He turned around, and the first thing that caught his eye was her impressive figure.
Renly knew that it was quite impolite, especially with twenty years of good family upbringing in this life. He made sure to keep his gaze locked onto the woman's eyes, yet the corner of his vision easily captured the magnificence of her bustline. It was hard not to be a bit distracted, but Renly managed to maintain his politeness. With a smile, he said, "It's a shame that the outside cheers didn't put in more effort to keep us from leaving."
Perceptive individuals knew that the cheers outside weren't meant for newcomers like Renly, but he interpreted it in an unconventional way. A self-deprecating humor in one sentence made the woman in front of him burst into laughter, and the waves of her laughter caused Renly to feel even the muscles of James and Rami tighten.
"I've seen your performance, and it left a strong impression." The woman extended her right hand first. Her honey-colored skin radiated a healthy glow, as smooth as silk. "Sofía."
Renly gently shook the woman's right hand, using the front part of his palm. He slightly bent his waist, nodding towards her hand as if greeting it from a distance, and then straightened back up, politely releasing her hand. "Ms. Vergara's performance truly blurs the line between reality and acting. Before today, I was somewhat self-assured, but now it seems my horizons were indeed too narrow."
Standing before him was none other than Sofía Vergara from "Modern Family". Her Colombian-accented performance in the show was impressive, but oddly enough, at this moment, Sofía's standard and fluent American English, more accurately, the Los Angeles accent, had no sense of discord at all. That's why Renly had mentioned it.
"Modern Family" was a treasure trove of talent. There was also Eric Stonestreet who played a gay character, despite being an absolute straight guy in reality. He portrayed his gay role so naturally and flawlessly that when the audience later found out he was straight, it was truly unexpected.
"You're an interesting fellow," Sofía smiled radiantly. There were countless individuals who had brought up the "accent" joke to her, almost everyone would mention it, and some even demanded her to imitate the accent from the show. Though most meant no harm, she still felt offended. But now, Renly mentioned it in such a polite yet complimentary manner, making her feel genuinely pleased.
As Sofía walked away, James firmly grabbed Renly's arm, his voice excited and slightly trembling, "Bro, go for it, are you really not going for it? She's the hottest sex symbol of the past year!"
Renly couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you sure? I thought you were going to charge at her just now."
Rami's gaze was still fixed on Sofía's retreating figure. Upon hearing this, he turned his head. "Sofía isn't Renly's type; he's into the Nicole Kidman type."
Renly patted James's shoulder. "If you really want to make a move, now is the best opportunity. There are still thirty minutes until the award ceremony starts. After all this is over, she'll have time to freshen up." Despite the solemn expression, a hint of teasing was impossible to hide. James instantly caught it, giving Renly a solid punch, which made both Renly and Rami burst into laughter.
James paid no mind to it, adjusting his suit. "I'm going to make my move. Wish me luck!" With that, he strode off without hesitation, following in Sofía's footsteps. Renly and Rami whistled in encouragement, cheering James on.
"I'll go say hi to a few old friends. Come, let me introduce you." Rami spotted his friends in the distance, lifting his hand to wave.
Unlike Renly, Rami had been rolling around in Hollywood for a few years, so he naturally knew quite a few people. He was more than happy to introduce Renly. At events like award ceremonies, the number of awards was limited, and only a small portion of people could win. However, connections were limitless. As long as you had the ability, you could even strike up a conversation with top-notch figures like Steven Spielberg. This was precisely why every artist eagerly wanted to attend the four major award ceremonies. The Golden Globe Awards were so popular for this reason.
"You can catch up with old friends; I plan to be a fan for a bit." Renly smiled and said, "See you inside." With that, Renly didn't dawdle and took the lead in striding forward.
Renly wasn't being polite; he genuinely wanted to meet his idol. While he had already met Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg before this, Renly hadn't been too excited. As an actor, he admired directors and producers more from an audience perspective. However, admiration for fellow actors was a longing, a respect, an admiration. Especially after experiencing the performance in "Buried", he understood even more the difficulty of becoming an excellent actor.
Therefore, on an occasion like today, for Renly, it was like a comic book fan attending a comic convention.
Of course, Tom Hanks was also an outstanding actor. As one of only two actors in film history to win consecutive Oscars, his acting skills were unquestionable. However, Renly had a different target tonight.
From afar, Renly spotted his respected idol, and his mood immediately became excited. He could deeply empathize with the emotions of the fans outside the square. His chest felt as though countless butterflies were fluttering within, and his blood surged towards his brain. Rationality ceased to function at this moment. The uncontrollable excitement surged through his body. From the past life to this one, from being lifeless to blooming with vitality, the meaning of life burst forth in a colorful display at this moment.
The person he was chatting with walked away. Renly took a swift step forward and proactively extended his right hand. "Mr. Pacino, I really, really admire your performances. You truly embody why some actors can be called great!"
Al Pacino looked at the youthful and vibrant face before him, pursed his lips, and gently lifted his lower jaw. "Thank you." He calmly shook the young man's outstretched right hand. Evidently, this situation was quite ordinary for him. Perhaps he encountered a few fanboys and fangirls every day. "So, which of my works do you like the most?"
"It is "Heat"," Renly's answer made Al raise an eyebrow, quite surprised. "Then "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Carlito's Way"."
Al had been about to release Renly's hand, but upon hearing this answer, his right hand involuntarily stopped. An expression of surprise appeared on his face. "That's an interesting answer. Why?"
For Al, undoubtedly, the most well-known were "The Godfather" series and "Scent of a Woman", for which he won the Oscar. Of course, industry insiders also held "Dog Day Afternoon" in high regard. However, compared to those, "Heat" and "Carlito's Way" were rarely mentioned.
"I can sense that you're attempting to blend method acting with classical acting techniques. It's obviously not an easy task. Sometimes, in "Heat", glimpses of "The Godfather" can be seen, but one can still feel your effort and breakthroughs. For acting, that's truly rare." Renly's voice was full of excitement as he spoke passionately, without much thought. It was the kind of genuine enthusiasm that a typical fan had when meeting their idol.
In fact, Renly's favorite performance by Al Pacino was in the 2015 film "Danny Collins". The movie itself was relatively ordinary, but Al's performance had a sense of returning to the basics and effortlessly lifting a weight. On the road of merging two different acting styles, Al had never given up his efforts, truly earning admiration.
Al was genuinely interested now, as the breakthrough and fusion in acting were quite delicate, so delicate that it might be a mere glance or a single gesture. Only those who genuinely studied acting could sense it, and it was difficult to put into words. However, the effect it presented was indeed distinct.
Al carefully examined the unfamiliar face before him. There were just too many newcomers emerging in Hollywood every year, not just thousands but even tens of thousands. He didn't have the time to recognize every face, let alone remember them, especially in an event like the Emmy Awards, where almost all faces were unfamiliar. However, Al found that he recognized this face.
"You... you're the..." Al felt a sense of familiarity, but he couldn't recall it for a moment.
"Renly Hall." At this moment, Renly introduced himself for the first time. It wasn't intentional; he genuinely forgot due to his overwhelming excitement. Basic social etiquette had been thrown out the window. "I received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie."
Although he was praising himself, Renly said it straightforwardly, not overly proud and without feigned humility. This made Al's eyes light up. "Oh, so it's you." Al smiled.
As competitors in the same category, Al didn't really mind. However, he had been asked by the media so many times that he had a vague understanding of it. Today, the blurry image in his mind was gradually becoming clearer. "You're a graduate of the British Academy, right?" Al could discern the London accent in his speech. Of course, more importantly, his analysis of acting was clearly beyond what American newcomers possessed.
"I hope it's a good thing," Renly responded with a light chuckle.
Al chuckled again. "We'll find out the answer." His meaningful response carried a sense of playfulness. "Is this your first nomination?" It seemed that Al's knowledge of Renly was limited to hearing about him. Renly gave a positive reply but didn't elaborate further. "Well, then, let's enjoy tonight's award ceremony."
"Ha, I'm already enjoying it. This is the reason I'm standing here." Renly pointed to the spot where he stood. Al immediately caught on and burst into laughter. "My plan next is to introduce myself to Julianna Margulies."
This actress, who starred in "ER" and "The Good Wife" and had been active on Broadway for many years, was undoubtedly a powerhouse in terms of acting prowess.
Al's eyes brightened involuntarily, and he praised, "Good taste!"