Many background actors were actually genuine film enthusiasts.
For extras, making a living out of it was an incredibly challenging endeavor. Not because the pay was too low, but because the opportunities were genuinely limited. After all, being an extra didn't require acting skills or specific appearances; anyone interested could participate, making the competition fierce.
Furthermore, many extra roles were quite grueling. For instance, the extras on the set of "The Pacific" might have spent an entire day lying in the mud or waited all day long for a scene that lasted less than a second. Or take the extras in "The Walking Dead"; their special makeup required four to six hours to apply and one to two hours to remove, a routine they repeated every day.
Therefore, if they didn't truly love film, they wouldn't be able to persist. After one or two attempts driven by interest, they would give up.
Compared to actors, extras were more like pure idealists, holding onto an unattainable dream of acting, embracing a grand ideal born for film, tirelessly walking this path. Stephen Chow was originally an extra.
The old man before them seemed to be the same. Renly felt that he was quite intriguing. Both in his words and actions, this quality was evident. Eagerly, he inquired, "Alfred? Tell me, is this your real name, or did you change it as a stage name for acting?"
"Ah haha." Alfred let out a soft laugh. Renly wasn't the first actor to catch the significance of his name, but he was the first who asked earnestly instead of joking. A sly glint flickered in his narrow eyes. "Who knows? Originally a good butler to become Batman, who'd have thought that now I've turned into a washed-up old extra. So, perhaps this is my destiny, or maybe, this is my true name."
His cryptic words didn't mask his mockery and jest.
A faint lift of Renly's brow carried deep meaning as he responded, "Is that why you dislike George? Or am I overthinking?"
In 1997, George Clooney starred in "Batman & Robin". This was his first major commercial film after rising to fame with "ER". However, at the peak of his career, this version of Batman became an outright disaster. Not only did it flop at the box office and receive terrible critical reception, but it also suffered from the attacks of countless comic book fans.
This became a major blotch on George's acting career. It caused Warner Bros. to shelve the series for nearly a decade and severed George's connection to the superhero. Even twenty years later, some people still used this work to mock George.
Before "Batman & Robin", in 1995, "Batman Forever" directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Val Kilmer as Batman was a massive success. It garnered widespread praise throughout North America and was even considered one of the best comic book adaptations of the 90s.
However, when it came to filming the sequel, a host of actors, including Val Kilmer, dropped out due to various reasons. Thus, Warner Bros. had to rebuild the cast, eventually setting their sights on George.
Similarly, the role of Alfred the butler was also looking for a new actor. The previous actor, Michael Gough, had played this role for three consecutive times, including in the version with Jack Nicholson playing the iconic Joker.
Reflecting on Alfred's simple words earlier and connecting them to his conversation with Nathan, Renly felt the resentment he held toward George. This led Renly to a bold speculation: Could it be that the current Alfred was one of the candidates to replace the actor back then?
Although "Batman & Robin" encountered a disastrous failure, at the initial planning stage, no one knew that. Furthermore, even if the box office was a failure, supporting actors weren't to blame. For second-tier and third-tier actors, it was an excellent opportunity. Unfortunately, Alfred had missed that chance. Eventually, Michael Gough returned for the role of Alfred the fourth time, which left the current Alfred downcast. His acting career plummeted, and he never got another opportunity. From then on, he trudged through a lackluster life as an extra.
Of course, this was Renly's casual speculation, a product of his wild imagination.
Renly's words caught Alfred off guard. His expression stiffened, and his nearly-squinted eyes flickered with a murky light that was hard to read. For a brief moment, he seemed to be lost in memories. But it was just a fleeting instant. In the blink of an eye, it had vanished, almost making one think it was a mere illusion.
"Ah haha." Alfred laughed heartily. "I would hope so. At the very least, that would mean I was someone at one point." His self-deprecating smile carried a hint of ease, making it impossible to determine the truth in his words.
Renly didn't press further; after all, that was someone else's business. "You certainly were someone. I can tell you've appeared in quite a few sets. I've always felt that you looked familiar."
"Really?" Alfred's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Do you remember which works? My most recent work was "Grey's Anatomy", where I played a doctor. I'd pop up in the background every few episodes. Oh, and I have a few photos with the cast." He took out his phone, opened the photo gallery, and began flipping through. "In fact, I've been working with them for three years now. If you've watched that show, then maybe you've seen me."
"Three years is quite a while." Renly nodded repeatedly, his gaze fixed on the phone screen. "Have you actually participated in the filming of surgical scenes?"
"Oh, no, I'm just in the corridors." Alfred enthusiastically introduced, "This one is from my performance in "Prison Break". I played a prisoner. And this one is from "King Kong" as an extra."
"Is that Peter Jackson?" Renly exclaimed in surprise.
With great enthusiasm, Alfred introduced Renly to the movies he had appeared in as an extra. Some of the photos were quite old and weren't stored on his current phone. He even specifically opened his Facebook page to find those photos and provide further explanations.
For background actors, it seemed they couldn't find any presence. Even if they told their friends and family, "I appeared in "Fast 5"," when the movie was released, they would strain their eyes, but finding themselves on screen wasn't guaranteed. They didn't know which scenes would be kept and which would be cut. They might end up in the edited-out parts. Even if they weren't edited out, it might be just a fleeting glimpse as the camera swept by.
They were actors, yet not really actors, and perhaps even less noticeable than stunt doubles. The absurdity was that they were an indispensable part of the film crew.
These photos were evidence that they had once participated, the only proof of their identity as "actors".
Alfred knew he was showing off, rambling on, and he couldn't quite control himself. But he could sense that Renly was genuinely interested, not just being polite. Renly even asked for details about certain productions, like a true movie enthusiast rather than an actor.
"I apologize if my introduction was a bit long," Alfred retrieved his phone, his face tinged with a hint of restraint. Renly was a true actor, he didn't need to browse through these extra photos. He could genuinely be a part of it, standing in front of the camera, basking in the spotlight. "You should know what it's like to be on a film set better than I do."
"I wouldn't say that," Renly chuckled. "This is only my third film. Of course, if we include TV shows... let me think. It would be my tenth, which is quite a few, but still not as many as yours."
Alfred was momentarily puzzled, then it dawned on him. Renly was counting every episode he appeared in for "The Pacific" as a separate work. Alfred burst into laughter once again, "I forgot you're about to start shooting your first scene today, right? I'll be in that scene too. You should be able to find me in the crowd."
"Sorry, I won't be able to distract myself to look for you while working. Otherwise, the audience might think you're my love interest," Renly's teasing remark made Alfred burst into hearty laughter.
He liked this version of Renly. Even if it was Renly's perfect social façade, he still liked it.
Alfred took out a pack of rainbow candy from his pocket, poured some into his palm, and then tossed a few into his mouth. Sensing Renly's inquisitive gaze, he grinned, "When you give up certain habits, you inevitably develop others."
Renly suddenly realized; he could deduce that Alfred had quit smoking or drinking and picked up the habit of eating candy.
"Would you like to try some? You seem quite curious," Alfred extended the candy packet, friendly and inviting.
Renly shook his head, "No, I don't really like candy, except for milk candy." Renly honestly confessed, "It's just that your candy-eating habit reminded me of a friend. Ryan Gosling, do you know him?"
Alfred hadn't expected Renly's refusal. Most actors, even if they refused, would at least take the candy to save face. And even if they declined, they'd usually find a good excuse, like being on a diet or working out. But Renly's refusal was so straightforward that Alfred didn't feel offended; in fact, he smiled.
"Gosling, of course, "The Notebook". Who doesn't know that?" Alfred took back the rainbow candy, handed it over to Nathan, who stood on the other side. Nathan accepted it with a big smile, unceremoniously pouring himself a handful. In no time, the bag was nearly emptied, and Alfred couldn't help but smile at his straightforwardness.
"Does he also like candy? I mean, Ryan."