The House of the Spirits
After completing several period pieces, Ryder was drawn to "Reality Bites" because she was looking "for something a little more contemporary because I really wanted to wear blue jeans for a change". She read the script in one sitting while making "The House of the Spirits" and "found it very true to life." She further speculated in an interview, "I think my character is very close to what I would probably have ended up as if I hadn't become an actress". Ethan Hawke was at this point unhappy with the direction his career was taking; the actor recalled that his career was in a lull after the buzz from "Dead Poets Society" had faded. Ryder was a fan of his work and stipulated in her contract that her involvement in the film was dependent on Hawke starring opposite her.