Sometimes it takes an outsider's perspective to recognize incredible romantic chemistry. In the case of Hairspray Live! star Dove Cameron, it took pretty much an entire movie set for her to recognize that she and her now-boyfriend Thomas Doherty were fated to become an item.
The pair confirmed their relationship in February after months of fan speculation during the filming of their upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie, Descendants 2. Now, Cameron has revealed that there was much talk of their chemistry on set as well, before the couple ever started seeing one another in "that" way.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Cameron, who starred in the first film as Mal, evil queen Maleficent's (Kristin Chenoweth) daughter, met Doherty when he joined the sequel as Harry Hook, a new character in the franchise. While Mal already has a true love in the film — her romance with Ben (Mitchell Hope) is a tale as old as time, if you will — the film's director Kenny Ortega definitely saw the sparks fly between Mal and Hook. Or, rather, Cameron and Doherty.
Speaking to J-14, Cameron admitted that the scene that we see from the trailer — in which Harry uses his hook to gently move a strand of Mal's purple locks — was almost too hot to keep in the movie, thanks to the palpable chemistry between the actors.
"[Everyone] were like, 'The audience is gonna think this is about Mal and Harry," the actress told J-14.
She added that she, Ortega, and Doherty had to come up with some sort of reason for the chemistry, so they gave Mal and Harry a backstory of an epic romance that fizzled before the events of the movie. However, it was Ortega who pulled Cameron aside to ask just what the heck was up with the pair's real-life chemistry.
"[People] were like, 'When you guys walk into a room together, it’s insane. Have you ever talked to him?' And I’m like, 'No, not really.' And they’re like, 'You need to.' And they’re like telling him the same thing, like something needs to happen," Cameron spilled to the outlet. "But Kenny came up to me and was like, 'I think you guys would be really good together.'"
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Apparently, the director — who also helmed High School Musical, a film that spawned once long-time celebrity couple Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens — knew exactly what was up, even if Cameron and Doherty didn't.
Mal and Harry may not be endgame, but at least we have some sizzling scenes to look forward to in the new flick.