The night in New York had grown deep, but the brilliantly lit Manhattan Island showed no sign of silence. The noise and clamor in the air surged as the summer restlessness intensified. Young people gathered on the streets, relishing in the exuberance and boldness of their youth.
Pushing open the side door, Renly stepped onto the street first, then grabbed the handle, waiting for Tom and Steven to join him outside before closing the door again. "I'm sorry, the lounge is already full, and I wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable discussing matters on the street. I hope this isn't too impolite."
Renly's humble and courteous yet humorous words successfully elicited a chuckle from Tom. "I don't mind, that's not the point. As long as you don't mind, it's not a problem."
Renly's eyebrow subtly raised. "I thought this conversation was because of my brief absence earlier, which might have left you dissatisfied with the service. But now it seems my guess was wrong."
Tom chuckled lightly and turned to Steven, ceding the initiative in the conversation.
"Ahem," Steven cleared his throat, catching Renly's gaze. "We want to extend a formal invitation, to personally deliver this news to you. Welcome to be a part of the "The Pacific" cast." Since the decision had already been made, Steven didn't beat around the bush, stating their purpose outright.
However, beneath his words lay subtlety, casually conveying their formality and respect, as if granting Renly the highest treatment—two of Hollywood's top-tier legends appearing in person. It truly was an honor for any actor. Unintentionally, it moved Renly to tears of gratitude, and probably no newcomer could avoid being moved by such an opportunity.
If Renly hadn't lived two lives and seen through the complexities of human relationships, he might have succumbed to the common reaction at this point. But Renly knew that Tom and Steven clearly didn't come all this way for a meal order. A minor misunderstanding had occurred during the ordering process, but within these past few hours, something unexpected must have happened to change their minds. However, that wasn't important to Renly; what was important was that he had gotten the role!
A rush of ecstasy swept over him in an instant, like a tornado from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. The tingling sensation surged through his veins like stormy waves.
He did it, he truly did it. He had truly won his first role in life solely based on his own talent. He had truly set foot on the path of an actor! After his rebirth, all his hesitations, all his confusion, all his uncertainties vanished in this moment. His efforts, his persistence, his struggles had finally paid off. Although it was just a small step, it was the first time he had truly achieved a goal according to his own desires since his two lives. The joy was overwhelming, almost uncontrollable.
He clenched his fist, then clenched it again, tightly containing all the excitement, exhilaration, gratitude, joy, and happiness in his palm.
"Are you serious?" Renly's voice trembled, and he awkwardly cleared his throat twice. "I thought I still needed to wait for further news."
Steven shrugged. "It's just an advance notice for now. In the next two days, the information will gradually be sent to every actor's agents. You can wait for instructions to join the cast."
"Um... I don't have an agent for the time being." Renly had arrived in New York less than three months ago and was gradually getting accustomed to life here.
Though during his Broadway performances in New York, he had been approached by four or five agents, in Renly's view, two were frauds, two were all talk without real competence, and only one seemed decent. He wasn't in a hurry. A crucial partnership like an agent should be quality over quantity.
"The Pacific" had an open audition. They posted recruitment information through SAG (Screen Actors Guild), welcoming anyone who met the criteria to participate. This was Renly's first formal audition. Firstly, although it was just a TV series and not a movie, the opportunity was indeed rare. Secondly, Renly wanted to test the waters and at least understand how the film industry operated.
So, when he was told to "wait for notification" after the afternoon audition ended, he was a bit disappointed but not too downcast. He didn't expect that things would take a turn now.
"No agent? Don't worry, SAG will send a representative." Steven waved his hand. It was quite common for newcomers not to have agents, given the mature development of the American entertainment industry. "We'll directly contact SAG, and they will assign an agent to handle subsequent matters for you."
"If you have any salary requirements, you can mention it to the public agent assigned by SAG, then we can negotiate further." Tom, standing beside them, suddenly added. Steven cast a glance at Tom, his eyes revealing an exasperated expression, which made Renly smile.
Tom was the spokesperson of SAG and tirelessly fought for actors' interests, commanding immense respect among actors. This fact marked a stark contrast between Tom and Steven, who was a producer.
"I believe HBO will offer me a reasonable number." Renly stated confidently, causing both big shots to take notice again and then revealing a slight smile.
As a new actor, Renly didn't have much bargaining power when it came to salary negotiations. Moreover, for Renly, "The Pacific" was his first formal appearance in front of the camera. His focus should be on acting skills.
Steven had completed his task of notifying Renly and was about to leave. However, after hesitating for a moment, he asked again, "Did you have a preferred role when you auditioned this afternoon?"
The recruitment information from SAG provided a brief introduction to the four main roles, helping narrow down actors' choices. However, the pre-determined Eugene was not listed among the roles. Steven was merely curious about which role had prompted Renly's choice for the afternoon performance.
"No," Renly's answer surprised them. "I just wanted to give it a try. However, the prepared scene I had didn't get used." He didn't continue his sentence, just looked at Tom, which made everything clear.
Tom innocently shrugged, indicating his innocence. "Don't worry, you'll definitely have a use for it in the future."
Steven paused for a moment, then sighed. Perhaps, this was fate—a series of unexpected occurrences that led to Joseph's pre-determined role being replaced by Renly. If that was the case, then let's see where fate would guide them. Only at this moment did Steven completely accept Renly playing Eugene.
"So, which role did I finally get?" Renly asked curiously.
Tom and Steven exchanged a glance, and ultimately, it was Steven who gave the answer, "Eugene."
Renly clenched his fist discreetly, adrenaline coursing through him from the challenging obstacles and thrilling opportunities. Undoubtedly, Eugene was the most demanding role in "The Pacific", signifying that Renly's first real encounter with acting would bring a stern test. However, he was not the least bit timid, not even a trace of nervousness. His exhilaration burst like fireworks deep within his pupils.
After seeing off Tom and Steven, Renly returned to the bar's backstage. By this time, Jason's performance had concluded. Jason had descended from the stage and was engaging with the audience up close. The scene was harmonious and pleasant, carrying a unique charm.
Stanley, who was constantly attentive to the door's movements, was the first to spot Renly. He hurriedly approached, but his words were preempted by Neil, who rushed over asking, "How did it go? What did they want with you?"
Renly intentionally left them hanging, not answering immediately. He calmly looked at Neil and Stanley. Both of them unconsciously held their breaths, freezing their movements, and only then did Renly speak, "I got the role."
A simple sentence, yet it carried immense weight. The two in front of him were momentarily stunned. Then Neil burst into laughter, raising his head triumphantly, "Haha, I knew it, I knew it!" Neil hopped around excitedly, shouting, "They have a good eye! I knew it!"
Stanley didn't lose his composure, but he broke into a wide grin and gave Renly a bear hug. "Congratulations, congratulations! While I knew becoming a top superstar was only a matter of time for you, I didn't expect it to come this quickly. I was thinking of having you stay here for a few more months."
Renly chuckled, "Isn't it too early to say all this? You have to understand, in America, there are second-tier actors struggling without work, and there are even more struggling third-tier actors." Thanks to his performances on Broadway these past few months, he could barely qualify as an amateur actor on the eleventh or twelfth tier.
Stanley's lighthearted tone made his smile even brighter. "I'm starting to worry now. In the future, I might not find such excellent cheap labor. You have to know, every time you take the stage to save the show, the audience's response is extraordinary, even more popular than many professional musicians."
"That's because they recognize this face of mine." Renly grinned.
Stanley wasn't buying it. "I'm serious. I know music is just a pastime for you, and acting is where your motivation lies. But believe me, you're an outstanding performer." Stanley, for once, was serious. He looked at Renly with sincerity. "To make up for the bar's loss, you should record those songs as singles and give me all the proceeds."
"Haha." Stanley's remark amused Renly, bringing to his mind Tom's words before leaving, "Thank you for the performance. It's been a while since I've felt real music." Then Tom had asked the name of that song, whispered it to himself twice, and left.
"You can cross your fingers and silently pray; maybe someday it'll come true." Renly playfully teased. The words were evidently not to be taken seriously, leaving Stanley at a loss for words. He gestured towards the bustling scene within the bar and Neil, who was sharing Renly's good news with other servers. "I should help out too if we want to close on time."