look at Penn Badgley’s Joe Goldberg, the bookish charmer with a body count at the center of “You.” One of the hallmarks of this trope is that regardless of just how morally ambiguous this character is (and it can range from occasional liar to full-blown villain), the audience is meant to relate to and root for them. Balance out your character’s questionable behavior with justifiable motives (even if they aren’t given in the text), and infuse them with at least a dash of charm.
Second chance: The second-chance trope is when two characters who were previously in a relationship decide to give romance another try. In “It Ends With Us” (2024), Blake Lively’s Lily Bloom crosses paths again with her first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklener), and years of shared history come flooding back. All good performances require some character study, but if you want to sell a second-chance romance, you’ll need a good imagination. The characters have an entire history, sometimes years long, that happened before the story even began. Take time to give that backstory real thought, going beyond the basic details you’ll likely find in the script:
- How it started: When and where did the characters first meet?
- How long it lasted: Were they together for one summer or for years?
- What went wrong: What exactly made the relationship sour?
You may even find it helpful to discuss at least the basics of the previous relationship with your scene partner and director ahead of time so that everyone is on the same page. Regardless of how the characters feel about each other now—positive or negative—they aren’t strangers. Remember that familiarity and bring it into your performance.
Slow burn: A slow burn is a romance that unfolds incredibly slowly—so slowly, in fact, that the couple finally getting together is often the climax of the story. In “People We Meet on Vacation,” Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Tom Blyth) spend a decade of summer trips dancing around their feelings. To expertly play a slow burn, make sure your choices are just that: slow. Though your character will likely have chemistry with their partner from the jump, avoid telegraphing the ending. Go scene by scene and figure out just how into it your character is—are they unrequitedly pining or still blissfully oblivious? With audition sides, especially when you may not have the privilege of reading the entire script, err on the side of restraint, flirting a little without overplaying your hand.
