Ignoring one column for max-content calculation of css grid

Question

I have build a CSS Grid for a dialog scene. I use max-content feature of grid-template-columns to ensure, that the longest speaker name defines width of the left column.

The problem is the .stage-director column which has no speaker name. With the current setup, the statement of the stage director defines the max-content of the left column which makes no sense.

Is there a way to ignore the .dd.statement.stage-director content for the max-content - calculation?

dl {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: max-content auto;
  grid-column-gap: 1em;
  grid-row-gap: 1em;
}

dt,
dd {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.speaker.stage-director {
  display: none;
}

.statement.stage-director {
  grid-column: span 2;
}

<dl>
  <dt class="speaker">ROMEO</dt>
  <dd class="statement">What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse? Or shall we on without a apology?</dd>

  <dt class="speaker stage-director"></dt>
  <dd class="statement stage-director">This is a long statement of the stage director</dd>

  <dt class="speaker">ROMEO</dt>
  <dd class="statement">Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling; Being but heavy, I will bear the light.</dd>

  <dt class="speaker">The magic big cat</dt>
  <dd class="statement">I say nothing</dd>

  <dt class="speaker">MERCUTIO</dt>
  <dd class="statement">Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.</dd>
</dl>

https://jsfiddle.net/ahe_dev/k8rfhtpj/3/

Answer 1

Instead of max-content auto you can use auto 1fr and white-space:nowrap like below:

dl {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: auto 1fr;
  grid-column-gap: 1em;
  grid-row-gap: 1em;
}

dt, dd {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}
.speaker {
  white-space:nowrap;
}

.speaker.stage-director {
  display: none;
}

.statement.stage-director {
  grid-column: span 2;
}

<dl>
  <dt class="speaker">ROMEO</dt>
  <dd class="statement">What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse?
Or shall we on without a apology?</dd>

  <dt class="speaker stage-director"></dt>
  <dd class="statement stage-director">This is a long statement of the stage director</dd>

  <dt class="speaker">ROMEO</dt>
  <dd class="statement">Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling;
Being but heavy, I will bear the light.</dd>

  <dt class="speaker">The magic big cat</dt>
  <dd class="statement">I say nothing</dd>
  
  <dt class="speaker">MERCUTIO</dt>
  <dd class="statement">Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.</dd>
</dl>