"Why not continue staying at a hotel?" Nathan reflexively asked, realizing how presumptuous he sounded as soon as the words left his mouth. An immediate "sorry" popped out, followed by a hasty explanation that hotel living wasn't very convenient—like being a guest, lacking the feeling of home. Plus, hotels had constant foot traffic of strangers, and there was no guarantee of privacy. The constant presence of paparazzi was irritating as well.
"I am a guest in Los Angeles, to begin with," Renly shrugged, casually remarking. Nathan blinked rapidly, his pupils shaking intensely, unable to discern the genuine emotions behind those words. He was utterly clueless about how to respond, lacking any clue.
Seeing Nathan's sincere yet anxious expression, Renly couldn't help but chuckle softly. It reminded him of Morgan Fisher's domineering attitude from the past. Playfully, he teased, "Don't worry, I won't bite."
Nathan paused, then awkwardly scratched his head, his expression turning embarrassed. He wanted to explain but didn't know where to start. In the end, he simply said, "I know." His awkward words, combined with his honest expression, made Renly burst into a gentle laughter, instantly easing the atmosphere.
Nathan turned his gaze back to the road, merging into the relatively light traffic. "What I mean is, for the next while, you'll be filming in Los Angeles. Staying in a hotel might not be the most convenient."
"For the next while?" Renly's eyebrow lightly raised, not understanding the meaning behind Nathan's words. "Like Crazy" could wrap up within three days at most. According to the plan, the remaining scenes required just a day, with some time set aside by Drake for possible retakes.
"Yes, the Justin Lin crew will be filming in Los Angeles for two to three weeks, then heading to Rio. However, the location rental in Rio hasn't been confirmed yet, so we might start filming in Arizona first, depending on the crew's further notice. But, what's certain is that Los Angeles will be the main base for the next while."
Nathan regained his composure and explained in detail, but Renly felt like he was struggling to keep up. His lips curved downward slightly, and he curiously inquired, "Let's rewind the conversation a bit—Justin? Which Justin?"
"Justin Lin." Nathan replied without hesitation, quickly glancing at Renly, catching the trace of confusion. He immediately realized his mistake. "Oh, sorry, you don't know yet, right? I totally forgot." A simple apology, yet it made Nathan flustered again.
Renly pursed his lips and nodded. "Alright, now I'm ready and listening."
"Yes, yes." Nathan nodded repeatedly to show his agreement. "Haha "Fast 5", that's what I was talking about. Andy mentioned that the contract is in the legal review process. Once "Like Crazy" wraps up, you can immediately join the filming of "Fast 5"."
Renly's eyebrow raised slightly again, revealing a hint of surprise and delight in his eyes.
Unexpectedly, "Fast 5" had actually been secured. Thirteen days had passed since the filming of "Like Crazy", during which two days were spent crossing the Atlantic. The combination of these events made nearly half a month, and Renly naturally assumed that they had found a more suitable candidate—possibly someone other than Dwayne—even though each day's delay incurred financial loss.
"Regarding "Fast 5", does Andy have anything to add?" Renly couldn't help but be curious.
"Additions?" Nathan pondered seriously. "Yes, Andy mentioned there would be pleasant surprises in taking on this project, but he'll handle these matters. First, you need to focus on wrapping up filming of "Like Crazy", and then it would be best to head to the gym for some exercise."
Nathan didn't reveal much, indicating that Andy's information to him was probably quite limited. Nevertheless, Renly could imagine the composed smile on Andy's face, tinged with a hint of pride.
Neither Andy nor Neal had truly witnessed Renly's capabilities in action scenes, so they were relatively unaware of his skills. Despite this, he had successfully secured the role of Hobbs, surpassing the one-of-a-kind Dwayne Johnson. It was as if he had just snapped his fingers and created a magical miracle.
To seamlessly perform in an action film, some actors began preparing in the gym six months in advance. However, Renly had less than forty-eight hours before the filming would commence for "Like Crazy". If the film could wrap up ahead of schedule, he might have ninety-six hours.
"I think, this evening, I might go for an hour's jog outside." Watching a young woman with a ponytail running by the window—dressed in snug sportswear, her golden ponytail swaying rhythmically with her steps—Renly commented. Nathan's car happened to pause at an intersection due to a red light, trailing behind a silver convertible. The man in the driver's seat of the convertible wolf-whistled at the woman. As she jogged across the crosswalk, she extended her middle finger toward the convertible's front and continued on nonchalantly.
Having traveled to Los Angeles multiple times, Renly had never truly experienced the city's daily life. It seemed that Los Angeles had similarities to New York, yet there was a distinct difference. At the same time, his life as an actor was slowly changing, bit by bit.
Unconsciously, Renly recalled Chris Hemsworth, who had also moved to Los Angeles.
As Nathan maneuvered the car into a parking spot and turned off the engine, Renly stepped out of the car, taking in his surroundings. His gaze fell upon rows of low-rise two or three-story buildings, with towering palm trees and sprawling patches of low bushes. The pale green color, faded from the intense summer atmosphere, gracefully sketched out the scene. The brick walls and ginger-colored roofs might have appeared plain, but they exuded a tranquil aura.
Walking up the stairs to the entrance of the building, Nathan followed with the luggage. Upon opening the door to the ground floor, they entered a rectangular courtyard. A corridor, wide enough for five or six people to walk abreast, encircled the courtyard, spiraling upward from one floor to the next. The fragmented pieces of a serene blue sky seeped through, and the golden sunlight streamed in unhindered.
Amidst the light halo, one could see doors with deep yellow wooden panels. Behind each of these doors lay a small home, and each floor likely accommodated around ten to twelve households.
Nathan walked to the end of the corridor on the right and opened the door to a room, calling out, "Renly, over here." The bright sound reverberated in the courtyard, carrying a touch of early autumn chill. However, it didn't elicit any response from the neighbors, indicating that this community was much better than the neighborhood of Drake's friends. Nonetheless, Renly wasn't familiar with Los Angeles, and he couldn't pinpoint the exact area.
As he entered the room, Renly was somewhat surprised. Judging solely by the exterior, he had assumed it was a simple bachelor apartment, much like those densely packed units in Hong Kong. However, it turned out to be a two-bedroom, one-living-room residence. Upon entering, there was a modest guest room to the left, leading to an outdoor courtyard. The bright light made the entire room appear lavish.
Walking further into the corridor, he arrived at a living room dominated by light gray and beige tones. Against the wall, there was a right-angled sofa, and directly in front were two large glass windows. To the left, adjacent to the guest room, was the kitchen. A reddish-brown bar counter separated the kitchen and living room, and to the left was the spacious master bedroom.
Spacious yet cozy, modern yet generous, simple yet neat.
Renly found it intriguing that both his apartments in New York and Los Angeles were chosen by Andy. However, the New York apartment was situated in Greenwich Village, displaying strong design elements and personal characteristics. The exposed pipes left a profound impression, and an artistic ambiance permeated the space, harboring many highlights.
In contrast, the Los Angeles apartment was located in a middle-class community in West Hollywood. It hardly had any distinct style; it was just a basic living space that could be moved in and out of at any time. Unlike the artistic flair of the New York apartment, this one emphasized the sense of daily life.
In a way, this also reflected the contrasting styles of the two cities—differences in artistic taste, at the very least.
"This place was originally shared by two actors, you know, those Hollywood aspirants who wait tables in coffee shops on film sets, tirelessly auditioning for roles, seeking opportunities to fulfill their dreams. However, one of them found work in Las Vegas and moved away, while the other couldn't afford the rent, so..." Nathan placed all the luggage down and spoke as he walked out. "What do you think?"
Renly glanced around the room briefly. "I'm also a struggling actor now. Are you sure the other room isn't up for rent?"
"Heh." Nathan thought Renly was joking without a doubt. Leaving aside the endorsement of Morgan and Andy, both top-tier agents who believed in Renly's future, even as the reigning Emmy-winning Best Actor, Renly was no longer a "struggling" actor.
Renly knew Nathan didn't believe him.
Many viewers held the same view. Gazing at the glamorous lives of those actors, imagining their luxurious lifestyles, they felt immense envy. Yet, in reality, maintaining such a glamorous life required a substantial amount of expenses. Aside from luxury items like yachts, sports cars, and private jets, just clothing, styling, meals, and accommodations alone constituted significant expenditure. To match the level of spotlight, spending money like water was essential.
During this period, Renly had traveled between Toronto and Sudbury, and also back and forth to London for filming. He had to cover travel and wardrobe expenses out of his own pocket. Renly's bank account now held less than ten thousand dollars, and his payment for "Buried" hadn't been received yet. If there was no sponsorship for the upcoming promotional period of "Buried", Renly would find himself in dire financial straits once again.
He was indeed a grassroots struggling actor.