Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 73: Performance Issues

Although Rodrigo maintained his politeness, Renly could feel the formality and perfunctoriness in his demeanor. He didn't understand what had happened; after all, they had only exchanged pleasantries, hadn't they? Was it because Rodrigo thought he was too young? Or was it because Rodrigo had already invited Ryan to audition?

Renly was well aware of his disadvantage; he was too young, which wasn't necessarily a good thing in Hollywood. Every year, Hollywood saw a wave of teenage movies, but outstanding quality was rare. The golden age for Hollywood male actors was between thirty-five and forty-five years old; over eighty percent of movie protagonists fell within this age range, with younger actors mostly relegated to supporting roles. This was one of the significant reasons why it was incredibly challenging for young actors to make a name for themselves.

The male lead in "Buried" was set to be around thirty to thirty-five years old.

However, regardless of the reason, Renly had come today to audition, hoping to give his all for this opportunity. He had carefully selected his attire for today, with no intention of giving up easily.

"Thank you for the compliment; it means my first job has paid off." Renly flashed a grateful smile. His light banter elicited a chuckle from Charles, but Rodrigo merely raised an eyebrow slightly — "The Pacific" was Renly's debut? Not good, not good at all.

"I'm here today specifically for the audition of 'Buried.'" Renly's gaze fell on Rodrigo. "You probably haven't seen 'The Pacific,' I was relieved. These are two entirely different roles, with no fixed impressions to contend with. My confidence for today's audition has increased a bit."

Rodrigo couldn't help but laugh. This young man was indeed unconventional and unique. While other newcomers would eagerly promote their previous works to enhance their chances of audition success, he went against the grain. Was it confidence? Or lack of experience?

Upon further thought, amidst the countless works listed, Renly had chosen "Buried." That alone was an interesting choice, wasn't it?

"So, can we start the audition now, or do I need to wait in line?" Renly stood behind Charles, implying that Charles was the actor currently auditioning. This simple gesture made both Rodrigo and Charles smile.

Charles waved his hands, "I won't disturb your work. Good luck! Good luck!" The first wish was for Rodrigo, the second for Renly.

Rodrigo took a step back, settling back onto the sofa. "Tell me again, what's your name?"

"Renly."

"So, you're British?" Rodrigo was Spanish, not particularly sensitive to accents, but the London accent was quite distinctive.

Renly sat opposite Rodrigo. "I guess Paul should be an American." Renly switched to a fluent Chicago accent.

Rodrigo couldn't distinguish between Chicago and New York accents, but he could tell the difference between British and American accents. His eyes lit up slightly. "What accent is this?" Accent training was one of the basic courses in the European actor's education system, but Rodrigo always believed that mastering accents was not easy. "I don't think it's a New York accent."

"Chicago." Renly smiled. "If needed, I can also mimic English with a Spanish accent." This was indeed one of the basic required courses in drama school. Initially, Renly found it fascinating and even went to Cambridge University's Linguistics department to study and exchange ideas with professors for months.

Rodrigo paused for a moment, feeling a flurry of questions. "Why Chicago?"

"Ah, just a guess of mine." Renly shrugged. In reality, the information left by the union was limited, without direct clues as to where Paul was from. In the previous life, he had watched "Buried," but the memory was somewhat fuzzy, and he couldn't remember if the film mentioned it. "Construction engineer, business trip to Iraq, middle-class. I guess Paul should be from the Midwest, and Chicago, as a gathering place for construction companies, is undoubtedly the most likely."

After receiving the script, preparing for a role was a complex and intricate process, involving everything from accents to wardrobe, even hairstyles and tattoos. These details were all part of the character and could be felt by the audience, yet remained unseen, showcasing the actor's skill. Of course, if it was just a popcorn movie or a chick flick, the preparation mode would naturally be different.

Rodrigo felt as if his mind had been struck by a heavy blow. He was momentarily stunned. What started as a casual topic unexpectedly led to such a surprising backstory, even exposing his own lack of understanding of the script. He had to admit, his opinion of Renly had subtly changed.

"Interesting, very interesting." Rodrigo couldn't help but slightly lift his jaw, his eyes showing keen interest. "So, what's your interpretation of Paul's character? If you haven't noticed, let me remind you, Paul is already thirty-five years old, married with two children, and has a stable job."

Intentionally posing a challenge to Renly, Rodrigo straightforwardly brought up the significant obstacle lying before him, curious about how Renly would respond. Unconsciously, Rodrigo himself hadn't noticed that his thoughts about Renly were quietly beginning to change.

Renly spread his legs, leaning slightly forward with his hands supporting his knees. He faced Rodrigo squarely, exuding a strong aura of a construction foreman, a streetwise demeanor naturally emanating from him. "Personally, I think we should look at Paul's character in two parts." Or, more accurately, view his performance on two levels.

"In the first part, it's the normal reactions under crisis." Renly's gaze gradually became focused. He knew how challenging his situation was; not only did he have to overcome the shackles of age for this role, but he also had to outshine Ryan Reynolds. He had to give it his all. "For anyone waking up buried alive in a coffin, panic, shock, fear, struggle, anger, survival instinct — these emotions are universal."

Rodrigo raised his right hand, supporting his chin, his gaze becoming increasingly profound as he savored Renly's words.

"From the confusion after waking up to the struggle for survival based on instinct, to the calmness in seeking opportunities, and finally to the complex emotions of a cornered beast, the emotional development curve undoubtedly runs through the entire script's core, and it's also the driving force to keep the audience engaged." Renly's thoughts were clear, systematically advancing his points, expressing his views. "But as I said, these are common reactions anyone faces in a crisis. If that's all there is, 'Buried' would just be an ordinary thriller-mystery movie."

Renly was different from Ryan; not only were his acting style and content different, but he also had his own understanding of "Buried." This meant that their exploration and expansion of the characters were also different. If he succeeded in the audition, he would interpret it in his way, bringing out his version of "Buried."

The previous "Buried" was just a typical thriller movie; Ryan adeptly portrayed all the emotions of being trapped in a coffin. But as Renly said, these were reactions and experiences any ordinary person would have, lacking Paul's personal characteristics and missing the part akin to the character development in "127 Hours." It also lacked the personal characteristics of "Buried," falling into being just an ordinary work — above average but struggling to stand out.

Rodrigo knew Renly hadn't finished his words; there was still a "second," and his brows furrowed slightly. So far, Renly's "first" had met his expectations and settings, essentially reflecting his understanding of "Buried." However, evidently, Renly's opinions hadn't ended yet; he had developed and expanded on the character and the script in another layer.

Things were becoming increasingly interesting; Rodrigo couldn't help but feel a hint of curiosity.

"In the second part, it's Paul's reaction to the crisis." Renly only paused for a moment before continuing, "Here, we can divide it into different aspects for discussion. For example, Paul's personal attributes. When he encounters a crisis, he thinks of his family, his wife. Is he going through a midlife crisis? Is his job facing difficulties? How are his relationships with other colleagues and friends? These unique attributes will give Paul a different definition in an extreme crisis, setting him apart from ordinary people."

"Another example is Paul's social attributes. How does he relate to the company? How does he communicate with the government? In Paul's situation, how do the company, government, and media behave differently? Is Paul a billionaire or an ordinary foreman? Will this make a difference? Is Paul a man or a woman? Will this make a difference? Is Paul trapped in Iraq or in the United States? Will this make a difference?"

Renly's words deeply entangled Rodrigo's brows, his thoughts growing more and more numerous and chaotic, stirring up a storm in his mind.

"These parts not only define Paul's uniqueness but also the key to defining the attributes of the entire 'Buried' movie." Renly concluded, and then, a slight upward curve appeared on the corners of his mouth, confidently and calmly saying, "So, I think age is actually the least important part. What do you think?"

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