Capítulo 217: Setback after setback
The figure of Brett quickly disappeared into the surging crowd on the street. Andy and Renly stood in place, amidst the continuous flow of people. The surroundings remained bustling and lively, but a silence and tranquility began to slowly solidify between the two of them, as if they had suddenly been isolated in another world.
In the past half month, everything had been going smoothly, even with a sense of being unstoppable. The unexpected collision had caught them off guard, leaving both of them somewhat dazed. Particularly since they had full confidence in "Horrible Bosses". When they brought up the audition for this project yesterday, Renly was enthusiastic and Andy was ambitious. They both believed that this film was worth more of their effort than "Fast 5". They had even begun to outline plans for what would come after starring in this movie. Yet, less than twelve hours later, now...
"Hey, Renly! Hey, buddy! Great performance! Your performance in "Buried" was truly great!"
Someone nearby greeted them, giving Renly a thumbs-up. This attracted the attention of others nearby. A group of young people whistled and applauded, and the hotel lobby suddenly became lively. Renly snapped back to reality, smiled, nodded, and gestured in thanks to them.
Andy also let out a breath, releasing the pent-up frustration from his chest. He asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
"Heh, shouldn't that question be directed at you?" Renly chuckled, appearing relaxed and unaffected.
Andy shook his head with a smile, "I've grown used to it a long time ago, but isn't this your first time?"
Although Hollywood wasn't the stock market of Wall Street, it was similarly ever-changing in this world of fame and fortune. Even if contracts were signed in black and white, they could be torn up, disputed in court. Not to mention when it was just an oral promise for an audition? In the casting process, the tug-of-war between producers and agents persisted, and the strategic games among agents were far from being taken lightly.
This held true for top-tier stars, and even more so for rising newcomers like Renly.
Andy's surprise stemmed partly from how quickly things had unraveled, with a major turning point within twelve hours, and he hadn't heard a whisper about it. The other part came from the sudden sense of defeat, as if he had hit a wall while sprinting with all his might.
After a brief fluctuation, Andy regained his composure. After all, he had witnessed countless storms and tempests.
"I won't say I'm not disappointed," Renly shrugged, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes. He paused for a moment.
As he had said, Renly truly desired the opportunity to act in "Horrible Bosses". He had even started to construct the character in his mind. Now, he didn't even have a chance to showcase his abilities and had been rejected. This feeling was definitely not pleasant.
Yet he also knew that this was Hollywood, an intensely competitive Hollywood. It was just like snatching food from a tiger's mouth, where others could easily seize the audition opportunity before him. Moreover, his acting career was just getting started.
As his emotions settled slightly, Renly quipped with a smile, "But, believe it or not, this isn't my first encounter with rejection." Before "The Pacific", he had spent three consecutive months learning to accept "no."
Andy chuckled softly, and strangely, he recalled Renly's participation in a street skateboarding competition. "Actually, this might be for the best. It lets us cool down a bit and not let victory cloud our judgment. This long battle has just begun."
The recent string of successes had indeed caused Andy's head to grow a bit hot, inflating his ambition. However, in reality, newcomers like Renly still needed to follow a step-by-step, gradual approach.
The cold water from "Horrible Bosses" had arrived at a timely juncture. The awards season hadn't even started yet. Both the production and promotion of "Buried" needed to proceed steadily. Compared to an unknown new project, "Buried", which had already attracted significant media attention in Toronto and Telluride, was evidently more important.
He needed to reorganize his thoughts.
Moreover, the casting process for "Horrible Bosses" had made such significant progress in just twelve short hours. There must have been something pushing this forward. More importantly, he hadn't received any prior indications. Brett had chosen to remain silent, even going so far as to evade the issue in such a manner this morning. While Renly was a newcomer, Andy wasn't. Things were not as simple as they appeared.
If he wasn't mistaken, Jason Sudeikis's agent was Morgan Fisher—Morgan Fisher, who had strong ties to Renly. He was the same Morgan Fisher who had secured the role of Thor for Chris Hemsworth. Although Andy didn't believe Morgan would concern himself with a small fry like Renly, the coincidence was too striking. Until yesterday, Jason Sudeikis hadn't even been on "Horrible Bosses" radar, and yet he had walked in through the front door today? This was Hollywood, where coincidences often concealed truths.
Andy could accept rejection and failure, but he couldn't accept losing without understanding why. Otherwise, he'd end up repeating the same mistakes.
"Now that today's audition is over, go ahead and enjoy the film festival," Andy didn't voice his internal speculations. This was his job, not Renly's. "If there's any news, I'll give you a call. You wouldn't want to miss the last day of Telluride."
Renly's lips curved upwards in a relaxed smile. "That's exactly what I had in mind."
The Telluride Film Festival lasted only four days, a continuous stream of people, bustling and packed. There was no opening ceremony, no closing ceremony; after these four eventful days, the festival would naturally come to an end.
Renly seamlessly blended into the throng of movie enthusiasts, once again immersing himself in the festival's festivities. Meanwhile, Andy's busyness had just begun.
"Surprise, "Fast 5" Welcomes New Cast Member Again! Renly Hall, who made a splash at the Telluride Film Festival, is about to join!"
"Rising to fame, Hall enters the spotlight with his outstanding performance in "Buried" and is set to join the powerful cast of "Fast 5"."
"Emmy Award's Newest King, Renly Hall, earns the favor of commercial blockbusters, joins the strong cast of "Fast 5", engages in high-speed races alongside Vin Diesel and Paul Walker!"
...
"Filming of "Fast 5" Yet to Begin, Already Hit by Internal Strife! Dwayne Johnson to Miss the Rest of Shooting!"
"Earthquake Warning: Dwayne Johnson Exits "Fast 5" Filming, Renly Hall Strongly Steps In!"
"Vin Diesel: We need fresh blood to inject vitality into the series."
"Paul Walker: Hall is an incredibly talented actor, and "Buried" is my favorite film from the Telluride Film Festival."
"Exclusive Scoop: Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel Clash on Set!"
...
"Another Shia LaBeouf? Renly Hall, only twenty years old, to challenge action genre films!"
"From the Emmys to Toronto, then to Telluride, Renly Hall rises strongly, blazing a trail into the sights of Hollywood's six major film studios."
"Telluride Topic Focus: Renly Hall, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg – Who is Closer to an Oscar Nomination?"
...
Undoubtedly, the Telluride Film Festival was still the darling of major media outlets. News from various sources, both unofficial and official, frequently graced the headlines, drawing the world's attention. Among the many films showcased, "Fast 5", as a commercial movie, surprisingly occupied a significant portion of the coverage. The news about the cast reselection for the film kept spreading without end.
Not only Renly, but Neal H. Moritz also met with different actors, including Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. James Franco, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keanu Reeves, and others were also in the mix. In just two days, news about "Fast 5" spread like a flood, inundating everyone. It seemed like the roles were already set in stone.
Among them, Renly, the least experienced and youngest, undoubtedly stood at the center of attention. The Yahoo community was abuzz with controversy, as many devoted fans of "Fast 5" raised questions: Could Renly really replace Dwayne Johnson? After all, Dwayne was an actor with a very strong presence.
Even numerous entertainment gossip outlets joined the discussion. Yet, what intrigued them more was the question: What had happened between Dwayne and the production team? What was Dwayne's stance on the recasting? And was Renly's sudden addition a good or bad thing for the film?
Almost overnight, the news of Renly replacing Dwayne in "Fast 5" seemed to have settled, even though none of the parties involved had expressed their views, and the production team hadn't made an official statement.
However, for Renly, these gossip rumors held little value. The final day of revelry at Telluride had completely absorbed him, and he had ended the main events of the festival by watching films. He then joined fans in an all-night celebration, marking the end of this annual cinematic gathering with a grand party.
When Renly returned to his hotel room, it was already 10 in the morning. Since he had to check out by 11, he hurriedly packed his belongings, went to the hotel lobby, but didn't spot Andy's figure. He waited on a nearby couch for a short while before Andy finally arrived.
Leaving the hotel, Renly placed his luggage in the trunk of the car, preparing to leave Telluride for Los Angeles. He settled into the passenger seat, ready to catch up on sleep. However, when he looked up, he noticed a contemplative expression on Andy's face, his hands crossed over his stomach – a classic thinking posture.
"What's up? Is there something you need to share?" Renly asked.
"...It's about "Fast 5"," Andy hesitated for a moment but decided to be frank.
"What about "Fast 5"?" Renly spent the entire previous day with film enthusiasts and hadn't read any newspapers, but he was well-informed. "Isn't everything going as expected? It's even more positive than anticipated."
"That's the problem. In just one day, everything has progressed too rapidly and too positively," Andy's index finger tapped lightly up and down. "I have a feeling they might just be using you as a whetstone."
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Shallowman
Shallowman Ah, it would be so cool if Renly lands "Degrees and Excitement 5", but something really suspicious is going on behind the scenes...
"Fast 5" - "Passion & Intensity 5"
Estado de energía semanal
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