Chương 394: Chapter 394: Talent Zero
"Welcome..."
As Murphy entered the studio, Jonah Hill came up to greet him, "Murphy, it's great that you and Gale could make it to the set on time."
"Hi, Jonah." Gale Gadot greeted him, while Murphy went straight to the point, "Is the shooting going smoothly?"
"Not really." Jonah Hill shook his head slightly, "We've been shooting for twelve days, and we're three days behind schedule. Seth's talent is decent, but he's not quite like you were at the beginning."
Murphy shook his head, "That might not be the case."
If he were to make a pure comedy film, he'd definitely mess it up. Murphy knew his limitations; he was nowhere near as good as Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill in this regard.
Arriving near the set, Seth Rogen was directing the shoot, with James Franco and Robert Downey Jr. apparently cracking jokes in front of the camera, causing both to break into laughter and temporarily halting the shoot.
Seth Rogen was busy, and Murphy only greeted him briefly before entering the set, which was decorated like a luxurious presidential suite, exuding opulence. However, to an experienced eye like his, it was clear that most of the lavish decor was merely props.
Robert Downey Jr. and James Franco were discussing the recent mishap. Murphy did not interrupt them and went with Gale Gadot, led by a staff member, directly to the makeup room.
After makeup, Murphy joined the shooting. This being his first official role, his performance was naturally subpar, leading to various complications from the get-go.
"Cut!" Seth Rogen called a halt, shouting at a distracted Murphy on set, "Expression! Murphy, show some expression."
Murphy raised his hand toward the director's monitor, "Give me five minutes, I need to get into the feel."
Once five minutes had passed, the shooting resumed, but Murphy hadn't quite found his groove. It's one thing to direct from behind a camera and quite another to perform in front of it.
"Stop! Murphy, you're off your mark!"
This particular shoot was proving challenging, with Murphy making continuous errors.
"You're too stiff! Loosen up."
"Don't block James's face, we need his good looks!"
This cameo was not as easy as imagined. After numerous takes, Seth Rogen reluctantly approved one, and compared to Murphy, Gale Gadot's scene was completed in just two shots.
"Talent, oh talent!" Robert Downey Jr. patted Murphy on the shoulder, shaking his head, "Your acting talent is basically zero!"
Seizing the opportunity to rib Murphy, his friends wouldn't let it slide easily. James Franco joined in, saying, "It's less than zero."
Murphy didn't bother arguing, knowing it would only excite them more. Seth Rogen had already discussed modifying the groom's role to make it easier for him to perform.
In a comedy film like this, delving deep into character isn't necessary, nor is it feasible to keep shooting repeatedly for one actor, especially since Murphy also didn't have much time. "Man of Steel" still had a lot of post-production work waiting for him.
Simply put, during the film's production, each actor had a clear role: Jonah Hill was responsible for comedic relief, James Franco for charm, Seth Rogen for cuteness, Robert Downey Jr. for his quips, and Murphy played the natural fool.
Murphy's role was a cameo with not much screen time; Gale Gadot had even less, finishing her part in just two days before returning to school.
According to the schedule, Murphy's scenes were supposed to be completed within five days. However, his average acting extended it to a week, and he had to travel to Las Vegas with the crew.
"Real tiger?"
In a mansion rented by the Las Vegas crew, Murphy heard a faint roaring and asked, "Did you really get a tiger?"
"Borrowed from a circus," Seth Rogen pointed to a nearby van, "The rental was affordable, cheaper than using CGI."
Murphy nodded slightly, "Let's go take a look."
By the van, Murphy recognized the strong Black man as Mike Tyson. Seth Rogen explained, "Among all the sports stars we approached, he had the highest fame but quoted the lowest price."
Like many Black sports stars, Tyson's bankruptcy started with his retirement.
Murphy wasn't interested in greeting him and walked over to the cage to look at the tiger before moving on.
This tiger later joined the filming.
Since he couldn't stay too long with the crew named "The Hangover," Murphy soon faced his final scene, which was easier than the previous ones, resembling a mere puppet's role.
On the rooftop terrace of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the crew of "The Hangover" had prepared everything for the shoot.
"Scene one hundred forty-one, take eleven, action."
With the clapper
board's call, the shoot officially started.
"Doug!"
"Doug!"
The repeated calls from Robert Downey Jr. and James Franco filled the air as a camera focused on the terrace door, which was suddenly pushed open. Robert Downey Jr., James Franco, Jonah Hill, and Seth Rogen hurried out.
"Doug, are you here?"
Jonah Hill, trailing behind, quickly placed a stone to block the door, preventing it from locking them out.
The men spread out to search. The camera followed Seth Rogen before Murphy's long legs appeared in the frame.
"Guys, Doug is here!"
Seth Rogen pointed at Murphy and shouted back to the others, "Doug's here!"
Murphy sat on the floor, leaning against a wall, sheltered by the sparse shadow from the scorching Las Vegas sun. His face, darkened by makeup, appeared as if sunbaked all day.
Per Seth Rogen's direction, Murphy sat motionless, like a statue.
Robert Downey Jr., James Franco, Jonah Hill, and Seth Rogen ran up to Murphy. James Franco crouched down, grabbed Murphy's hand, and exclaimed, "Thank goodness, he's fine. We finally found him!"
Murphy looked up, expressionless as if stupefied by the sun.
Robert Downey Jr. helped him up, "Come on, we have no time to waste, we need to go now!"
"I'm getting married today…" Murphy played the fool, the best he could muster, "I have to get married today, get me home!"
"Don't worry!" James Franco assured him confidently, "Leave it to us!"
"OK!" The assistant director, temporarily filling in for Seth Rogen, shouted, "Very good, this take is perfect!"
Relieved, Murphy waved for a crew member who brought him a cup of water. He drank eagerly, feeling much better, even though he hadn't actually been baking in the sun all day. Las Vegas' desert climate was harsh enough to dry anyone out.
As the others drank water, Jonah Hill stretched lazily, regretfully telling Murphy, "Too bad, you have to head back this afternoon. We planned to party at Caesars Palace tonight, and you can't join."
Murphy returned his cup to the crew member, "I hope you lose your underwear."
He checked the time, "I won't keep you any longer, I need to remove my makeup."
Robert Downey Jr. and James Franco, knowing Murphy had a promotional event with Warner Bros that evening, nodded without further ado.
Murphy waved goodbye and headed to an improvised makeup room on the top floor, urging the makeup artist to work quickly. After tidying up his belongings, he descended to the hotel lobby, caught a car to a nearby helicopter pad, and boarded a flight to Los Angeles.
These back-to-back promotional activities were exhausting. Amidst the helicopter's roar, Murphy managed a brief nap with earplugs in. He arrived at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons fully revived from the sun-induced headache, ready for another battle.
Before entering the hotel, Murphy was stopped by reporters. On this informal occasion, he discussed the comedy film he had invested in.
"Being an actor is indeed a great feeling, completely different from directing."
Addressing a question about his role in a movie, Murphy spoke openly, "Shooting 'The Hangover' was indeed a delightful experience. The actors were all energetic and the script was fun."
He enthusiastically promoted his investment, "There's also a baby actor in the crew. Working with a baby is truly joyous because kids naturally bring happiness and warmth. Just try spending a day with a baby, and you'll feel genuinely happy."
After answering a few more questions about "The Hangover," Murphy entered the hotel's press room, ready for the next event.
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