Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 43: Very Soon

"Since the filming process was so tough, what was the most unforgettable moment for you after wrapping up?" Daisy's smile remained on her lips as she eagerly asked.

She could tell that Renly was somewhat excited, even though he tried hard to suppress it, it still leaked out; yet amidst his speech and behavior, there was also a kind of sophistication, an elegant and steady cunning, and wisdom. It was truly an interesting thing. Daisy started to wonder how Renly's agent had trained him—without an agent, it was nearly impossible for a newcomer to reach such standards.

"Hmm," Renly didn't answer immediately, instead, he pondered for a moment. There were indeed many special moments in his mind, such as the difficult times when he continued filming despite being injured, or when he endured over forty hours of shooting in muddy rain without sleep, or the moment when he truly felt Eugene's inner struggle and confusion and turned acting into enjoyment. "The first scene of shooting."

In the end, Renly chose a different answer. "It was my first work. When I stood in front of the camera, the feeling was really hard to describe." Renly reminisced delicately, as if he could still taste the nervousness mixed with excitement, the anticipation mixed with panic on his tongue. Step by step, he finally stood in front of the camera. "Due to eagerness to perform, less than five seconds after shooting started, I encountered my first 'NG'."

With the sudden change in the story, Daisy's lips twitched involuntarily, and the sound engineer and assistants nearby chuckled softly. "What's more unforgettable, the NG or the first scene?"

"I'd say both," Renly's eyes also showed a hint of a smile. "This scene made an actor's dream finally come true, but it also taught me that becoming an excellent actor isn't easy."

Dreams. Daisy heard the word and genuinely smiled. Indeed, he was still a young man with unrealistic dreams from an ivory tower, describing Hollywood as a stage bathed in sunshine and surrounded by flowers. "Introduce some of the roles you've played. Eugene Sledge." Daisy stopped the personal questioning about Renly and returned to the "The Pacific" itself. The conversation just now had far exceeded her expectations.

"Eugene 'Big Hammer' Sledge." Renly lightly touched his jaw. "Sledge" translates directly to "sledge hammer," so he earned the nickname "Sledge Hammer" in the army. "He is an idealist, with a sincere patriotic heart, steadfastly believing in God. But in the brutal reality of war, his faith, beliefs, and ideals are all put to the test. Eugene is essentially what we care about most now: besides bringing death, what else does war bring?"

In just a few words, Daisy could already visualize Eugene's character, which was probably summarized under the guidance of an agent. If Daisy knew that Renly didn't have an agent now, her expression would probably be quite fascinating.

"After the series wrapped up, my biggest regret was not being able to meet Mr. Eugene Sledge in person," Renly continued, and Daisy then talked with him about veterans. Like "Band of Brothers," the production invited veterans who had experienced the Pacific war to the set, interacting with the actors and the crew to ensure as authentic a portrayal of history as possible.

In the short conversation, filled with wit and humor, an assistant reminded Daisy. She suddenly realized that three actors were waiting behind her, and she had unknowingly forgotten the passage of time. "Alright, one last question." Daisy looked at the list of questions in her hand. "Many people have high expectations for 'The Pacific' because of the excellence of 'Band of Brothers.' In your opinion, what are the differences between these two series?"

This was a standard official question, but also a question that laid the groundwork.

Renly thought seriously for a moment. "I think the two works are completely different. Although they both focus on World War II, 'Band of Brothers' is a passionate work, while 'The Pacific' is a cold work. This is their fundamental difference, and the expectations and content that audiences will gain from the series will also be different."

Daisy was about to continue the conversation with Renly, every word of which was worth interviewing!

However, Renly stood up, his face wearing a warm smile. "Thank you for the interview today. I hope everything goes smoothly with your future work."

Daisy raised an eyebrow slightly and watched Renly leave. It had been a while since Hollywood had seen such an interesting newcomer. Daisy was starting to become interested in "The Pacific."

Generally, for interviews with large production crews like "The Pacific," magazines would allocate six to eight pages at most. Considering that the biggest highlights of the series were Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, they would take up the main pages. So even for core actors like Renly, the interview questions would be limited to about fifteen. At that time, seven or eight meaningful questions would be selected for publication.

However, Daisy had asked Renly nearly thirty questions, and the conversation time had extended from the scheduled fifteen minutes to twenty-five minutes. This was indeed a big surprise.

Regaining her composure, Daisy looked at the next actor seated in front of her with a professional smile and once again immersed herself in her work.

After the interview, Renly let out a long breath. During the interview, the feeling wasn't very obvious, but afterward, the aftermath of his accelerated heartbeat began to show. The sweat on his back cooled down, and his muscles began to ache subtly. Clearly, the overly excited emotions were still lingering in his blood.

Although Renly had been through two lifetimes, persistently moving forward toward his acting dreams, he knew clearly that the day of exposure under Vanity Fair would come sooner or later. Whether he liked it or not, this was a part of an actor's life. He thought he had prepared enough for it, but when he actually entered the Sunset Tower Hotel, stood in front of the camera lens, and faced the interviewer's microphone, the mixed feelings of reality and illusion made it difficult for him to adapt for a moment. After all, his experiences from the previous life couldn't help at all. This was his first time.

Renly needed some time to digest it all.

Now, as an actor, Renly's part of the hard work had come to a close. Seriously acting, wholehearted performance, and cooperation with publicity were over, now it was handed over to the public and professional critics for judgment.

Renly couldn't help but be curious. What would people think of his performance? Praise? Criticism? Or would he not attract any attention at all? Compared to Joseph Mazzelo from his previous life, would he receive better or worse reviews after portraying Eugene? After his portrayal of Eugene, how would the public respond to "The Pacific"? How would his acting career develop after the series premiered? Stagnation, soaring, or returning to tranquility?

As a seasoned movie enthusiast, Renly knew very well that there were many factors that determined the excellence of a work. Actors were only a part of it. Directors, scripts, cinematography, lighting, costumes, publicity strategies, marketing methods, target audiences, and so on, all could affect the reputation of a work. The influence actors could exert was far lower than imagined.

But Renly couldn't suppress his thoughts. From here on out, things would be out of his control, heading towards an unknown— not only because no one could manipulate the market, but also because no one could predict the future. Renly was a reincarnated individual, and his future, his history, his existence, were all unknown variables, an uncertain question mark.

Involuntarily, he remembered the opposition of George and Elizabeth. "You're not a genius, never have been."

They ruthlessly and mercilessly pronounced his death sentence. Now, it was finally time for the public's judgment, wasn't it? Although he had won the opportunity to appear in "The Pacific," it didn't mean he could win the hearts of the audience and critics. In this world, there were countless geniuses, but only a few could succeed. What direction would his acting dream take next?

Everything was new, unpredictable. This made Renly a bit nervous, but more excited, eager to take the next step, to accept any form of result calmly, because he knew this was what he wanted, even if it ended in a grand defeat, he would never regret it!

Edith finished taking photos of Rami and signaled the next actor to step forward. She began to search for lighting and angles again, and her peripheral vision inadvertently caught Renly standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, quietly overlooking the horizon fully revealed outside. At the far end, one could still see the azure coastline extending amidst the undulating lines of the city. His quiet and peaceful profile seemed to sediment all the vicissitudes of time, eschewing all glory, simply watching the world change.

Reflexively, Edith raised her camera lens again, aiming at her most familiar subject, and clicked the shutter, silently capturing this moment frozen in the sunlight.

Looking down at the still moment captured in the digital camera, Renly's elegant and gentle temperament carried a lingering sadness and desolation, yet also a resolute determination and sharpness. The conflicting sense of conflict made people unable to resist exploring. Edith realized that she had never truly understood this younger brother of hers. What drove him to embark on the path of acting so decisively? And what wounds were left deep in his soul?

"Edith!" The call from her assistant snapped Edith back to reality. She turned her head sharply, the thoughts in her eyes settling down, and replied, "Coming." Then she picked up the camera again and focused on her work.

Night fell slowly, and the interviews and photo shoots for "Vanity Fair" continued until after ten o'clock in the evening. Tomorrow, the premiere of "The Pacific" would be grandly staged!

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