Bab 215: Determining the lineup
Any keen observer could sense the underlying tensions among the main actors.
Though they gathered together, there was a clear separation among them.
Almost as if Anne was being "isolated" within the group.
She sat among the others, physically present but excluded from the small circle. A trace of distress lingered beneath her delicate features.
As the director, Ang Lee was in control of the entire crew and was well aware of these dynamics. However, he wasn't in a position to intervene, nor was it necessary.
As long as the necessary work was being accomplished, who cared about the nature of their interpersonal relationships?
Anne Hathaway glanced at the actors united before her, intentionally keeping her distance, and felt a mix of annoyance and frustration. Most of all, she felt lost.
Before joining "Brokeback Mountain", she was already a popular actress.
Disney's support had propelled her acting career in an unimaginable direction.
Was it jealousy that led the others to exclude her?
Of course not.
Who hasn't experienced fame?
Jake, for instance, had been a child star, skyrocketing to fame as a young actor. His father was a director, and his mother was an established screenwriter in the industry. He could be termed a "second-generation actor."
Heath had only recently won the MTV Teen Choice Award for Favorite Male Actor due to his brilliant performance in "Miscreant". Moreover, he didn't even care about being famous.
As for Michelle, maybe her shared identity as a female actress was the reason for her reservations. After all, they were competitors.
But she couldn't control other people's thoughts.
So, the real issue lay with Anne herself.
She had actively sought to join Focus Features for the sake of her transformation, even taking a pay cut to sign up. For the capital-driven capitalists at Focus Features, this was a total win. There was no reason for them to refuse.
Indeed, she managed to join the cast through a path that bypassed director Ang Lee and involved the investors.
Furthermore, with only a few years of independent film experience, her acting skills weren't particularly impressive; she had the most retakes in the crew.
Considering all these factors, how could the other actors have a favorable opinion of her?
Besides, Heath was inherently proud.
...
Diverging a bit, let's return to the main topic.
Around 9 in the morning, everything was ready.
Ang Lee sat behind the director's monitor, and the shoot began.
Behind the hastily constructed cottage.
Heath sat at the doorway, gazing at the sheep in the pen with a distant expression. Yet, his thoughts were elsewhere.
He absentmindedly held a wild grass stem, idly swaying it.
After a while, he sighed again and slowly turned his gaze towards the small path up the mountain.
Today, he hadn't come. He was always like this, waiting.
Don't doubt it; the script stated this: A week after their argument, Ennis continued to live alone as usual. Occasionally, he remembered the happier days. However, Heath didn't have personal experience with these emotions. He relied solely on his imagination and acting skills to depict these simple scenes.
"Cut, prepare for the next take." Ang Lee's timely shout came.
Nothing delighted a director more than a smooth shoot.
Ang Lee's current mood was quite good, sweeping away the worries and delays that had accumulated over the past few days.
The scene design was meticulously crafted, and the actors' postures, expressions, and improvised gestures were all natural and fitting.
"Maintain this momentum and aim to shoot a few more scenes today," Ang Lee turned to Heath and said before moving on to discuss the next camera setup with the cinematographer.
Heath stood up, his expression serene.
He still exuded Ennis' demeanor.
He always found it difficult to step out of character, especially during the filming process.
Or rather, he often incorporated the character's preferences into his own personality. One only had to look at his romantic history to understand.
Several of his past girlfriends had formed attachments while playing on-screen couples, only to break up shortly after.
After all, relationships founded on momentary emotions were difficult to sustain once the passion faded.
...
The plan was to shoot Heath's scenes in succession and wrap up his part in a single day.
Remarkably, in the span of a single morning, they were successful.
While Ang Lee was happy about this development, he couldn't relax. He continued to urge the set and prop teams and manage the other actors' scenes.
Heath was chatting with his girlfriend.
Lyman had been observing the filming from the sidelines, and as the morning drew to a close, it was time for lunch.
Some crew members were already planning to head down the mountain to have a meal and relax.
Lyman noticed Jake coming out after changing clothes and walked up to him.
"Jake, hold on for a moment."
Jake turned his head. Wasn't that Lyman?
Why was he calling him?
Although puzzled, he stopped in his tracks.
"Is there something you need, Mr. Lyman?"
"Are you looking for me?" Jake looked at him with a hint of confusion.
They hadn't interacted much. In fact, this was the first time Jake had met the emerging director in person.
Lyman explained, "Here's the thing: I'm planning a new film and there's a role that needs to be filled. I'd like to invite you to play it. Do you have any availability lately?"
This was actually a spontaneous idea. Lyman suddenly thought about having the two leads of "Brokeback Mountain" star in another unconventional romance film together, expecting a strong chemical reaction.
However, in "Effervescent", the main focus would be on the two female leads. Heath and Jake would be secondary characters, and their sexual orientation would be normal. A minor difference was that Heath's role would have slightly more prominence, whereas Jake's role would be smaller.
But let's give him a thumbs up for his idea. It was still a collaboration on screen, another love story film. When screened alongside "Brokeback Mountain", the effect would surely be remarkable. Moreover, their images and personalities were a good match with the other leads.
Upon careful consideration, it seemed quite fitting. The only issue was scheduling...
"What kind of film is it? What's the genre, and who are the other actors?" Jake inquired.
As mentioned earlier, Jake's identity as a "second-generation actor" meant he was not lacking in opportunities to appear in works.
This invitation came from Lyman, a director with a reputable name in the industry. If it were someone else, they would probably go through their agents for approval.
Lyman was straightforward, revealing, "It's a pure romance film. The confirmed actors so far are Sophie Marceau, Eva Green, and Heath..."
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