บท 177: Trouble comes from one's mouth
Regarding the street performance after the Emmy Awards ceremony, Renly could explain it; the situation wasn't complicated, and a few simple sentences could clarify it. But was it necessary?
As a public figure, living under the spotlight, every move would be scrutinized by the public under a microscope. It was easier for newcomers like Renly. If it were someone like Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt, they might even need to explain if they had a sore throat—it was not due to overindulgence, but just a cold. If every trivial matter required public explanation, life would become endless.
Moreover, many times, even if you explained, the public wouldn't buy it. People tended to believe what they wanted to believe.
The entertainment industry, the limelight, dealing with the media... These were all new to Renly. He didn't have any experiences to draw upon. However, two lifetimes had taught him one thing: if he allowed himself to be swayed constantly by others' opinions, he would inevitably lose himself. So, Renly wouldn't explain and didn't want to explain.
To put it another way, as Renly had said, "What if they did?"
Gavin was left speechless. There were countless celebrity offspring in the entertainment industry. Due to their parents' connections, many of them were born into the spotlight and entering the entertainment industry after growing up seemed like the natural course of events. So, what if a celebrity offspring's family background was exposed? What would happen?
This was the entertainment industry, not a family business with connections or a government agency's parachute. On the contrary, many celebrity offspring could easily attract attention. That was a good thing. Just like Bryce Dallas, who concealed the fact that her father was Ron Howard, relying on her own talent to forge her path. This approach could gain audience support and industry acclaim.
If Renly truly had a celebrity offspring background and had successfully created some buzz, then it wasn't really all that surprising. After all, this was Hollywood, a place where anything goes for the sake of publicity and exposure. At least, Gavin couldn't deny that between "The Pacific" and "Buried", Renly had indeed delivered performances that left people astounded.
So, faced with Renly's counterquestion, Gavin found himself somewhat retreating. This was a drawback of gossip magazines like Us Weekly. While internet buzz was undoubtedly important, they often invested all their energy into these trivial hot topics. If they managed to unearth a major scoop, everyone would be elated. Otherwise, it would be just trivial, inconsequential rubbish news.
"Well, maybe we can interview your parents then," Gavin masked his awkwardness and half-jokingly said, but he also knew the joke wasn't funny, so he quickly changed the subject. "So, what's going on between you and Natalie Portman? Rumors about you two are the current hot topic."
Renly's eyebrow lifted slightly. "If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the origin of these rumors you? I thought you would be clearer about the situation's ins and outs than I am." Renly's expression was full of enthusiasm. "Otherwise, why don't you explain it to me?."
The interview's dynamics shifted in an instant. Gavin was indeed taken off guard, but having been in the industry for two years, he quickly composed himself and retorted, "I witnessed you meeting Natalie at the cinema entrance; that's where it started, isn't it?"
Renly's lips curled slightly, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "People often say that you should believe what your own eyes see. But what about magic? Do you believe in magic?"
Renly's answer carried a profound meaning. Gavin thought back carefully and then considered the awkward atmosphere at the premiere of "Buried". Suddenly, a strange thought occurred to him. He blurted out, "You said you met Natalie at the Toronto Film Festival, this year's festival?"
"Two days ago, at the premiere, was the second time I saw Ms. Portman," Renly offered a gentlemanly response. Gavin suddenly understood, but upon further contemplation, his heart started to race.
In reality, what Gavin didn't know was that within the past thirty-six hours, including Us Weekly itself, several media outlets had already caught wind of clues and were relentlessly pursuing leads on Natalie and the "Black Swan" cast. However, Gavin had been busy preparing for today's interview. He had even attended the premiere of "127 Hours" yesterday, thus missing out on the excitement.
Feeling that the information might be overwhelming, Gavin blinked his eyes and temporarily set aside this thought. He changed the subject and made a small joke before continuing, "It's a journalist's instinct, you know." Gavin shrugged, using this way to cover up the fact that he was the source of the rumors. "So, let's talk about acting. In "Buried", you delivered a stunning performance. Could you share how you approach your roles and immerse yourself in your performances?"
Gavin had a hunch that Renly would certainly not refuse professional questions; in fact, he might even welcome them.
Sure enough, Renly spoke with ease about some interesting anecdotes from the movie's filming process. Just then, Andy Rogers suddenly approached, interrupting the interview. He whispered in Renly's ear, "Don't mention the experience of being enclosed in a coffin for now."
With the current situation, they still couldn't accurately predict the award season prospects for "Buried". It was at least a good start, so they needed to lay the groundwork in advance. If they waited until December, the Academy's public relations would already be in full swing, and it would be too late. Independent film crews like "Buried" typically didn't have strategies in place; they usually started after signing a distribution company. However, since Andy had become Renly's manager, he naturally needed to plan for Renly, just like how the "Black Swan" crew was meticulously planning for Natalie.
Renly subtly raised his chin to indicate his understanding and smiled at Gavin's puzzled gaze. "He's advising me not to talk about the trivial matters that could damage my image. For example, the scene where I had to call Paul's mother in the movie. I cried so much that I couldn't stop. Even when the director said "cut", I didn't stop. Instead, my tears flowed even more forcefully. Everyone was frightened by me. I cried like a baby."
Gavin burst into laughter at the jesting words. He looked up at Andy, who was standing beside them with a beaming smile. Gavin felt even more cheerful. "Clearly, it wasn't an easy filming experience. By the way, did you watch the premiere of "127 Hours" the night before yesterday?"
"Yes, I watched it right away," Renly said in a relaxed tone. Then he noticed Gavin's puzzled look. There wasn't any sign of Renly at the premiere of "127 Hours", so he had to clarify, "I got tickets for the industry screening yesterday and successfully checked it off."
For a hit movie like "127 Hours", it would be extremely difficult for Renly to grab any extra public screening tickets, just like he had done for several other movies a few days ago. However, Andy had other considerations. He also hoped that Renly could have more exposure, so he had obtained industry screening tickets for him.
"Oh, it seems like I missed out on quite a bit of excitement yesterday. But I'm sure you've heard that the movie received widespread acclaim from the media. Many believe that James Franco delivered the best performance of his career. Since both movies tell survival stories in extreme circumstances, people are comparing you and him. How do you feel about that?"
Gavin's question itself lacked much originality. It was obvious that he was trying to create a pit for Renly to fall into, attempting to spark a conversation between Renly and James. However, his intentions were quite transparent, and with a few polite words, he could easily brush it off.
"I think James did an outstanding job," Renly nodded affirmatively and continued to talk, "However, it's clear that the director is the real hero of this film. Danny Boyle's direction, camera work, and control were truly exceptional. He had a firm grasp on the audience's emotions throughout, making the viewing experience truly enjoyable."
Gavin was momentarily stunned, then he erupted into joy. The meaning behind Renly's words was: Is James Franco's performance not worth mentioning? Or perhaps, is it not worth comparing to him? Going a step further, did Renly believe that his contribution to "Buried" was greater than that of the director's? Such arrogant, conceited, and direct words were truly stimulating!
Gavin's pupils suddenly dilated. In that instant, his mind conjured an image of Marlon Brando.
Back in the day, the unruly genius actor, Marlon Brando, openly stated, "James Dean is nothing more than a fame-seeking copycat." This statement caused a media uproar. However, James Dean always concealed his admiration for Marlon Brando. Brando repeatedly declined to meet Dean until he realized Dean's talent and potential after the latter's untimely death due to a car accident. The missed opportunity for the two of them to meet was deeply regrettable.
Actors from the golden age never minded revealing their sharpness, cruelty, and greed, and they didn't care about public criticism. However, after entering the 1990s, agents and public relations quickly rose to prominence. Every actor was savvy and would never easily indulge in public declarations. Even bad boys like Sean Penn or the arrogant James Cameron seldom openly criticized their peers.
Almost instinctively, Gavin looked towards Andy, who stood beside them. If Andy were to intervene and stop this conversation, he would likely not be able to report it. But unexpectedly, Andy stood there quietly, seemingly motionless. What... was going on?
In fact, Andy was a bit helpless. Upon hearing Renly's words, he immediately realized that trouble might arise from his words. However, after a moment of contemplation, he also understood. Renly wasn't the type to casually target others or dismiss their abilities. But when it came to discussing professional matters, his confidence and determination exuded an unstoppable force.
Whether it was earlier when Gavin brought up acting or now when he mentioned James Franco, Renly's eyes sparkled with excitement. He was confident and assertive when discussing professional information. Ultimately, this was Renly's bottom line, his persistence, and his shining quality.
Wasn't it exactly these traits that had attracted Andy to seek Renly out persistently? If he were to suppress these qualities, it would be better not to have signed Renly in the first place. So, even though he was tempted to step in and stop Renly, Andy clenched his teeth and remained in his place.
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Shallowman
Shallowman James Dean and River Phoenix, such a shame. But if they were to live up to their potential, the history of the world would've been drastically different.
The song of the chupster is "Death Cab for Cutie - Grapevine Fires"
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