Renly's surprise wasn't upon seeing Paul Walker, but rather at the appearance of the two actors who should have been deeply immersed in filming on set. How did they end up in Telluride?
"Good evening." Renly shook Paul's right hand and tilted his head, an exploratory expression between his brows. "So, does that mean you've been preparing for the film since then?" Renly referred to their last meeting in the Verdon Gorge.
Paul's smile blossomed brilliantly, revealing a set of pristine, even teeth. "No, that's just a hobby of mine. But if it can help with filming, then that's all the better."
"Paul, do you know each other?" Initially, it was Vin standing in front, but now he stepped aside, patting Paul's shoulder. His gaze shifted back and forth between Renly and Andy before settling on Renly directly, direct and candid. There was a hint of superiority in his gaze, a condescending scrutiny, a display of the bearing that came with being a major star, subtly revealed.
In comparison, Paul seemed more like a surfer who had wandered into the wrong place.
"We accidentally met during rock climbing in Europe before. He's an exceptional rock climber. I saw him ascend to a height of fifty meters without relying on any equipment. God, it was truly astonishing." Paul's eyes brimmed with a smile, and he introduced Renly with evident admiration. Then he turned his gaze to Renly again. "I just didn't expect our reunion to be under these circumstances. So, you're the actor everyone's been talking about?"
A faint smile played on Renly's lips as he chuckled softly. "Although I'm not sure if those rumors are good or bad, I think, yes, I am that actor."
His teasing response drew laughter from everyone. "I would have never guessed you're a skilled rock climber. You don't look like an athlete at all." Vin initiated the conversation again. A radiant smile graced his face, his bright teeth contrasting with his noticeable bald head. His gaze shifted between Andy and Renly, settling on Renly. Direct yet open, it carried a trace of condescension and scrutiny. The airs of a major star slipped through inadvertently.
In contrast, Vin was more reminiscent of a surfer boy who had ended up in the wrong place.
"We met during a spontaneous rock climbing session in Europe. He's an incredible climber. I watched him ascend fifty meters without any equipment. It was absolutely incredible," Vin's eyes sparkled with admiration as he shared this. He then turned to Renly again. "I just didn't expect that our next meeting would be under these circumstances. So, you're the actor everyone's been talking about?"
Renly's lips curved into a slight smile, and he chuckled softly. "Although I'm not sure whether those rumors are good or bad, I suppose, yes, I'm that actor."
This playful reply elicited laughter from all present. "I wouldn't have guessed that you're an accomplished rock climber. You don't strike me as an athlete at all," Vin started the conversation again. A bright smile adorned his face, his sparkling teeth contrasting with his striking bald head. His gaze moved between Andy and Renly, finally settling on Renly. Open and direct, it carried a hint of condescension and scrutiny, revealing the demeanor of a top star.
In comparison, Vin seemed more like a surfer who had accidentally strayed into the wrong place.
"Earlier, we crossed paths during spontaneous rock climbing in Europe. He's an exceptional climber. I watched him scale a height of fifty meters without any equipment. It was truly astonishing," Vin's eyes beamed with admiration as he recounted this. His gaze shifted back to Renly. "I just didn't anticipate our next encounter being in these circumstances. So, you're the actor that's been the talk of the town?"
Renly's lips curved into a faint smile, and he chuckled softly. "Though I'm unsure whether those rumors are good or bad, I suppose, yes, I am that actor."
His light-hearted response evoked laughter all around. "I'd never have guessed you're a skilled rock climber. You don't look the part of an athlete at all," Vin took the initiative to restart the conversation. A radiant smile graced his face, his sparkling teeth contrasting with his prominent bald head. His gaze shifted between Andy and Renly, finally settling on Renly. Candid and straightforward, it carried a hint of condescension and scrutiny, revealing the bearing of a superstar.
In contrast, Vin appeared more like a surfer who had unintentionally wandered into the wrong place.
At Renly's eyes slightly flickered, a trace of teasing evident. In Hollywood's realm of fame and fortune, lording over and stepping on others was the norm, self-assuredness was basic, and scheming was daily routine. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular; it was merely a habit ingrained in them. However, compared to the British aristocracy, this was akin to children playing house.
With a nonchalant shrug, Renly casually remarked, "You don't look like an actor either." With that, the atmosphere congealed somewhat, and Renly could clearly see a fleeting stiffness, solidification, and a crack in Vin's smile. What an intriguing scene.
Intentionally pausing for half a second, Renly let the awkwardness and tension linger before continuing, "You look more like a wrestler or perhaps a boxer. You know, like Muhammad Ali."
The atmosphere instantly melted like ice and snow. One could sense the joy and delight radiating from Vin's expression. Muhammad Ali, hailed as one of the greatest boxers in history, being praised naturally brought him immense happiness. A slight trace of shyness even crept into his smile. "This isn't the first time I've heard that."
"Are we planning to stand here all night, or is this spot reserved for us?" Neal H. Moritz, the large bald man who had been standing by with a silent smile, took the opportunity to interject. Like a hot knife cutting through butter, he smoothly guided everyone to take their seats.
Neal's meaningful gaze paused on Renly for a moment. He had initially thought that this was just an ordinary audition among many, but unexpectedly, it brought an unexpected surprise.
In their brief exchange just now, Renly's words had maintained a gentle and humble tone while carrying a touch of lighthearted humor. His calm tone didn't give away any hint of irony or even a sense of banter. Despite this, Neal, the old fox, was not so easily deceived. He could detect the faint scent of gunpowder in the air. In the blink of an eye, Vin found himself at a disadvantage.
This composure, this demeanor, this resilience was enough to impress Neal. There were quite a few who could overpower Vin in a head-to-head confrontation, but to do so against a twenty-year-old rookie actor was quite remarkable. The wisdom he displayed in his every gesture was also something to look forward to.
What was even more surprising was the brief conversation between Renly and Paul earlier, which revealed that Renly was a skilled rock climber. This indicated good physical coordination, suggesting that he shouldn't face significant difficulties in filming action scenes. After all, the "Fast & Furious" series wasn't focused on combat like "Mission: Impossible". It was all about high-speed car chases and explosions.
From this perspective, Renly possessed qualities of both courage and strategy. He could easily become the missing piece of the envisioned triumvirate, crafting a spectacular "antagonist" role. He might even be more suitable than Dwayne Johnson.
If Neal wasn't aware that the last-minute casting change was a necessity due to unforeseen circumstances, he would almost believe that Renly had orchestrated everything in advance.
The "Fast 5" production team hadn't wanted to replace Dwayne Johnson; they just wanted to send him a message.
During the negotiation phase, Dwayne had demanded a whopping $3.5M for his appearance fee. This was unacceptable. For the production team, they had a budget of $125M, and Neal hoped to keep the actor's budget under $30M, though the true budget category could rise to $40M. In other words, they could afford the $3.5M, but the question was whether it was worth it.
With Vin juggling both actor and producer roles, his share was set at $15M. Paul's fee was $8M. Neither of them would receive a share of the box office revenue. This result stemmed from the fact that they had been mainstays since the beginning of the series and had been brought back after the franchise's dismal performance in the third installment due to a major cast change. This led to the success of the fourth film, making the current pay figures more than reasonable, even a bargain.
But what about Dwayne? He was only making his first appearance in the series as the third main character. His role, while significant, didn't match the weight of Vin and Paul's parts. Moreover, Dwayne's asking price for starring in a standalone film was around $4M, but he was demanding $3.5M for a supporting role in a third main character capacity. It was an exorbitant demand."
Dwayne had made it clear that he had the "Fast 5" production team cornered. While it was true that action actors were undervalued, there was a gap in Hollywood for young action stars who could rival Vin. Dwayne wasn't the sole option, but he was the best choice. This was the reason for his confidence.
After several rounds of negotiations, Dwayne showed no signs of compromise. Even as the pre-production filming had begun, he still refused to step onto the set, implying, "I can afford to delay, but you can't." Dwayne was firmly perched on the fence, waiting for the production team to falter and eventually yield.
The term "pre-production filming" was due to the fact that "Fast 5" intended to shoot as many car chase scenes on location as possible. They needed to assess the situation on-site, let professional stunt doubles test the waters, and find the best filming solutions. However, for the smooth execution of the actual shoot, the actors would join the crew to ensure the seamless progress of every phase.
For someone of Dwayne's build and weight, even with a stunt double, finding a perfect match was difficult. Dwayne's absence during pre-production filming had left several landmines for the production team.
Moreover, as the pre-production filming started, the expenses began to flow like water. Renting locations cost money, leasing equipment cost money, the crew members needed payment—almost every day was a financial drain. With each day Dwayne delayed, the production team lost a day. They simply couldn't afford the delay.
Every Hollywood project was a game, a battle for interests. Someone always had to concede; otherwise, everything would fall apart. Out of frustration, Neal halted the pre-production filming and, accompanied by the two lead actors, arrived at Telluride, ostensibly to attend the golden-inlaid film festival. In reality, they were scouting for suitable actors.
Telluride was an open and egalitarian stage where any newcomer could directly engage with renowned directors and producers. All acting opportunities were open to everyone, and with the drive from Los Angeles not being too far, numerous actors converged at Telluride. Not to mention the presence of those top-tier agents. At this point in time, Telluride was better than Los Angeles for finding actors.
However, Neal understood deep down that finding a replacement for Dwayne was almost an impossible task. Unless they altered the character's setup, which meant rewriting the script and adjusting the plot—both of which incurred charges—along with changing the pre-production filming data. The workload aside, the cost alone was burdensome.
Therefore, this trip and this move were Neal's way of showcasing their firm stance: no one was irreplaceable, not even Dwayne. Yet, after encountering Renly today, Neal couldn't help but entertain a thought: completely revamp the Hobbs character from style to setup and even the actor. Just how much work would that require?
However, this was merely a fleeting notion. Today's audition had only just begun.
Neal promptly suppressed this idea, gestured for everyone to take their seats, and covertly observed Renly. After a slight pause, it was in this brief moment that Renly's gaze lifted, confidently locking eyes with Neal, which momentarily startled him.
Immediately, Renly broke into a nonchalant smile, as if he hadn't noticed Neal's scrutiny at all. Their gazes had merely crossed paths inadvertently, and he politely nodded towards Neal.
Neal's smile grew, nodding in response. Today's audition was becoming increasingly intriguing.