Jennifer Lawrence knew she was about to be late, with less than two minutes remaining until the appointed time. Taking big strides, she walked through the gate, glanced around, and spotted Drake's unmistakable curly hair. But before she could approach, a man's figure strode toward him with purpose, causing Jennifer to bring out her sprinter's determination and chase after them.
Between the two figures, Jennifer tiptoed, attempting to greet Drake. However, what met her eyes was another face—a face both familiar and foreign. Staring at that gentleman's countenance, her eyes widened in complete astonishment. Her brain, already oxygen-deprived from the sprint, momentarily faltered—a bewildering shock that couldn't be concealed. She forgot her intention to greet the director and blurted out her disbelief without a second thought, "You're here?"
Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she would run into Renly here!
Jennifer's vivid expression lacked the demeanor of a lady, yet it radiated a candid frankness. Renly's lips involuntarily curled up as he picked up the blanket from the table, raising it slightly in a gesture. "Having some tea." He then brought the cup to his lips and started savoring the tea.
His response was certainly infuriatingly sly, but refuting it seemed impossible. Jennifer's words were caught in her throat, the stifled frustration making her feel utterly helpless. She couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh, speaking somewhat curtly, "You know that's not what I meant." Her direct style hadn't changed at all. "I visited Hazel the day before yesterday. She didn't mention your new whereabouts."
Before Renly could respond, Drake, seated beside them, straightened up. "What? You two know each other?"
"Yes."
"No."
The first response came from Renly, while the second came from Jennifer. Their conflicting answers caused their gazes to settle on each other. Jennifer shrugged innocently and candidly, saying with ease, "Technically, we're not acquainted."
"We've met twice, but we're not friends," Renly concisely summarized without arguing.
Jennifer spread her hands in an "See, I told you so" expression, eliciting a light laugh from Renly.
Drake's gaze shifted back and forth between Renly and Jennifer for a few rounds before he too broke into a broad smile. "Seems like your collaboration won't need much fostering of chemistry."
"What?" Jennifer, who had rushed over and unexpectedly encountered Renly, hadn't had time to think. Hearing Drake's words, she blurted out.
Drake stood up, devoid of any directorial airs, and introduced the four of them to each other.
The tall, slender young man was named Charlie Bewley, an English actor known for his role in the "Twilight" series. He would be playing Simon in "Like Crazy", Anna's boyfriend in London. Jennifer Lawrence, on the other hand, would play Sam, Jacob's live-in girlfriend in Los Angeles.
After the introductions, Drake looked left and right before his gaze settled on Renly. "Are you British too?" Felicity and Charlie were, and three out of four leads on the set were British. However, Jacob's character in the script was American, reflecting Drake's own nationality.
"Any issues?" Renly had already switched to his Los Angeles accent.
Comparatively speaking, the accent characteristics of a metropolis like Los Angeles weren't particularly pronounced due to the vast amalgamation of ethnicities and cultures. Variations existed based on different backgrounds, making imitation relatively difficult. However, the requirements were also lower, lacking a precise template. Renly had taken reference from Drake's own speech, representing the elite accent of Orange County.
Drake's previous impression of Renly had always been rooted in the midwestern accent from "Buried". Now that this had abruptly changed, he found himself momentarily unaccustomed. After a brief pause, he chuckled and said, "No problem, none at all." Drake then motioned for everyone to sit down. "Thank you all for joining the "Like Crazy" cast. I hope that over the coming period, we can have a delightful collaboration. Honestly, I'm quite eager to dive into the work."
Jennifer took a seat beside Renly. It had escaped her memory that Renly was an actor—more precisely, she remembered that Renly was an actor—but she hadn't anticipated the chance for the two of them to work together, and even more so as scene partners.
In "Like Crazy", Sam only had scenes opposite Jacob. Drake hadn't written overly melodramatic plotlines, and Sam never confronted Anna head-on. Likewise, Jacob and Simon didn't have such scenes. In fact, Renly would be Jennifer's sole partner in this film.
The story's twists and turns were, even now, unbelievable to Jennifer. The first time they met at the airport, their acquaintance began with a misunderstanding, setting a terrible initial impression. Their second encounter at the hospital, while clarifying the misunderstanding, took place in such an odd setting. Not to mention, their mutual friend Hazel, a special patient, further complicated matters. Their third meeting on the film set meant they were facing each other in scene work as romantic partners—definitely not the normal path for ordinary friends.
So, she was right in saying they weren't friends.
"Why aren't you surprised to see me?" Jennifer leaned to the side, facing Renly, curiosity written all over her face.
"Why should I be surprised?" Renly's counter-question left Jennifer momentarily choked. "You're an actor, and I'm an actor too. Plus, we're of similar age. Hollywood is a much smaller circle than you'd imagine. Collaborating on the same project isn't that rare." He couldn't possibly mention that Sam's character was portrayed by Jennifer in the previous life, which was why he wasn't surprised at all.
"But..." Jennifer was about to argue back.
Renly continued, "What I'm more curious about is why you're willing to take on this script?"
By now, Jennifer was no insignificant figure. In 2008, she had the opportunity to work with Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger in "The Burning Plain". The movie smoothly premiered at the Venice Film Festival and even earned Jennifer a newcomer award, her initial success arguably surpassing Renly's current standing. Subsequently, she became a lead actress, starring in "Winter's Bone", which made a name at Sundance. She also appeared in "The Beaver" and "X-Men: First Class", the former being a collaboration with big names Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson.
In other words, playing a supporting role with limited screen time as the secondary female lead in "Like Crazy" was indeed a surprising choice.
"I like this script," Jennifer answered without hesitation, giving her response directly. "However, I'm not suitable for the role of Anna. Anna is too gentle. Sam, on the other hand, is a different persona. She's strong, even dominant, yet for the sake of love, she suppresses all her thorns and willingly waits for Jacob. She knows she's foolish, she knows she shouldn't do this, but in the face of love, she still chooses to chase after the flame like a moth. In this aspect, she and Jacob are actually of the same kind, and that's also the reason she can't break free. Regrettably, Jacob's devoted attention isn't directed at her."
At this point, Jennifer paused briefly, tucking her hair behind her ear, revealing a slight trace of vulnerability in the curve of her profile. "This is the most helpless face of love."
Renly looked at Jennifer unexpectedly, then fell into thought.
In the movie, the role of Sam didn't have many scenes—only three or four. The character's room for development was quite limited. However, Jennifer's interpretation gave the character deeper dimensions, much like Jacob and Anna. Even though they sparked with a moth-to-flame chemistry and deeply loved each other, time and space remained insurmountable obstacles keeping them apart.
Meanwhile, Sam and Jacob presented another facet of love. Once the barrier of time and space was removed, their steadfast companionship and selfless dedication, despite lacking intense chemistry, showed one-sided efforts and persistence. Nevertheless, they still missed each other.
Undoubtedly, this added more thought-provoking elements to the theme of "Like Crazy".
Prior to this, Renly's understanding had been too one-sided. He knew Jennifer was a highly spiritual and gifted actress. In a previous life, she had even won an Oscar at a young age, making her the second-youngest winner in Oscar history and hailed as the darling of the new generation in the film industry. However, up until today, this understanding had remained confined to the movie screen—insufficiently real and pertinent. Now, sensing Jennifer's interpretation of her role, her preparation for acting, and her enthusiasm for the project, Renly truly began to appreciate her.
Especially given her burgeoning career, her willingness to take on minor roles in indie films was truly rare.
In the previous life, the complexity and depth of Anton and Jennifer's scenes hadn't been discerned. Jennifer's performance, though decent, fell short of astounding heights. It appeared that Anton's shortcomings in acting had affected the overall quality. The final product of "Like Crazy" was slightly lacking in completion, and this was undoubtedly one of the reasons.
He wondered how their on-screen interaction would turn out this time. Renly started feeling excited; only by continuously challenging true talents could he progress and break through boundaries. Acting opposite a genius like Jennifer ignited his passion.
"So, what about you? Why are you interested in this script?" Jennifer brought her thoughts back, her eyes regaining their brightness as they sparkled while she gazed at Renly, throwing the same question back at him.
Renly gestured towards Jennifer. "Just like you, I like this script." This gesture made the corners of Jennifer's mouth involuntarily lift into a smile. "I believe this character poses a fascinating challenge. Jacob embodies the most authentic question about love: is love a momentary spark or a lasting companionship?"
Jennifer made a meaningful "Hmm" sound, then smoothly followed up with a question, "And what do you think? Which one should it be in the end?"