In the face of the press corps' relentless pressure, Renly felt a surge of irritation. He was about to bow his head and maneuver his way out, but as he heard the reporters' questions, his mood shifted, and he found amusement instead. He couldn't help but halt his steps, and the more he thought about it, the more intriguing it became. "May I inquire where you heard this from?" His expression was one of genuine interest, devoid of anger, revealing an anticipatory gleam as he turned his gaze towards the questioning reporter.
If he had responded with anger or accused them, it wouldn't have been surprising. However, Renly had a knack for defying expectations. The questioning reporter was taken aback. Yet, this wasn't a one-on-one duel but rather a siege of more than thirty reporters against Renly alone. Another journalist quickly responded from the sidelines, "Us Weekly."
A sudden realization dawned upon Renly. As expected, the media had once again resorted to their specialty: taking statements out of context. "I suggest that you read the entire context before posing questions. Don't trample upon the title of the "Uncrowned King" in public. After all, your newspapers aren't being hawked in supermarkets."
"Supermarket tabloids", this was a specific term, referring to the newspapers given away for free in supermarkets, perhaps used by housewives to line their baskets before later flipping through them for coupons after tea or meals. Such tabloids were the epitome of "unreliable gossip". Rather than news reporting, they resembled tales of ghosts and goblins. Any gossip was churned out without verification, a marvelously absurd practice.
Renly's recent speech was clearly laden with implications. His smile was composed, and his manners genteel, yet his words remained razor-sharp, cutting into each and every journalist present.
"So, are you denying that you said something similar?" Another journalist began to clamor, drawing annoyed eyerolls from the surrounding reporters. Renly's intention was crystal clear; pursuing such a line of questioning now would only lead to their own humiliation.
As expected, Renly looked at the questioning reporter with a smile brimming on his face. "I never uttered those words just now. Is my accent too vague for you to comprehend? Or perhaps your language skills are lacking?"
This time, Cornell McGregor experienced the sensation of being berated without any profanity. Especially with Renly's refined London accent, reminiscent of a professor at Cambridge University, his speech was both elegant and acerbic. Cornell found himself stupefied. To make matters worse, the surrounding journalists cast disdainful glances, as though impatiently yearning to put distance between themselves and him. The sense of humiliation ignited from the very soles of his feet.
"But during your interview, you did state that in "127 Hours", the director was the true hero!" One journalist fell silent, only for another to rise, one after the other, questions flooding without respite.
"Indeed, that's my perspective. Any objections?" Renly showed no hesitation, countering their inquiries directly. The journalists had to concede that Renly's viewpoint held merit, aligning with the perspectives of numerous film critics who lavished greater praise upon Danny Boyle.
However, the same words carried a different connotation when spoken by an actor, didn't they? Yet, the journalists were left without a means of refutation.
Cornell felt a breath caught in his chest, and he raised his voice once more to ask, "Then, what about "Buried"? Do you consider yourself the true hero there?"
This topic highlighted itself with remarkable precision, possessing not only sharpness but further intensifying the conflict. The reporters looked at Renly with increasing excitement, a sight that filled Cornell with a sense of triumph. Especially when he noticed Renly's lips curling slightly, his thoughtful expression, Cornell felt his pent-up frustration finally dissipating.
"Does your question imply that everyone acknowledges "Buried" as a successful work?" Renly's response lodged Cornell's growing joy in his throat, caught between ascent and descent. Other reporters were also somewhat surprised upon careful consideration. The term "hero" inherently referred to the most significant contributor to success, making Renly's rhetorical question fitting. "Well then, thank you. I'm inclined to accept such recognition."
Acknowledgement—Renly had surprisingly admitted it so candidly!
Cornell couldn't help but clench his fists in excitement. What came next, interviewing the director of "Buried", Rodrigo, did this mean that a clash between Renly and Rodrigo was imminent? Yet, Cornell soon realized that his colleagues weren't as exhilarated. With their overheated minds cooling slightly, Cornell had his realization:
Major film critics had reached a consensus that Renly was indeed the chief contributor to "Buried". Even Rodrigo himself had admitted during the premiere that Renly was the primary assurance of the work's success.
In other words, though Renly openly accepted these accolades, appearing somewhat arrogantly self-assured and displeasing, people couldn't quite fault him. It was like sports tournaments; the exuberant celebrations of the victors might irk, but no one could counter them, for this was the victor's prerogative.
Cornell's chest tightened again as he gazed at Renly's composed demeanor, an indescribable sense of annoyance washing over him.
"Renly, so who do you believe performed better between you and James?" Another reporter immediately pursued, while a similar question with James had been brushed off with jest. Now, all eyes were on Renly. Reporters anxiously waited to see how he would respond, unsure if this melodramatic scene would continue unfolding.
Renly shrugged nonchalantly and remarked, "I suppose everyone would choose James. So, if I continue to choose James, wouldn't that be quite hypocritical? Don't you think?"
So, does this mean... Renly has chosen himself as well? Just like James.
Confident yet humble, cutting yet gentle, radical yet composed, that internal determination and vigor emanated from him, leaving observers both intrigued and unable to refute.
The topic had seemingly run its course, without much further purpose. This time, Renly advanced once again, and the press circle around him visibly loosened. There was no more relentless pressing. Finally, Renly successfully broke free. The reporters trailed behind him like comet tails, reluctant to let go, snapping shots as he moved, but gradually falling behind until they reached the hotel entrance. With Renly's departure, they were decisively cut off.
Cornell vigorously scratched his head, a surge of irritation running through him. This Renly... he truly was hard to warm up to.
Neither James nor Renly succumbed to the reporters' manipulation. They successfully diffused the tension, bringing about a swift calming of the situation. However, this didn't mean that the journalists were willing to let things rest. Firstly, faced with the same "comparison" question, both James and Renly had chosen themselves, indicating that the standoff hadn't dissipated. Secondly, "127 Hours" and "Buried" were of the same film genre and were inevitably compared, their prospects in the awards season were yet unknown, but their unquestionable presence at the Toronto Film Festival was evident.
Thus, the journalists continued to fan the flames, "James Franco versus Renly Hall, who truly holds the title of the Y-generation's foremost acting talent?"
Parallel to the way China classified generations into the post-70s, post-80s, etc., American sociologists divided people into various generations, with World War II as a landmark. Those born before the 1950s were deemed relatively traditional and conservative, referred to as the "Silent Generation". Subsequently came the "Baby Boomers", who pursued intellectual freedom and prosperity, being the creators of America's late-century economic boom.
The cynical "Generation X" consisted of individualists seen as lazy, lacking responsibility and ambition. The following "Generation Y", analogous to China's post-80s, spanned from 1977 to 1990. Also known as the "Me Generation", they were self-centric, possessed broader cultural values, aspired to earn recognition through hard work, and aimed to enjoy their work without it dictating their lives.
Currently, Hollywood's prominent figures were primarily from the "Baby Boomer" generation, such as Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Sean Penn, etc. "Generation X" was slowly rising, with figures like Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, and Ethan Hawke making their mark.
However, "Generation Y" was rapidly asserting its influence in the 21st century. Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley, Scarlett Johansson, Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Orlando Bloom, and the cast of the "Harry Potter" series were representative examples.
Among Gen Y actors, the untimely death of Heath Ledger drew the most attention. Despite his young age, he delivered performances of the highest caliber. Regrettably, he fell like a shooting star soon after. Currently, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal could be considered leaders in acting within this generation, but they were still outnumbered and couldn't be compared to Gen X or Baby Boomer generations.
Three years ago, "Transformers" propelled Shia LaBeouf to the forefront. Many believed he could be the next Tom Hanks. However, disappointingly, he failed to live up to those expectations.
Now, both James and Renly, representatives of Gen Y, emerged as potential thespian icons. The media immediately erupted, akin to boiling water overflowing with bubbles. The situation had progressed beyond a simple actor duel or work comparison. It now represented the rapid rise of the new generation's prowess.
Subsequently, after the Toronto premiere of "Black Swan", Natalie's stunning performance reignited the media's fervent discussions. Her powerhouse performance as a representative of Gen Y was undoubtedly the central topic of discourse.
Unexpectedly, just as everyone thought the "feud" between Renly and James would be the next focal point, a completely new topic captured the media's attention. In a flash, "Buried", riding the wave of momentum, regained its place in the limelight. This independent film's trajectory in this year's Toronto Film Festival was truly astounding.
Meanwhile, the official organizing committee of the Toronto Film Festival announced a second screening of "Buried". This time, it was an impressive six additional showings, three each day, catering to the extensive audience demand.