"Good morning, Renly. The weather is truly lovely today, isn't it?"
"Hey, Renly. If you happen to run into Tom, give him a shout-out for me."
"Renly, you're here again today? No news yet?"
"Well, my buddy! Impressive work, truly!"
"Have you chosen your next project? Many eyes are on you lately."
...
People passing by voluntarily greeted Renly, each with a different expression and purpose. The office of the New York branch of SAG witnessed the diverse range of human emotions.
Renly currently occupied a rather delicate position.
"The Pacific" had garnered considerable attention for him, but it was just a TV show, and a mini-series at that, with limited influence. The show's producers were none other than the renowned Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. However, these two giants were not easily approached. After the show had ended and discussions dwindled, Renly had still not directly benefited from it. The news of "Thor" remained concealed and largely unknown to the public's eye...
This version of Renly wasn't blazingly famous, but he held potential; he hadn't skyrocketed overnight, yet he had created a reputation; he wasn't rocketing to the top, but he was youthful and full of potential. For third- or fourth-tier actors, he was the perfect candidate to associate with. It might be about face-saving, ulterior motives, skilled calculation, or casting a long line to catch a big fish. Regardless of the purpose, they were eager to engage with this kind of fresh blood.
Just like Chris Hemsworth before.
"Back at the Guild for reporting again?" A middle-aged woman at the reception desk flashed a broad smile. Her plump cheeks displayed a friendly rosy blush, and her half-closed eyes twinkled with a pleasing light. She leaned into overt flattery, "You should get yourself an agent. It's much better than trying to find a needle in a haystack in the Guild all the time." She exaggeratedly chuckled twice after speaking, "I believe there's a long queue of agents eager to sign you now!"
The unmasked flattery couldn't have been clearer, and Renly naturally caught it. However, he only responded with a warm smile, slightly lifting his jaw, "I'm waiting for the day when Fifth Avenue gets too crowded." His self-deprecating humor elicited a chuckle, "So, any updates this week?"
"Just released today, it's set to cause a sensation by this afternoon!" The middle-aged woman lowered her voice and leaned in, her expression shrouded in mystery. After glancing around to ensure no one else noticed, she continued, "It's a top-tier commercial blockbuster, way beyond imagination."
With a triumphant wink at Renly, she pointed to the nearby notice board, "The announcement was updated just fifteen minutes ago. The news hasn't spread yet. You should check it out as soon as possible." The woman sighed lightly, "Things would be much simpler if you had an agent, but..." The tone of regret couldn't have been clearer.
Renly didn't respond as if he hadn't detected the deeper meaning behind those words at all. He simply nodded with a smile, "Thank you." After a brief greeting, he briskly walked toward the location of the notice board.
Lisa Meers, hidden in the shadows, watched as Renly's calm and unhurried strides carried him away. She exhaled softly, somewhat surprised by Renly's magnanimity and tolerance, even more so by his composure and magnificence.
During Renly's previous visit to the Guild with Chris, she hadn't shown much kindness to him. The Guild welcomed hundreds of unknown actors every day, among whom there might not be a single future success. She couldn't possibly treat every one of them with kindness, so there had to be a selection. Compared to Chris, who had participated in "Star Trek," Renly didn't exude any radiance. Her choices were effortless.
However, those like Renly, who had achieved phase-specific success despite encountering disdain, weren't rare. Many of them would come back flaunting their accomplishments, settling scores and grudges. Even if not so blatant, the aura of quick success and excitement was hard to avoid in their words. After all, it was Hollywood—a realm where the world's spotlight intensity could bring immense satisfaction and lead one to develop a "I am god" complex.
Previously, Lisa had some concerns. Renly's recent momentum was strong, and if he had chosen to flaunt his success, she would've been rendered speechless. Yet, Renly had not grown arrogant with his small success; he didn't take advantage of her attentiveness either. This level of magnanimity wasn't something just anyone could possess. Moreover, he was only twenty years old this year, which was simply incredible!
"What a pity," Lisa pouted, failing to mask the regret in her eyes.
Though amazed, Lisa's thoughts remained clear. Individuals like Renly, who hid pride within themselves, were willing to forsake the shortcut of an agent and instead come to the Guild for job opportunities. Such methods wouldn't work in Hollywood. She still had higher hopes for Chris's future.
Renly was unaware of Lisa's intense inner turmoil. Even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
He knew that whether it was auditioning for "Thor" or signing with Andy Rogers, both were shortcuts to success. Anyone else would eagerly grab hold of these opportunities, for who knew if there would be another chance? Hollywood wasn't a fairytale realm; it was an extravagant and unforgiving reality. Moreover, he didn't have the luxury to squander right now.
But having lived another life, Renly understood that in the age of the internet, society was too restless and impatient. Everyone was racing forward with their heads down, losing themselves in the process. Life wasn't overly long, but neither was it short. The starting point and the finish line were the same. Since that was the case, why rush forward so desperately? Sometimes, slowing down, taking a detour, was a good thing.
What mattered more was that he knew what he wanted and what he didn't. Some opportunities, even if seized, might not necessarily be good; likewise, some opportunities, even if missed, might not necessarily be bad.
As for Lisa's shifting praise and belittlement, Renly simply didn't take it to heart.
This wasn't just the norm in Hollywood; it was the norm of society as a whole. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, so there was no need to feel unfairly treated. The best solution wasn't sarcasm or condescension but rather to continue succeeding, to go farther and higher. Soon, he would leave these small-minded individuals behind, entering an entirely new echelon. Meanwhile, those who nitpicked and complained would remain stuck, trapped in their own narrow perspectives.
So, all he needed to do was to keep moving forward, just as he was doing now.
Hollywood was a massive operation, establishing at least two thousand projects every year. Between three hundred to six hundred projects would go into direct production. This meant that new job opportunities emerged weekly, not even accounting for television projects. Thus, lacking an agent's assistance, the Guild was the best platform for actors to find work.
After "The Pacific" finished airing, every week, Renly would find a slot of free time to come to SAG to look for job information. He wasn't in a hurry to give up on "Thor", because he believed he could find the next "The Pacific" opportunity within the Guild.
Even though it was already 2010, the New York division of SAG still used old-fashioned chalkboards. These boards were filled with the latest information about various projects, written in colorful chalk. Different colors represented different meanings. Red indicated projects that needed actors within seventy-two hours. Green meant freshly updated projects. These conventions made everything easy to understand.
The crude chalk letters, the swirling dust, the unevenly colored chalkboard—all of it, beneath the slightly yellowed ceiling light, gave off a retro vibe from the 1930s and 1940s. Just this feature alone clearly distinguished New York from Los Angeles. The latter had long replaced chalkboards with electronic bulletin boards.
Standing in front of the chalkboard, Renly deftly found the information he needed amid the colorful chaos. Many of these listings were quite attention-grabbing. A project titled "Super 8", produced by Steven Spielberg and written/directed by J.J. Abrams, was currently assembling a cast of child actors under fifteen. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was recruiting supporting actors willing to learn motion capture techniques, hoping they could join Andy Serkis's ranks and use computer technology to portray apes. The film's confirmed cast already included James Franco and Tom Felton...
Every project had tempting allure, open for every actor to compete for.
This was one of Hollywood's most distinctive features. Unlike the professional and aloof European film industry, in North America, although resources for top-tier productions were monopolized by a small group, opportunities that appeared sporadically would be presented before everyone's eyes. Hollywood was always open-minded, accepting people from various backgrounds, classes, and levels. This environment was instrumental in nurturing "overnight success" stories. While European cinema represented professionalism, the American film industry represented diversity.
Even the most unprivileged grassroots had the chance to soar. Although this "chance" was extremely slim, it was enough to lead countless individuals on a journey akin to moths to a flame.
After a thorough scan of the chalkboard, Renly quickly found the top-tier project Lisa had alluded to earlier. As he read the contents indicated by the colored chalk, his pupils involuntarily contracted. "The Amazing Spider-Man"!
He couldn't have fathomed that it was indeed "The Amazing Spider-Man"!