บท 491: Adding some fuel
"The showdown between "Thor" and "Fast 5" was capturing more and more attention.
The first wave was the clash between Renly and Chris, igniting a small spark and sparking some discussions; the second wave was the summer blockbuster season, approaching Arbor Day, and as the summer season drew nearer, more and more people focused their attention on it, and the discussions were gradually heating up.
The third wave was the showdown between Renly and Natalie. It started as a rumor, followed by a controversy about body doubles, and then the clash between the representatives of Gen Y actors. These two actors had appeared quite frequently in the past half year, and now they were going head-to-head in the summer box office battle?
This was undoubtedly the most explosive topic of this summer blockbuster season. Due to the order of release, the showdown between "Thor" and "Fast 5" had subtly become the most anticipated showdown of the summer, while the clash between "Captain America" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" was still almost two months away.
Following Natalie, the reporters once again focused their attention on Renly. In less than three days, they found Renly at the entrance of Studio Eleven for the second time.
Similarly, the reporters still didn't seem curious about why Renly had been appearing here lately. Perhaps they had noticed that the current hot topics were still brewing, and there was no time, energy, or need to focus on an independent music studio.
Looking at the reporters in front of him, their eyes shimmering with anticipation, Renly couldn't help but feel a strange thought pop into his mind. He felt like they were hungry chicks waiting to be fed, and not just any chicks, but the kind that was starving.
This was truly...
A smile tugged at the corner of Renly's mouth, and a faint amusement gleamed in his eyes as he joked, "I thought the summer blockbuster season would be busier."
"What do you mean?" The reporters collectively wore puzzled expressions. Glancing around, there was a sea of confused looks. The humor was increasing.
Then, after a brief pause, some reporters began to catch on. Renly was mocking them for having nothing better to do, finding him twice in three days. Wasn't there any other news worth reporting during the summer blockbuster season? In essence, he was ridiculing the pointlessness of these sensational topics.
With a simple and clean sentence, devoid of any foul language, the reporters on-site collectively turned into idle fools. But unfortunately, they couldn't argue back because it was their own understanding, and Renly hadn't said anything directly, leaving them feeling inexplicably frustrated.
Previously, the Hollywood Expeditionary Team in Seattle had been humiliated, sneaking back to Los Angeles with their tails between their legs, and many reporters thought they were incapable and exaggerated things. Renly was just a 21-year-old young man. Could his sharp tongue really rival battle-hardened reporters? But today, everyone finally felt the same frustration.
To avoid further frustration, the reporters immediately shifted the topic to Natalie.
"Natalie?" Renly raised an eyebrow, finally understanding the reason for the reporters' presence. He vaguely remembered Nathan mentioning it last night, but he had been deep in thought about the arrangement of a song at the time and hadn't paid much attention. Now it suddenly clicked. Although he didn't know the specific focus of the media's attention, it was undoubtedly related to these recurring themes."
"Since Toronto, we haven't had a conversation. I don't know how she's been. This meeting during the summer blockbuster season is a strange twist of fate. Maybe when we meet at some promotional event, we can exchange a few words."
Renly's cheerful tone left the reporters puzzled. The essence of his words was clear: he and Natalie were not friends, not in the past, not now, and perhaps not in the future.
Without a direct confrontation, he subtly drew a distinct line between them. This left the reporters wondering, was there really some hidden secret behind the body double controversy? But the truth of the matter was probably known only to Renly and Natalie, perhaps with the addition of their agents, but these individuals were unlikely to speak. Even if the reporters were curious, they were helpless.
What was more important was that during the previous awards season interviews, Renly's attitude had remained consistent. Today, it was simply a continuation, and the reporters couldn't forcibly insert the idea of a tense rivalry between the two. It was truly frustrating.
Subsequently, the reporters raised the question of box office again. The last time, they were caught off guard by Renly and didn't get a single honest answer. They had let the big fish slip through their fingers. Today, they had learned their lesson and surrounded Renly tightly, maintaining a 360-degree blockade, determined not to let go until they got their answers.
Renly chuckled softly, "The decision isn't in my hands." He responded with an easygoing tone, "Of course, I look forward to the film's success at the box office. However, before that, I need the help of Vin and Paul. Wait, should I say, I'm helping them?"
Renly then wore a contemplative expression, spreading his hands and shrugging, looking innocently as if to say, "I'm just a helpless participant." He even pointed out the most important thing: he was merely the third lead in the movie, so why was all the attention focused on him? Hadn't the reporters locked onto the wrong focus?
Then, Renly raised his right hand, with his index and middle fingers crossed, making a gesture of prayer. He nodded slightly and turned to face the reporters blocking his way.
The reporters hesitated but didn't move aside. However, the questions had all been answered. What more could they ask? Just like when facing Natalie, they now realized that they had very limited options when it came to Renly.
So, the reporters automatically gave way, watching Renly ascend the steps and politely nodding to everyone before entering the building in front of them. His serene demeanor made it seem as though this group of reporters weren't voracious, flesh-eating creatures, but friendly fans. What... what was going on here!
"Renly Hall: Looking forward to "Fast 5" achieving great results."
The reporters subsequently reported in this manner, emphasizing in their reports that both Renly and Natalie displayed modest and humble attitudes. However, when it came to the box office competition, they both showed confidence and anticipation. This opening battle of the summer blockbuster season was becoming more and more anticipated!
"Opening Battle!"
This was the headline from Us Weekly, officially giving a name to this showdown.
Interestingly, all the media selectively ignored a crucial fact: "Fast 5" was not the opening film of the summer blockbuster season; "Thor" was. The former still belonged to the spring season, strictly speaking. It was more of a transition than a direct confrontation.
However, it was evident that major media outlets blatantly overlooked this fact and began sensationalizing this showdown, especially the renewed clash between Natalie and Renly.
"As the two most prominent actors of Gen Y in terms of acting, Natalie and Renly clearly have different industry positions," said Us Weekly.
Natalie made her big-screen debut in 1994 with "Léon: The Professional" and had been in the industry for seventeen years. She not only starred in commercially successful blockbusters like "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" but also recently won an Oscar for "Black Swan", establishing herself as a leading figure of Gen Y.
Renly only won his first role last year in "The Pacific" and swiftly earned an Emmy. His works like "Buried" and "Like Crazy" garnered widespread acclaim, and his rising star seemed unstoppable. But strictly speaking, his experience was still relatively shallow, and he needed more self-confirmation.
Their industry positions were indeed distinct.
"But the talent and spirituality they exhibit in the realm of art make people take notice. After both experienced a splendid awards season, the expectations for the commercial films they appear in have steadily risen. What's even more intriguing is that this summer's showdown is not the first nor the last collision between the two actors. The trajectory of their future developments is highly anticipated."
Us Weekly hyped up the intensity of this showdown, and online discussions reached a fever pitch. All eyes were now converging on Renly and Natalie. Even though Renly attempted to shift the focus by involving Vin and Paul, with the media's active promotion, the effect was not very pronounced. People were increasingly looking forward to the opening battle of the summer blockbuster season.
Recognizing this situation, Paramount and Universal also realized the importance of this hot topic. Consequently, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Anthony Hopkins began giving interviews, all expressing their anticipation for the showdown between Renly and Natalie. They emphasized that healthy competition at the box office was something to encourage.
Undoubtedly, this added fuel to the fire.
But for Chris, this was bad news. The situation he had worked hard to create was on the brink of collapse. All the attention was now swarming towards Natalie, which was not what Morgan had hoped for.
Under Morgan's arrangement, several reporters redirected their attention to Chris, asking about Renly's attitude. Chris responded with a simple and to-the-point three-word answer, "Good for him." What did this mean? What was the implication?
Facing such a "tricky" question, Chris displayed an innocent and helpless expression. "After I moved, I tried to contact Renly several times, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to get in touch. However, it's understandable. After moving, Renly had an extremely fulfilling six months. He's a workaholic, so he must have been completely immersed in his work. When I saw the news from Seattle last time, I wasn't surprised at all. That's the Renly I know. So, it's normal."
"Are you saying that you haven't had any contact with him since you moved?"
"Hehe, we all have to learn to adapt to Hollywood, don't we?"
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