Chương 125: **Chapter 125: A Cameo**
*Ding-dong~*
It was mid-June, and the afternoon sun was blazing over Los Angeles. On the eastern shore of Santa Monica Beach, there was a stretch of beachfront villas. These villas belonged to Hearst Properties and were primarily rented out to vacationers visiting Los Angeles.
During the tourist season, the monthly rent for a beachfront villa could reach $20,000.
Due to its proximity to the beautiful Santa Monica Beach, the demand for these villas was high. Compared to last year, short-term rental prices had risen by 15%.
*Ding-dong ding-dong~*
The golden sun hung high above the villa area. A tall young man stepped out of a car and rang the doorbell of one of the villas.
He wore a yellow straw hat, a blue floral beach shirt, and leather sandals, giving off a very casual vibe.
*Click*, the villa door opened, and a man in his forties appeared, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and sporting a beer belly. He looked at the visitor with a puzzled expression.
Before the man could speak, the visitor removed his hat, flashing a bright smile. "Hello, Director Forster. I'm Luca Kelly, a new actor."
"Oh~, you're Luca! Billy mentioned you. He said you're a good actor. Come in, let's talk!"
"Thank you!"
Luca sighed with relief, holding a bottle of wine as he walked into the villa.
The sun shone peacefully over the villa and the green lawn in front. After about twenty minutes, Luca put his straw hat back on and walked out, heading to a car parked by the road.
In the driver's seat was a middle-aged man with dark skin, slumped back in his seat, snoring. His baby-faced appearance showed signs of exhaustion, with a few more strands of white hair at his temples glistening in the sunlight.
*Knock-knock~*
Luca tapped on the car window. "Ed, why don't I drive?"
"Oh~ Luca, you're back. How'd it go?"
Ed wiped his face and asked.
"Smoothly. Director Marc Forster thinks I'm a good fit. He's close with the screenwriter and casting director, so the role should be mine."
"Wow~, congrats, Luca! You're going to be the male lead!"
Ed grinned, showing off his white teeth.
"It's not a big deal," Luca shrugged. "The story of *Mean Girls* mostly revolves around the four girls. The male lead, Aaron, has less screen time than the fourth female lead."
"But he's still the male lead, right?"
"Fine, I guess I'm finally the male lead. Should we hit a bar and celebrate with some cold beers?"
Luca raised his eyebrows with a smile.
"Cold beer?"
Ed gulped dryly, "That sounds like a great idea, but we've got more work today. We should get going."
"Alright."
Luca climbed into the passenger seat. "Ed, maybe you should find me an assistant so you don't have to follow me everywhere."
"Yeah, I'm already working on that."
The car engine rumbled and shook a bit before slowly pulling onto the road. Ed turned his head and asked, "What kind of assistant do you want? I'd like to hear your thoughts to get a sense of what you need."
"Hmm~, first, I'd prefer a female assistant. They tend to be more detail-oriented."
"No problem."
"Second, they should be professional."
"That's a must."
Ed nodded.
"Lastly, they should be punctual, discreet, and trustworthy."
"That won't be an issue. Punctuality and confidentiality are essential for an assistant."
"Then I don't have any other requirements."
"OK!"
Ed nodded, glancing at Luca's clothes. "We're heading straight to the set later. It's a cameo role, and you need to bring your own outfit, so let's find somewhere for you to change first."
"Alright. I'm getting a bit excited about working with Tom Cruise," Luca said with a slight smile.
"Just don't get too nervous!"
"Why would I?"
The car slowly left Santa Monica behind. The view of the sea, sand, and bikinis gradually gave way to towering skyscrapers, crowded streets, and endless traffic.
The sounds of waves and seagulls were replaced by honking horns and loud music.
They arrived at 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles, near the Metro Center station.
Today, the *Collateral* crew was shooting a scene here.
Luca was set to play a small cameo role.
*Collateral* was a new film starring Tom Cruise, produced by DreamWorks.
In the movie, Cruise played a hitman who receives a kill list and starts a killing spree in Los Angeles.
Luca's role would appear in the film's opening scene, meeting Cruise's character at the subway station and handing him a black briefcase.
The scene lasted less than two minutes, and it was very simple.
This was one of the roles the company had arranged for him. Despite only having a few seconds of screen time, sharing a scene with Tom Cruise in a major movie's opening was still a rare opportunity.
The car stopped in front of a celebrity makeup and styling shop, and they both walked inside with a suitcase.
About ten minutes later, Luca emerged transformed. Dressed in a black suit and white shirt, his hair slicked back, his facial features suddenly appeared sharper. He had gone from a sunny beach boy to a cool, model-like figure—a dramatic change.
"Not bad. Let's head to the set."
They quickly arrived at Metro Center station. Amid the busy underground hall, they found the crew preparing for the shoot.
The scheduled time was 2 p.m., and Luca arrived 30 minutes early.
"Mr. Kelly, welcome, welcome!"
The segment producer greeted him.
"Thank you, Mr. Norton!"
Luca politely shook his hand.
"Mr. Kelly, Mr. Cruise hasn't arrived yet. We'll need you to wait a bit longer."
"No problem!"
Luca and Ed stood quietly to the side.
The director and several assistants were guiding the extras. Although the scene only involved two main characters, there were over a hundred extras, making the set busy and noisy.
The weather was hot, and Luca, dressed in a suit, stood there for half an hour, sweating profusely. His clothes were nearly soaked.
"It's time. Where is he? I'll go ask!"
Ed went to check, returning with a slightly frustrated look. "Luca, we'll have to wait a bit longer. Tom Cruise is still filming on another set."
"Alright."
After waiting over two hours, the superstar finally arrived.
Tom Cruise, dressed in a gray suit, walked into the subway hall with five bodyguards and assistants in tow—a grand entrance.
As soon as the superstar arrived, the surrounding passengers and extras all looked his way. Some even shouted his name, to which Cruise responded with a charming smile and a wave.
Tom Cruise was indeed very handsome. Even as he aged, he remained an attractive older man. Unlike Leonardo DiCaprio, who had become a bloated, greasy figure as he aged—truly an unprofessional idol.
"Mr. Cruise, this is Luca Kelly, who will be playing the contact man in this scene."
When the superstar arrived on set, the segment producer introduced him.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Cruise!"
Luca gave a polite smile.
Kate had mentioned before that his face had a naturally cold look, which could come off as unfriendly if he didn't smile. He had already offended Matt Damon once because of this, and he didn't want to make a habit of offending Hollywood stars.
"Good afternoon!"
Tom Cruise nodded, flashing his signature charming smile, then walked over to a nearby sofa, where the segment producer and director hovered around him.
"Jealous?" Ed teased.
"Just a little."
Luca chuckled. Only a little.
Upon closer inspection, Luca realized that even with lifts in his shoes, Tom Cruise was about 5'8" (173 cm) at most, and probably only 5'7" (170 cm) without them. He wasn't envious of that but did envy Cruise's beautiful ex-wives.
Once the superstar arrived, Luca put on his jacket, ready for the shoot.
Suddenly, the segment producer approached, speaking in a low voice. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Cruise's assistant feels that Mr. Kelly is too tall for this role."
"Are they recasting?" Ed asked in surprise.
"Yes," the segment producer said, a bit helpless. "We didn't realize before, but Mr. Kelly is much taller than Mr. Cruise. In this scene, the two of them have a shoulder-bump moment, so… this is our mistake. I'm very sorry."
Luca was speechless. Just a moment ago, he had been thinking about Cruise's height, and now he was being replaced because of it. How ironic.
He glanced at Ed, since this role had been arranged by the company.
Ed frowned slightly. "Mr. Norton, we're already here, and everything is ready. If the crew has to recast, it will delay filming another day. I hope Mr. Norton and Mr. Cruise will reconsider."
Norton hesitated. "Please wait a moment."
"How do you feel?" Ed asked calmly.
"Nothing much. If I were Tom Cruise, I'd do the same."
"You think he's in the right?"
Ed asked in surprise.
"Big stars always get special treatment, don't they?"
Luca chuckled lightly. "When I become a big star in the future, I'll have special treatment too. Anyone more handsome or taller than me won't be allowed to act opposite me. Ed, you need to remember that."
"Sorry, I can't do that!"
Ed shook his head regretfully.
"Can't do it?!"
"No!"
Ed looked at him and sighed. "I don't think there's anyone in the world who's both more handsome and taller than you."
Luca was stunned for a moment. "Haha, Ed, you're absolutely right. I've never agreed with you more than I do now."
"It's the truth!"
Ed said without blushing.
After a while, the unit production manager, Mr. Norton, slowly walked over.
"Ed, do you think Tom Cruise will change his mind?"
"... Mr. Norton's footsteps are heavy. It seems the communication failed."
"Is that so? That's really unfortunate news!"
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