Aside from what others have said, Ophelia was also the counterpart to Coleman: both of them help the two main characters navigate the very different worlds they’ve been thrust into. They’re also the only ones who treat their respective charges with basic decency and respect - Ophelia shelters Louis when his fiancée and conceited friends have abandoned him, while Coleman offers actual encouragement and support to Billy Ray whom the racist Dukes see as just a pawn in their experiment.