In Hollywood's film industry, talent agents played a distinct role. They didn't directly participate in any film production aspects, yet they held the pulse of a film's development. They were true behind-the-scenes strategists who could flip the situation with a wave of their hand.
Summing up the intricate work of talent agents, it boiled down to being intermediaries. They sought suitable film projects for actors while promoting appropriate actors to film companies, advocating for better compensation. Many people misunderstood the role of talent agents, thinking they merely relied on their communication skills. However, in reality, high-level agents in Hollywood held a status no less than any producer's. Many directors and actors had to seek their favor.
For instance, when "Avatar" was set to begin production, James Cameron released news that he was searching for suitable actors. His first move would be to approach the top talent agents in the industry. These agents would evaluate and select candidates, submitting a backup list of actors for consideration. Only then would the actors have their chance to perform.
In other words, not just any actor could receive such information. Even top-tier stars like Tom Cruise, without a powerful agent, would have limited sources of information. This was even truer for B-list and C-list actors.
Typically, major Hollywood film companies entrusted their new flagship projects to these top-tier agents. They tightly controlled resources and kept everything confidential. The selection of cast members remained within a specific scope. The power to decide whether to give opportunities to newcomers, promote certain actors, or use a top actor to lead a group of supporting actors all lay with the agents. From directors to actors, screenwriters, and even cinematographers, this was the norm. The only exception was when someone like Michael Bay cast newcomers right from the start for "Transformers".
Conversely, the same principle applied. If Leonardo DiCaprio heard that Alejandro González Iñárritu was preparing to shoot "The Revenant", he wanted to be a part of it. His agent would step in to negotiate, perhaps even arrange a face-to-face meeting. Or if Leonardo wanted to make a commercial film, his agent would immediately reach out to major film companies, securing the latest and best projects. After an initial selection by the agent, the choices would be handed to Leonardo.
In this context, it was understood that higher-level agents had more resources. Film companies hoped to find more suitable actors through these agents, while actors sought out better projects. Agents acted as colossal relay stations. Countless messages and information flowed through them, and they redistributed it, forming the foundation of a film project.
An exceptional agent could transform an actor entirely. For instance, audiences often wondered why they kept seeing a certain actor everywhere, whether it was in commercial or artistic films, seemingly omnipresent within the past year. This was thanks to the agent's efforts.
Andy, as a senior talent agent at CAA, naturally possessed exceptional abilities. He was a top figure in the industry. Although he managed the talent representation of several big-name actors, he periodically scouted for new talents or poached competitors to bolster his ranks. This was all part of a talent agent's daily work.
When "The Pacific" began filming, Andy received news. Steven Spielberg had abandoned the initially chosen Joseph Mazzello and cast an unknown newcomer as the lead. People discussed it briefly, but "The Pacific" was just a TV series with limited impact. The news was soon forgotten.
Not long ago, discussions about this newcomer spread intermittently within HBO after they watched "The Pacific". It was said that all five directors of the series praised this newcomer endlessly, believing him to be a born actor. Even the cast members unanimously expressed that the newcomer's talent and performance were truly remarkable.
This caught Andy's attention. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of newcomer this was and what potential he possessed.
However, curiosity alone wasn't enough to make Andy take action. There's a saying in the industry, "Hollywood can produce a hundred geniuses every day, but it might not give birth to a true star in a year". This land was never short of talent.
This time, Andy had come to New York on a business trip. He would be staying here for two days and would take an evening flight back to Los Angeles. Before heading to the airport, he thought he might stop by Village Vanguard, just passing through.
Upon meeting, Renly brought a small surprise to Andy. Not due to his appearance, but his demeanor – an unexpected poise and wit beyond his age, a rare sense of grace. Hollywood was no place for reckless ventures. Every footprint was established upon a mound of bones. Renly's aura was indeed commendable, likely to propel him further.
Of course, it was only a "likelihood".
"I know you appeared in "The Pacific", and I've seen the internal screening," Andy spoke, though it was a lie. HBO hadn't opened any form of screening yet.
"That's good news," a glint of excitement flickered in Renly's eyes. "After seven months of hard work, our efforts have finally come to fruition. It seems that we'll soon get to see the finished product."
A shadow of intrigue flashed in Andy's eyes. Renly's response seemed normal, yet unusual. Shouldn't the focus of their conversation be the impressive capability of a talent agent? "It's an exceptional piece of work. I believe it will, like "Band of Brothers", trigger another wave of praise."
"Haha, I'll cross my fingers and pray," Renly's response remained composed, which amused Andy further.
For any newcomer actor, encountering an invitation from a top-tier talent agent should evoke more than this calmness. So, was Renly's reaction due to a lack of clear understanding of Andy's agent identity, or was it a lack of awareness of an agent's significance?
Observing Renly's delighted smile, Andy found neither of these possibilities likely. That left the third option – Renly was also assessing. Yet, Renly's confidence remained unchanged. Was this due to arrogance or wisdom?
However, this was unimportant. The relationship between an agent and an actor was a mutual selection process. Both sides wished to find exceptional collaborative partners, striving for greater benefits. Arrogant or wise, both indicated that Renly was astute. This also meant that future collaborations between them could spark more brilliance.
An actor with goals, ambitions, and convictions often thrived further in Hollywood.
"Do you want to become a star?" Andy asked a similar question for the second time, attempting a deeper probe."
Renly smiled and shook his head, "No." This answer made Andy's eyes flicker slightly with surprise. "I want to become an actor," Renly continued.
Andy's smile bloomed, somewhat naive or perhaps idealistic. "Truly top-tier actors are stars."
"But not all stars are actors," Renly's reply seamlessly followed.
Andy didn't speak immediately. He paused for a moment, earnestly examining Renly's eyes, attempting to glimpse the emotions hidden behind them. He saw confidence, resilience, and determination. "In this world, there are many geniuses, but not all of them succeed. Similarly, in this world, there are many dreams, but they often end in tragedy." In Hollywood, dreams were the cheapest things.
"Hehe," Renly chuckled lightly, raising his hands and shrugging his shoulders. "I think only time holds the answers, don't you?"
Without anger, without passion, without impulsiveness, without even defense. Renly's response truly impressed Andy. He flashed a broad smile, as if he were Maitreya Buddha. "I can't argue against that, can I?" After a pause, Andy resumed his probing. "So, what kind of actor do you want to be? Jack Nicholson or Tom Cruise?"
The former was a contemporary American representative of acting prowess, while the latter was the most successful box office star in recent history. Andy's question was very pointed.
"I don't know. "The Pacific" is only my first work," Renly's answer made Andy raise an eyebrow slightly. It was candid and honest, neither pretending to know nor lacking comprehension. This openness was even more profound than the previous impression. "Of course, if possible, I'd like to challenge different roles and explore various possibilities." Renly smiled, "I come from the British Academy."
Andy suddenly understood. The definition of a British Academy-trained actor was someone who could tackle various roles, a chameleon. An actor should be capable of embodying a thousand or even ten thousand characters, which was true performance. Not the kind of acting that focused on a single type of role or only delved deep into a particular character.
"It's not a simple task," Andy sighed aloud. In just two short sentences, he revealed a lot of information that left him quite satisfied.
Renly chuckled, appearing at ease. "If it were simple, then everyone could achieve it."
This was a rebuttal to Andy's earlier cold shower – cunning and intelligent. Another bright point. Andy's eyes narrowed into slits due to his radiant smile. "I'm starting to miss my youth." The implied message was that Renly was naive, driven by the impulsiveness and enthusiasm of his youth, unaware of the harshness of real life.
Renly responded with a smile, "So, you're not me, and I'm not you."
Was this a sarcastic jab at him being too timid, too conventional, too dull? This... was truly interesting, far too interesting. Andy laughed merrily, picked up the cola in front of him, took a sip, then stood up with a smile. "If I don't want to miss my flight, I should head to the airport now."