"...Let's talk later... Rest assured, once the release date for "50/50" is confirmed, I'll be the first to call you... Hehe, I believe your sources are quicker than mine, and you won't need my notification... So, until next time. I've arrived at my destination now."
After hanging up the phone, Andy Rogers rubbed his tired eyes, and the usual smile on his lips was tinged with weariness. But in terms of exhaustion, he couldn't even compare to Renly's one-tenth. Turning around, he saw that Renly, sitting in the backseat, had once again fallen asleep.
"Maintain a steady speed, keep it smooth," Andy said in a hushed voice to Nathan, who was driving. Nathan glanced at the rearview mirror, nodded slightly, and continued to focus on driving.
Outside the car window, the sun had just risen, tearing through the thick darkness and silence of the night. The contradictory tranquility and commotion of dawn, under the gray-blue sky, surged. The scenery on both sides of the road gradually brightened, and the towering skyscrapers marking the boundary of New York were faintly visible.
In recent times, the promotion for "Fast 5" had been in full swing. In just three weeks, the cast and crew had circled the globe, from Los Angeles to New York, then on to London, Paris, Berlin, and more. They had traveled to Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, followed by Sydney, Canberra, Wellington, and finally, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City, before returning to the United States to embark on a promotional tour in major cities.
The promotional schedule was overwhelmingly tight. They could be in London in the morning, Paris in the afternoon, and then rush to Berlin in the evening. This kind of situation happened countless times, with their time in each city possibly as short as two or three hours, or at most five or six hours, with the rest of the time spent on the road. Airports were probably the places they were most familiar with.
This time, Renly participated in the entire journey. Thanks to previous internal conflicts within the production team, Andy had reached an agreement with Universal Pictures. Not only did Renly secure the position of the third lead, but he also participated in all the promotional events. Before this, only Vin and Paul had received such treatment.
Because Renly didn't have a manager, Andy had set aside his own work to accompany him throughout the journey. He understood better than anyone else how crucial this opportunity was for Renly. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Renly had now successfully transformed himself into a top-tier actor.
Perhaps in terms of the number of works, salary, and self-proving, Renly could be considered at most a top-tier second lead. He still needed more works to prove himself, especially as the lead in a commercial film. But from the perspective of fame, after half a year of buildup and the eruption of this opportunity, Renly was now a top-tier star.
In fact, Andy knew that Renly didn't like such promotional events. In comparison, Renly was better suited for the set, where he would shine in front of the camera. His focused charm and the power of his dedication were enough to make everyone take notice. You could clearly feel that he was savoring every moment.
But for the sake of the future, this challenging path had to be persevered. Fortunately, it had finally come to an end.
Yesterday, "Fast 5" officially concluded its intensive promotion in Washington. The cast and crew gathered for a celebratory party, with Universal Pictures generously footing the bill. Naturally, the party atmosphere was wild, lasting until four in the morning without closure.
However, Renly had to leave early.
Today, Renly would return to New York to shoot his first magazine cover as an actor!
In fact, there were more than just one magazine inviting Renly for a cover shoot. To be precise, there were nineteen notable magazines, including The Village Voice, Variety, and Us Weekly, among others, with top-notch sales.
This wasn't just any ordinary interview; it was a magazine cover, which had a decisive impact. What made it even more extraordinary was that it wasn't a collective shoot for "Fast 5"; it was an exclusive invitation for Renly alone. For a "third lead" actor, this opportunity was simply mind-boggling.
For comparison, at the same time, there were only two magazines inviting Paul Walker for a cover shoot, and none for Vin Diesel.
But Andy knew full well that Renly couldn't possibly complete all the cover shoots alone. Moreover, the recent promotional activities had been excessively intense, and there were still album recording sessions and filming for "Detachment" waiting for him. Renly needed to relax his tightly wound nerves a bit.
After careful consideration, Andy declined all the cover shoot invitations and only agreed to one, which included a personal phone call from the editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone magazine. It wasn't about quantity; it was about quality.
In the end, Vanity Fair emerged as the choice. The main reason for choosing Vanity Fair over Variety was the difference in their focuses.
Vanity Fair was currently the number one entertainment magazine in terms of sales. Its content included celebrity gossip, rumors, and professionalism related to independent films and awards seasons, which best suited Renly's current needs. Moreover, Renly's first interview for "The Pacific" was with Vanity Fair, so it was a sort of fate.
Of course, Andy wasn't a philanthropist. In exchange, Vanity Fair promised more than just a cover. Besides the four pages of an exclusive interview, the complete interview content would be published on their website. There would also be a set of sixteen hard photos and behind-the-scenes videos published on YouTube, among other bonuses.
Strictly speaking, these were treatments only top-tier leads received, and not even Oscar winners were necessarily given such attention. From this perspective, Vanity Fair was brimming with confidence.
So, even though the celebratory banquet had not ended, they had to rush from Washington to New York overnight. The three-hour drive brought them to New York just in time to welcome the morning sun.
A gentle breeze, tinged with refreshing moisture, blew toward them. The sparse golden sunlight softened the edges of the concrete jungle, while the mottled buildings on either side of the road delineated a desolate and melancholic city skyline amidst the tranquility, hidden behind the bustling and noisy façade. This was the unique temperament of New York.
Nathan gradually slowed down the car, smoothly pulling over to the side of the road without a single bump, as if it were a cradle for a sleeping baby. Glancing at the time, it was only eight-thirty, half an hour ahead of their scheduled arrival time. The journey had gone smoothly without any delays.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere remained serene as Nathan glanced at the rearview mirror. Indeed, Renly was sound asleep.
His gaze passed through the rearview mirror and ahead, he could see a group of people not far from the warehouse entrance. There were around twenty to thirty of them, each wearing an excited expression, gesticulating and chatting animatedly in the tranquil morning. This made Nathan instinctively lean closer to the steering wheel, attempting to get a better look. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, but he hesitated, not daring to believe his own judgment. So, he reflexively turned his head and sent an inquiring look towards Andy, as if to say, "Is this for real?"
Andy had also noticed the group of people. To be precise, in a street with few pedestrians, ignoring such a large crowd was quite challenging. Andy then gently nodded, giving an affirmative response. A hint of a smile even appeared in his eyes. Yes, those people were indeed Renly's loyal fans.
Vanity Fair had been posting interview teasers on their official website and producing a series of short clips. Starting from Renly's arrival in Sydney, they had been releasing a new segment every day, featuring amusing moments from his promotional tour, ranging from ten to thirty seconds each. All of this built up to the final interview release, a strategy that had attracted a plethora of clicks, far exceeding Vanity Fair's expectations.
It reminded Andy of the crazy fangirls they encountered during the Asian promotions.
Looking at his watch once again, there were still twenty minutes left until their scheduled time. Andy turned around to wake up Renly. "We've arrived at the shooting location. Get ready; we're about to start working."
Renly didn't respond immediately, but after about three seconds, he nodded with his eyes still closed and replied, "I got it." He took a deep breath and then opened the car door, letting the brisk morning air rush in. He became slightly more alert, and his eyes finally opened.
Renly's mind was still in a fog. Glancing around, he asked, "Is that the warehouse? The filming location?" After receiving Andy's confirmation, he started walking in that direction. However, he soon heard a buzzing sound, and the crowd began to encircle him.
Renly's initial reaction was that it was rush hour. New York's rush hour was notoriously hectic, and anyone who experienced it would leave with a lasting impression.
Without pausing his steps, Renly skillfully maneuvered his way through the crowd, attempting to proceed forward. He murmured, "Sorry," to those he passed by. However, he quickly realized that the people around him seemed to be heading in the same direction. The voices in his ears gradually became clearer. "Young Heir! Young Heir! Ahhh!"
His right hand, which had been rubbing his eyes, dropped, and he took a look around. It was only then that he fully comprehended the situation. This was Renly's first encounter with a fan mob on the street, and the feeling was so unfamiliar and strange that he found himself momentarily stunned. His mind was filled with question marks: Had he not woken up yet?
"You're so handsome, Young Heir! I love you!" a sharp voice pierced through the crowd, reaching his ears. Renly couldn't help but chuckle silently, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. He turned his head to look and casually replied, "Be careful; your boyfriend might get jealous."