บท 437: Surrounded by enemies
The course of events left people puzzled. Weren't they initially concerned about Renly's potential illness? How did things escalate to the point where "Cleopatra" entered the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart?
Could the twists and turns be a bit too fantastical? Even "Harry Potter" didn't have such plot twists, did it?
However, reality showed that the media began to close in, and the wave of denunciation continued to brew, leaving one genuinely perplexed. Even though the academy's public relations seemed to have sounded the retreat, who was causing the turmoil? Simultaneously, the online discussions raged on, filled with criticism, condemnation, disdain, and nitpicking, an incessant torrent.
People often said that newcomers were often unstable and rose swiftly only to fall just as quickly. This held true for Renly.
On the internet, Renly's supporters were indeed numerous. Fans led by the fervent Blanc Lando were trying to bring things back under control. But their efforts were far from enough. Faced with this torrential flood like a wild horse, the wave of support hadn't even had a chance to roll when it was quickly engulfed and swept away.
This group of loyal fans could only watch helplessly as the situation intensified, unable to see an end in sight and yet powerless to do anything about it.
In the eyes of those within the industry, the situation was all too apparent. Someone was definitely fueling the flames behind the scenes. If there weren't someone deliberately targeting Renly, then the escalation of the situation wouldn't have been so swift, so fierce, so one-sided. But who could it be?
Not to mention others, even Andy Rogers was completely flabbergasted. The development of events had exceeded all expectations.
Initially, it was just a minor plot—a revelation about Renly's health condition. Andy and Seth clarified things, bringing up "50/50". Then, another round of revelations, disclosing that Renly did indeed have health problems due to filming, and he reluctantly had to skip the Oscars.
This way, not only could Renly conspicuously miss the award ceremony, but the momentum of his elevation could also be cooled down. People would realize that Renly was wholeheartedly dedicated to his performance. Additionally, this offered a small chance to promote "50/50".
By rearranging the facts in different chronological order, their goal could be achieved. After multiple consultations, Andy, Seth, and others settled on a plan of mutual assistance. Through the hands of Elliot Cort, they cast the bait to the National Enquirer.
However, who could have anticipated that first, an article from Entertainment Weekly would disrupt Andy's plan? Then, TMZ's internal leaks followed, swiftly followed by the wave of online denunciations. Andy didn't even have time to respond before the situation spiraled completely out of control. Now, the clamor questioning Renly's background was growing louder and harder to ignore, catching everyone off guard.
Andy initially thought that Renly was just a newcomer, and "50/50" was just an independent production. The level of attention was, after all, limited, and it could be resolved within a confined space. But now, everything had spiraled into chaos. It was absolutely impossible for there not to be someone behind the scenes inflating the situation, turning falsehoods into truths.
Upon careful reflection, Andy could come up with a few possible candidates.
One was the Weinstein brothers. Not only because of the minor clash at Sundance, but Renly was also a direct competitor in the battle for Colin Firth's throne in the film world. With just a few phone calls, they could easily exploit the situation, pushing Renly towards the abyss without much effort, why wouldn't they?
One of the possibilities was Natalie Portman's side. Although the scandal of infidelity and the subsequent turmoil weren't directly related to Renly, the entire award season had been overshadowed. Now Natalie's Oscar hopes were dashed. After the end of the academy's public relations campaign, they were left with no choice but to leave things to fate. At this point, venting their grievances opportunistically wasn't difficult.
Another possibility was Cornell from Entertainment Weekly. Andy wasn't certain about the enmity between Cornell and Renly, but he could sense Cornell's overt intention to target Renly without any pretense. Of course, it was also possible that Cornell simply wanted to create a sensational news story.
Renly had more enemies than imagined. This wasn't surprising.
Starting from last year's Emmy Awards, Renly had defeated Al Pacino and won the TV Emperor title. Since then, the doubts about Renly had never ceased.
At just twenty-one years old, with minimal acting experience, he garnered unanimous praise from critics, bursting onto the scene like a comet and continuously ascending. The acclaim for "Like Crazy" at Sundance, the Oscar nomination for "Buried"...
Everything made it seem like Renly possessed the entire world—dazzling and radiant, stirring jealousy in others' hearts.
So, speculation about Renly's background never truly abated. People always thought that compared to talent and good fortune, if Renly really was a bigwig's illegitimate child, it would be an easier fact to accept. After all, some people were born with silver spoons in their mouths, an unchangeable inequality that people would rather peacefully accept.
Just like Emma Roberts. After years in the industry without much progress in her career, she continuously landed fashion endorsements, magazine covers, and role offers. Even now, she was still playing the role of a decorative vase in youthful school settings. But people wouldn't criticize her too much because her privileged background was evident. Any accusations and complaints would be considered envy and jealousy.
If Renly had been like Emma, admitting things candidly, then people might have just made a few sarcastic remarks at most. But unfortunately, Renly always refused to directly respond and instead presented a straightforward attitude. He even counterattacked the doubts, making people's tempers flare up whenever an opportunity arose.
Since Renly's sudden rise, this was the third wave of doubt, and each was louder and more raucous than the previous one. It seemed that there had never been a true interruption. Every achievement he gained added to people's "evidence". On the flip side, if Renly failed, people would relish in his misfortune, believing their viewpoints had been vindicated.
With no retreat, the only option was to move forward. The road ahead was long, filled with thorns, and fraught with danger. Renly had no other choice.
However, this was what young Renly had to bear. Otherwise, why did child stars like Drew Barrymore and Macaulay Culkin face such rocky paths to adulthood? Hollywood, the arena of fame and fortune, was a behemoth that devoured people.
This had nothing to do with Renly's behavior. Even if he possessed a flawless image like Tom Hanks, people would always find opportunities to launch attacks.
For instance, in recent years, Tom had often been criticized for being too perfect and conservative in his choice of roles. He was unwilling to expand his range, refusing to embrace novelty. To maintain the image of "Mr. Perfect", he showed signs of excessive compulsiveness, causing great distress to those around him.
Regardless of whether these rumors were true or false, they illustrated people's malicious speculative tendencies. Facing this, Tom could only smile and move on. He couldn't engage in a back-and-forth, finger-pointing argument, lest he devalue himself.
Renly was the same in this respect.
For the past six months, Renly's rise had been incredibly swift and intense. The achievements he garnered as a newcomer were almost unbelievable—starting from the Emmys to the Golden Globes, then Sundance, and finally the Oscars. He burst onto the scene like a shooting star. Even Natalie, the hottest contender for the little golden man this year, paled in comparison to him.
Such a Renly was a living target, standing there unreservedly, constantly absorbing everyone's animosity.
This was precisely why Andy had initially thought of retreating to advance. He was concerned about excessive adulation and overdoing it. So, he accepted "50/50" and "Detachment", allowing Renly to focus entirely on acting. Ultimately, it all came down to letting the works speak for themselves.
By skipping the Oscars this time, aside from Renly's personal situation, Andy had also made a calculated decision. Though missing the Oscars was undoubtedly disappointing, if he concentrated on acting, returning to his identity as an actor, it was still a strategic retreat. This was the reason Andy had gone in a circle—first releasing news, then clarifying, and now seizing the opportunity. Otherwise, why go around in circles?
However, plans couldn't keep up with changes. Unexpected twists were always a possibility in the course of events.
He hadn't anticipated that what came wasn't necessarily misfortune. Misfortune could never be evaded. What was supposed to happen would come eventually. Now, Andy had willingly handed over a lever. Those lurking hounds, seeing a chance at last, how could they let go of the opportunity to throw stones into a well?
In this regard, Andy couldn't blame anyone else. This pit was of his own digging. Ultimately, it was his excessive ambition that led to this mess. Wanting to get too much too soon was just asking to be stuffed, but as a manager, he wasn't a public relations expert. The difference in professions caused a gap in handling details, resulting in such an evident deviation in events.
He had buried himself this time. With a bitter taste he couldn't express, he could only swallow the bitter pill and then pull himself together to solve the problem.
Honestly, amid the headaches, Andy was somewhat relieved.
This time, they had taken the initiative, and the follow-up contingency plans were ready. Even if things worsened, they could still be salvaged. The difficulty had increased now, but they hadn't strayed from the track. Yet if they continued to be passive, allowing the previous situation to accumulate, nobody knew when it would explode, in what form, and what kind of outcome it would lead to. Once it spiraled out of control, they would be powerless.
They had detected the problem in time; everything was still salvageable.
However, who were the culprits? Weinstein, Natalie, Cornell? Or perhaps all three were working together? Beyond that, were there others involved?
Andy was a meticulous person, meticulous and vindictive. This time, someone had crossed swords with Renly, which meant they had crossed swords with him. So, the next time, he was bound to reclaim his territory. This matter was far from over!
Morgan Fisher gazed at Chris Hemsworth standing by the office desk, a faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth. His composure was imbued with confidence and pride, as if he held mastery over everything.
Chris held a newspaper in his hand, engrossed in reading. A satisfied smile gradually appeared in his eyes, ultimately lighting up his entire face. The genuine joy from deep within him had no trace of concealment.
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