Profile.
Name: Reagan Ong. Yes, she was named after President Reagan, though at the time he was not President, but the Governor of California. Her mother thought that naming her after such a "great leader" would bring her prosperity. Her father thought that naming her after a man would make her unlucky. Her mother won.
Age: 30
Birthdate: June 4, 1967
Sexuality: Straight. After her divorce from Perry Holiday, she briefly dated another woman - partially out of spite, partially out of attraction to the particular female in question, and largely out of a desire for something which was not attached to a penis. It didn't work out for long.
Occupation: Talent Manager at Lighthouse Management in Beverly Hills, California
Fairytale: The Ifrit's Wife, 1000 Nights.
Ability: None.
Tale Status: Considering the fact that not many are familiar with the story of the Ifrit's Wife, Reagan's Tale isn't widely known. Many people may be aware of the fact that she is an Arabic Tale, as she was on decently friendly terms with Edward, the former Head Librarian of Arabic Tales. In general, however, if backstory regarding her Tale being told to your character hasn't been worked out, assume that they do not know.
History: Reagan Ong was born in Fremont, California to two Taiwanese immigrants. Both educated individuals, her parents had come to America in hope of finding good-paying jobs and a place to raise their family. They had great luck in their move, and found both. Her father was offered a job as an engineer, and her mother found employment as a secretary at a local middle school.
Reagan was not the only child in the Ong family - in fact, she was not even the first. Her old brother Ken was the responsible one, the sibling who took it upon himself to help out his parents and make them proud in every possible way. This wasn't to say that Reagan was in any way a disappointment. However, she seemed to assimilate into life as an American much quicker and easier than her older brother, who was born in Taiwan. Reagan had already began taking a liking to clothes and shoes and make-up by the time she was twelve, and while her brother spent his evenings doing homework and helping his mother with the dishes, Reagan preferred to spend her time at the mall.
However, this wasn't to say that she wasn't a diligent student. Reagan knew that if she was going to get the things she wanted - fashionable outfits, a car, a college education - then she would need to bring home the grades that her parents expected. And so she did. By the time she was in high school, she was going to dances and making the honor roll. She certainly wasn't valedictorian, but she did do well enough to gain acceptance to USC.
Reagan considered that move to Los Angeles to be the best thing that ever happened to her. She loved Southern California - loved the beaches, the warm weather, the glamour, and the men. Especially the men. If she had been boy-crazy in high school, it was nothing compared to the serial dating that she did in college, far away from her parents' disapproving glare. Reagan was especially attracted to the kind of guy who went to USC - rich, good-looking, cocky, and did she mention rich?
In fact, she owes her current career to one of her college boyfriends. Ricky Owens was the son of a media mogul - his father was a CEO at a major network television station, and his mother was a talent agent. It was through Ricky that Reagan secured her first internship at a talent agency. Though Reagan had no background in the arts, it was actually this very fact that helped her along in the industry. As she had no desire in pursuing a career as an actress herself, she was eager to learn the tricks of the business, and proved to be a fast learner. Reagan was a natural leader and a smooth talker, and after graduation, she secured a job at the agency.
Reagan worked her way up in the agency for several years, and it was in her mid-twenties that she met Perry Holiday. His name preceded him, of course, and she had heard plenty of rumors about his ways - not to mention his charm and cocky attitude. When the two finally began to date, it seemed that Reagan had finally met her match: a man who was not only interesting and intelligent, but hot enough to keep her around, too.
To call the marriage a "roller-coaster ride" would certainly be an understatement. The two dynamic personalities definitely brought plenty of passion to the relationship, but that passion had trouble directing itself in constructive ways. But whether they were screaming at each other or making love, it was certainly true that the Holidays did everything with enthusiasm.
Divorces are never fun, but this one could have been worse. Both Perry and Reagan realized that a good thing had come to an end, and both knew that their lives would be happier without the marriage. It was a rather amicable settlement. Reagan didn't want much - they split their assets and she took a larger share of money and bought herself a new place in Beverly Hills. She was now raking in a considerable amount of income working as a Talent Manager for some very high-end clients, and left Perry with the desire to start a new life for herself.
The only reminders she kept around were the dogs. Perry was never exceptionally fond of them, anyway.
It was after she had settled into this new life that Reagan was visited by a very peculiar man, who handed her a very peculiar journal. Reagan now insists that it's a crime to wait until a person is nearly thirty to spring upon them the news that they're a re-incarnated fairy tale. She had, of course, had the requisite visions and dreams, but chalked them up to the act that she worked in an industry where fantasy was the norm. In fact, Edward apologized profusely for not telling her sooner, and explained that he had worried that, were she to find out who she was and that she was married to yet another Genie, that her sanity might not be able to bear it.
Edward's information about her ex-husband prompted Reagan's first call to him in five months. Through the new bond that they shared, the two were able to begin to re-create their friendship and forgive old wounds. Of course, that doesn't mean that Reagan calls him up to chat or goes clubbing with him on Friday nights. She keeps in contact with him frequently due to a client that they share, and it is of course difficult to avoid someone when mutual spying is available via a magical journal network. To be certain, the two make better business partners than they ever did spouses.
Personality: It would be rare to hear someone use the word "warm" to describe Reagan Ong, especially upon first meeting. She's done her best to secure a position of power in a fast-paced business world while still retaining both her sexuality and her dignity. She often comes across as having an icy personality because of her need for others to take her seriously. She finds herself skeptical of men and women alike - men for their tendency to underestimate or take advantage of the fairer sex, women for their tendency to let them.
While she enjoys engaging in feminine activities like shopping and getting pedicures, she's far from girly. Reagan always knows what she wants and how to get it, and she rarely has the time for silliness - at least not during business hours.
However, that's not to say that she can't cut loose for a night out on the town. She enjoys spending time with her few female friends who really get her. Generally, those friends are equally high-powered, no-nonsense women. A group when, in its entirety, is a force to be reckoned with.
Reagan's relations with men are another story. Though she tries not to let her Tale have any effect upon her current life, she can't shake the ever-present fear of being chained down and dominated by a man. As such, she has a tendency to always need to play the upper hand. Reagan likes to wear the pants in all of her relationships, and though she enjoys a little power play, she'll head for the door at the first sign of obsessive jealousy or controlling behavior from her partner.
Misc. Facts:
- She's claustrophobic. Reagan absolutely cannot stand enclosed spaces, and has to work to control panic attacks in elevators. It is for this very fact that she almost always takes the stairs, even to the tenth or eleventh floor. Friends joke that this is how she keeps in such good shape.
- Image is very important to her. She wears make-up to the gym.
- She has two dogs, a Dalmatian and a Golden Retriever. Their names are Sasha and Traveler, respectively. Traveler is named after the USC mascot.
- Though she vehemently denies that she speaks any Chinese, this is a lie. She simply doesn't like for people to make assumptions about her life based on the way she looks.