Edward Lemuel, a socially awkward actor grappling with neurofibromatosis that causes a severe facial disfigurement, finds a friend in his new neighbor, Ingrid Vold, an ambitious playwright. Despite developing romantic feelings for her, his nervousness holds him back from making any advances. In secret, Edward decides to undergo an experimental medical procedure aimed at curing his condition. When the treatment proves successful, he adopts a new identity as "Guy Moratz" and fabricates a story that Edward has taken his own life, choosing instead to cut ties with his doctors and abandon his previous life.