Kristen Wiig, a comedian from Saturday Night Live, excelled in portraying quirky roles tinged with a hint of awkwardness. She often created sharp contrasts that resulted in huge bursts of laughter. Later, she starred in works like "Bridesmaids", "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", "Sausage Party", and "Ghostbusters". Tonight, she earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Saturday Night Live.
Facing Kristen's teasing, Renly knew she was jesting with him. But he was somewhat surprised. Being a nameless figure without much foundation, most people couldn't even match a name with his face, and the chance of someone initiating a conversation was almost zero. How could they possibly be willing to jest and tease him?
Andy Rogers? That was the only answer in Renly's mind.
Though the thought in his mind was fleeting, Renly's response was swift. He courteously nodded to Kristen and smiled, "Sorry for blocking your way. I hope it hasn't affected your personal affairs." His gentlemanly reply seemed devoid of any distinctive characteristics, merely a formulaic exchange in a social setting.
However, Renly crossed his hands over his chest, adopting a posture akin to self-defense when encountering a wolf in sheep's clothing. He took a slight step back, his eyes revealing a mixture of terror, as if feigning calm under urgent circumstances. This naturally prompted associations with the last phrase, "personal affairs". What exactly were these personal affairs? Like, perhaps Kristen needed "to cool down".
This was unmistakably in the style of SNL. Particularly amusing was the way Renly played along, causing journalists to chant and even some to begin applauding. Laughter and chuckles were incessant. Even Kristen herself was a bit surprised by how Renly blushed and appeared flustered. Teasing such a young man in this manner and witnessing his embarrassed state was exactly the kind of amusement that a quirky older sister enjoyed. However, Renly's response made Kristen burst into hearty laughter as well.
Nonetheless, having rolled in the world of SNL for years, Kristen was no novice at handling such situations. She placed her fingers in her mouth, intentionally displaying a lovestruck expression. "Oh, th-thank you." Her face showed a craving expression, her fingers moved in and out twice before quickly retracting, leaving only a silhouette that sent everyone into uproarious laughter.
Renly was still too young; he couldn't quite catch Kristen's rhythm. He could only watch as she left and then, dazed, turned around to look at the journalists. His wide eyes only fueled the journalists' uproarious laughter, which seemed unstoppable.
The red carpet grew lively, erupting into excitement in just the first half. The cast of "Glee" at the beginning of the red carpet was basking in the wild enthusiasm of their fans. Meanwhile, in the middle of the red carpet, Renly was bombarded by journalists.
Unbeknownst to them, journalists began to gradually shift towards the middle of the carpet, driven by curiosity. Curiosity about what was happening there, curiosity about who the confident newcomer effortlessly maneuvering within the journalist encirclement was, and curiosity about who was behind the explosive moments on the first half of the red carpet.
Truly, this was a remarkable scene at the 62nd Emmy Awards!
Daisy finally squeezed into her spot. Despite the stifling crowd that made it difficult for her to breathe, people continued to jostle behind her. However, she was accustomed to such situations and paid no attention. She seized the opportunity and called out, "From taking on the lead role controversially as a newcomer in the series to smoothly earning an Emmy nomination, has your mindset undergone any changes? Do you have any special feelings?"
The question itself wasn't novel, but the way it was posed was sly and loaded with pitfalls both explicit and implicit, ready to lead someone astray.
"Oh, I didn't know there was any controversy about me taking on the lead role. I thought nobody even noticed a guy without a name. After all, the focus of the whole series isn't on the actors, right?" He didn't answer directly but opened with a rhetorical question, a playful tone. Clearly, Renly was far from flustered. The spotlight for "The Pacific" always remained on the two producers. Renly's response was faultless. "Honestly, as an actor attracting so much attention at the Emmy Awards, it must be a good thing for the actors, isn't it? But I'm not so sure about how others feel..."
He paused mid-sentence. Renly's tactic of shifting the focus was executed brilliantly. The underlying message was that he represented all the actors in the nomination, proving their significance in the series. His last quip even teased Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg; he had stolen all the limelight after the nominations were announced. There was no direct naming, but it could be interpreted as the two heavyweight producers, or even other departments in the crew. While they also received nominations, their spotlight was notably dimmer than Renly's.
In just a simple sentence, there lay profound implications, each person interpreting it differently. Some had already thought of the two heavyweight producers lying under the joke. Suppressing their laughter was genuinely challenging.
"So, how did the other actors in the same series react after your nomination?" Eli Wallah from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer struggled to contain his laughter and ultimately joined the line of questioning. This newcomer before him was undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the night.
Renly appeared somewhat hesitant. "Well..." he dragged out the tone, looking around and wearing a pained expression. "Honestly, I haven't been in touch with Jon till now. James only sent me a congratulatory text for the nomination. As for Rami, we've talked on the phone a few times, but we never brought up this matter. So, does that mean my fellow actors have shunned me?"
That mocking and teasing tone made even Eli chuckle. Such a mundane question had been spun into something more interesting in Renly's hands.
"My ears were itching; were you talking behind my back?" A greeting came from behind as Renly turned around. Rami Malek and James Badge Dale walked up side by side. It was James who spoke.
Rami had a wide grin on his face. He approached and gave Renly a warm hug. "We were just saying that we might have to go backstage to run into you."
Renly pushed Rami away slightly and patted the hem of his suit with a straight face. "This suit is expensive; be careful not to wrinkle it." His expression of disdain combined with his words prompted laughter from all the journalists. Rami, however, stood by, looking baffled, not understanding what was happening. His innocent big eyes even made Renly lose his composure, bursting into laughter and then giving Rami a hug. "They were asking me how you guys reacted when I got the nomination."
Rami understood instantly and broke into a radiant smile. "He's crazy, but he's a genius too. Though I'm a bit envious, I don't envy the pain that breeds it. So, I'm fine, we're all fine."
Rami's words, filled with wisdom, shone in the eyes of the journalists. In Bradley's mind, countless images surfaced. What had happened behind the scenes during the filming of "The Pacific"? How did Renly interpret his role? What challenges did they experience in the process of acting? How much pain did Renly endure to deliver such a brilliant performance?
Bradley knew Renly was just a newcomer with a nomination, not worth so much attention, unless he won tonight. Yet, Bradley couldn't contain his curiosity, just like their first encounter at the premiere. There was something about Renly that Bradley's sixth sense firmly believed. Following this trail, he would uncover a precious treasure.
Perhaps, it was time to write an exclusive article on the behind-the-scenes of "The Pacific".
James joined them, draped his arm around Renly and Rami's shoulders, then poked his head out between the two, shaking his head and said sternly, "I don't like him, because the director keeps saying, "Look at Renly's performance just now, then look at yours". God, I hate that guy the most." With that, James burst into laughter, giving his two buddies a tight hug, then took the lead and continued walking forward.
Renly spread his arms to the journalists, a look of helplessness on his face. Then, along with Rami, he followed James, leaving the interview area.
The journalists remained in their spots, only now realizing that over forty people had gathered here. The air was so stiflingly hot that it was nearly suffocating. They had actually crowded together for a newcomer. This... this was truly abnormal. But upon reflecting on the gains from this, everyone felt relieved.
Who could have predicted that on the Emmy Awards' red carpet, amidst a constellation of stars, there would be a surprise this year? The dazzling red carpet, the red carpet that could drive prosopagnosia sufferers to despair, the red carpet that was dazzlingly chaotic every year but ordinary, had this year presented an astonishment? A huge one.
Renly, Rami, and James walked side by side toward the front. The red carpet quickly reached its end, and after a turn, they faced a massive square. On both sides, the surging fans were in a frenzy. It was an incomparable sight to the reception of "Glee". The surging crowd seemed like a gaping monster's maw, swallowing all life beneath the covering light. It was exhilarating, yet also terrifying.
Renly's back tightened slightly, the air clinging to his skin. Every pore could sense the awe-inspiring grandeur of a thousand-strong army bearing down, and it was here he truly felt the fans' fervor, the searing of the spotlight, the madness of being the center of attention. All the glamour and focus of the entertainment world converged, and his mind went blank.
In an instant, it was as if the world's center was right at hand.
Yes, at this moment, he was the center of the world! Taking a deep breath, Renly began to walk, stepping into the heart of this realm of fame. He approached the core spotlight, heading into an entirely new world.