When Levi saw Jack, he was sitting aside, smoking a cigarette by himself, admiring the surrounding scenery boredly. Seeing Levi coming, he just smiled wryly at Levi and didn't say much.
"Jack, what's the matter? I heard that you caused trouble on the set, and you dragged me here from Miami."
"The filming was a bit hard." Jack was silent for a while before answering the question, "This director, there are also martial arts instructors, and the requirements are too strict; I am a little annoyed... the film has only been in preparation for a month, and they make me practice muscles every day, not to mention, they also let me practice fighting... I am almost exhausted."
He did not mention the mistakes he made, but Levi understood the meaning of his words.
"You want to have some fun when you're bored? Jack, you're working now." Levi said softly, "Filming is your job; how can you fear being tired? Besides, I remember you said you like martial arts movies very much."
"What I said was, I really like watching martial arts movies." Jack corrected, "But it's different in real acting. Besides, I was originally playing Cyclops, so how important is it to practice fighting and muscles? Nick, I don't care about putting in some effort to succeed, but I don't see the point of it all."
Seeing Levi want to speak, Jack reached out and stopped him, "Nick, you don't understand; I'm different from you. You guys are already the most successful people in this circle; your movie, Bob's script, Clark's editing, even Alexander is a successful producer, but I'm nothing.
You don't understand, I just want to be successful, but on this road, I always encounter all kinds of unexpected distractions. How anxious I am. Nick, sometimes, I really wonder if I really have no talent.
Aren't you the best director in Hollywood? You have taken care of the careers of other actors, and you already have the best actor and actress in your hands. Now Jim Carrey is also famous, and Hugh Jackman will succeed in the transition after the film.
I'm your best friend, but you never cared for me; you just let me exercise my muscles here... I really wonder if there is no cure for me."
Jack didn't hold back any complaints about Levi: as Levi's friend, he spoke quite casually. Levi also felt a little helpless about his words: this is some of the inevitable troubles of becoming a director. You can't just care for outsiders and not pay attention to your friends, right?
"Jack, I also failed for a long time, and I understand your thoughts." Levi took his words. "When we are unsuccessful, each of us is looking forward to success, but on the road to success, you don't want to waste time and energy on these insignificant things, right?"
Jack nodded, and Levi's words hit him right where he wanted to go.
Of course, he doesn't think the work is too tiring: if it's just that it is tiring, he can still bear it. But in his view, many of the things he did were meaningless.
"Jack. You said you like watching martial arts movies, so let's talk about martial arts movies. Jackie Chan is one of the best actors in martial arts movies in the world. It stands to reason that he shouldn't need to work so hard anymore. But in all his movies, he never used a double. You know this, right?"
Jackie Chan is undoubtedly not as good as the governor and other martial arts stars in terms of fame. But compared with the way the governor like to use his muscles to fight, Jackie Chan's movies are unique. There is a big difference between Hong Kong martial arts movies and American ones. Jackie Chan is also very famous as a representative figure of Hong Kong martial arts movies.
There is nothing wrong with Levi's words.
Jack nodded, agreeing with Levi. His goal is not to become a martial arts star, and he doesn't know what Levi means by that.
"Hong Kong had many film talents at its peak, but Jackie Chan was the only one who succeeded in the end and is still active on the stage. To a large extent, his success is not because of his talent but his hard work. And coincidentally, here in Hollywood, there is also an actor who does not use a stand-in for filming. I don't need to tell you what level of star Tom Cruise is? But you should have heard of it? He never used stand-in in the shooting of Mission: Impossible."
Tom Cruise's name in the circle is not very good: his belief in Scientology made his reputation very bad. Although he is a top star, whether it is in the media or in the circle, they all complained about him. However, no matter how much people hate him, they must admit he is a top Hollywood movie star. As a synonym for Hollywood handsomeness, he is indeed an unparalleled success.
And such a movie star, of course, is not easy to succeed. Levi remembers that when Tom Cruise became famous, Charlie Sheen was still as famous as him, and, with better connections and background, he even had greater potential.
Just a few years ago, Charlie Sheen could still earn nearly 30 million. But now? Women and drugs are second to none. He stole a hair dryer from the film set, and daring to ridicule the Jewish practice, is simply self-defeating.
He doesn't respect his job at all, and that's the biggest reason he fails.
No one's success is achieved casually, which Levi firmly believes.
"You say that I help those actors but not you. This is not because I look down on you but because I have always believed that only actors who are really willing to do their best to act are worthy of help. You obviously were not ready in the past few years; as a friend, I am still very happy to see you having fun, and there is no need to force you to make progress." Levi's words made Jack bow his head in silence, and Levi patted him before speaking, "Now, you want to make progress, which is a good thing. Shooting a movie can be difficult or easy. I hope that what you have learned is not kung fu or muscle training. The most important thing is to learn what is serious work - for you, this is the wealth of your life. You are only 24 years old and will have a long life in the future."
Jack was silent. Levi patted him again before speaking again, "And when it comes to professionalism: don't molest the actresses in your crew; this is the most basic requirement. Listen to me; go and apologize to Beckinsale."
"I'll go..." Jack nodded. He wanted to say something, but he opened his mouth two or three times and swallowed what he wanted to say.
Some words don't need to be said; what will happen in the future depends on your own actions!
***
"Jack has apologized; I hope you are satisfied."
When Levi saw Beckinsale, Jack had already apologized to her. It's just that when something like this happened in his crew, Levi had to come over to comfort the actors anyway. Seeing Levi coming to see her, Beckinsale immediately greeted him with a bit of relief and embarrassment in her expression.
"He has apologized... Mr. Levi, thank you, I thought..."
"Do you think Jack came to me to complain or speak ill of you?" Levi shook his head, "Don't think Jack is so bad; he's not that kind of guy."
Levi knew this incident put a lot of pressure on Beckinsale: arguing with the producer's friend was indeed a big deal for a newcomer actor. It's just that she didn't know that Jack didn't take this matter to heart at all. For him, women were not the key to the problem at all.
"I know he's not; it's just..." Beckinsale pondered for a while, then shook her head, "It's nothing."
"It's just that you don't like his style of doing things, so you scolded him face-to-face, right?" Levi said, "You have done nothing wrong; I won't say anything about you, but if possible, you should pay attention to your own style of doing things."
[A/N: According to some information, Beckinsale is indeed quite temperamental in the crew.]
Levi didn't pay much attention to the actor Beckinsale in his previous life. He only knows that she looks good, but she has never had any good opportunities; she has always been just shooting some action movies. In the film 'The Aviator,' she partnered with Leonardo DiCaprio, and her acting skills were considered good, but she has been filming action movies instead of some more serious dramas.
Which makes Levi a little strange; why is this.
In this life, he somewhat understood: Beckinsale's temper was too aggressive, knowing that Jack was his old buddy, and he could make things worse if he supported his friend, but she still handled things poorly.
Unsurprisingly, such a temper didn't come out of nowhere.
Because it was him she met, there are not many repercussions, but if it were someone else, they would not be so easy to forgive her.
When this actor is acting, she always has a heroic temperament, which is very rare. Among female actors, it is easy to find those with charming temperament, ethereal temperament, weak temperament, and elegant temperament, but it is generally difficult to find such heroic temperament.
With such characteristics, she could have mixed better: with such a temperament and style, she can definitely perform many extremely unique works.
But such a heroic spirit is difficult to get along with in life. Levi thought of her public accusation of plastic surgery for everyone in Hollywood and understood her temper slightly more.
"Thank you, Mr. Levi..." Beckinsale was silent for a moment, did not agree, but expressed her thanks again.
"There is nothing to be thankful for... Actually, it's not without reason that I help you. Maybe I will ask you to act in a movie in the future."
The bigger reason for caring for the actors is to enable them to star in his own work — that's something Levi never forgot. Moreover, Beckinsale's temperament is very characteristic; maybe some particular works are very suitable for her.
*****
Thanks and kudos for my patreons
Cherif Doghri
Scott DePaepe
MMMCMXCIX, or 3,999
Britanna
Mandy G
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