There's a rumor about Leonardo DiCaprio: it's said that when his mother was pregnant with him, she was at an art exhibit. As she stood in front of a Leonardo da Vinci painting, the baby kicked in her belly, and that's how she decided to name him "Leonardo."
Anson looked at Edgar, somewhat surprised. "So, did your mother feel the baby kick while she was admiring a work by Edgar Degas, and that's why she named you Edgar?"
Edgar shrugged lightly. "At least, that's what she told me."
"When she was younger, she struggled to conceive, and both she and my father had almost given up hope. So when she found out she was finally pregnant, she stared at a reproduction of a painting in the doctor's office—a museum-sold print of Degas' 1882 piece *Waiting*. She saw it as a sign."
"In that painting, Degas depicted a ballerina resting and waiting to perform. You can't see her face, but she looks a bit anxious, a bit nervous. My mother thought she understood exactly how that girl felt."
Anson had asked casually, but instead, he got a story.
A moving story.
Anson then asked, "So, is she doing well now?"
Edgar nodded softly. "Yes, everything's fine." A faint smile appeared on his lips, though his expression revealed a mix of emotions that were hard to describe. Clearly, there was more to their story.
After a brief pause, Edgar looked up at Anson, a slightly helpless smile on his face. "You're quite good. We're sitting here talking about my mother, which has nothing to do with you. The focus seems a bit off."
"Hah." Anson chuckled. "In Hollywood, everyone wants to talk about themselves—me, me, me—always hoping the spotlight shines on them. Believe me, you'll have a chance to talk plenty about me."
Edgar chuckled, nodding in agreement. "That's the truth. So, is there anything else you want to know about me? Feel free to ask. I'm open to sharing anything except my bank account password."
A strategic retreat.
Seeing Edgar open his hands in a gesture of complete openness, Anson realized that today's meeting was different from their last encounter at the theater. He needed to adjust his approach as well.
"Edgar, I want to let you know that I've already found a manager."
Edgar wasn't surprised; instead, he picked up on the subtext in Anson's words. "But you haven't signed with them yet, right? Or maybe you have, but having options is always good. It's always wise to keep possibilities open. After all, this is Hollywood—we never know what tomorrow will bring."
"Ha ha." Anson laughed.
Without hesitation, Edgar seized the opportunity to press forward. "Would you mind telling me who you're planning to sign with?"
Anson didn't answer immediately. Instead, he lifted his eyes and looked directly at Edgar.
Edgar didn't flinch or hesitate, meeting Anson's gaze head-on. "At the very least, I should know who my competition is."
Actually, this matter isn't much of a secret; it will soon spread throughout the agency circles. Making it public has no downside.
In fact, not only is there no downside, but open competition can also drive away the bad actors and foster healthy, high-quality competition.
Perhaps this will help Anson see the situation more clearly.
Everything was arranged by Darren.
Despite being in New York, busy wrapping up the current season of *Sex and the City*, Darren hadn't forgotten about Anson's situation amidst his hectic schedule.
Not only did he help Anson find a manager, but he also chose two candidates.
"Eric White from Creative Artists."
"And Harry Smith from William Morris."
These two agents come from Hollywood's top two agencies, with one of them even sharing the same agency as Edgar.
Edgar hadn't expected such an answer.
But curiously, he didn't feel defeated or pressured; instead, he felt invigorated. "Oh, not just one but two, and both are the best choices. Does that mean my judgment was correct?"
Edgar chuckled lightly, looking as if he was ready for a challenge.
At this moment, Edgar noticed the slightly puzzled expression on Anson's face and explained, "Eric White and Harry Smith are top-tier agents in the industry. They don't just work for the best agencies; they also have outstanding personal abilities. There's no doubt that their names are their best credentials."
Anson knew nothing about the agent industry, so these names meant little to him. But now, with Edgar's affirmation, it proved Darren's connections. "This situation doesn't look too good for you, does it?"
Edgar spread his hands, "That's true—very, very bad."
He let out a bitter smile.
But only for a moment. Without panic, Edgar continued, "However, I don't need to lie, because with just a little digging, their resumes and achievements are clear. Even without me, you'd realize they're top of the industry."
"But."
"Anson, with all due respect, I think this is a mistake."
Anson raised an eyebrow slightly, "A mistake?"
At this moment, you could detect a hint of Edgar's nervousness. After all, he was facing two heavyweight opponents. Confidence is one thing, but blind confidence is another.
Edgar paused, curling his fingers into a fist to hide the slight tremor in his hands, gathering his thoughts, and finding a way through the dilemma.
"How about this: let's make a bet. I can tell you how those meetings with them will go."
"If I'm wrong, you don't have to consider me further. Choose one of them, and I'm sure you'll have a bright future."
"But if I'm right, please consider sitting down with me to talk—hear my ideas, my plans. At least give me a fair chance to compete."
Edgar's face was full of sincerity—
Even though Anson had given him an opportunity today by sitting down and talking, Edgar was aware of his limitations. The resources he could offer were quite limited. Competing against Eric and Harry, or even other agents, wouldn't be easy. Anson might not even listen intently.
He needed a breakthrough.
Eric and Harry were indeed formidable opponents, but precisely because of this, Edgar saw an opportunity.
Some might ask, "Is it necessary? Is it worth all the trouble? After all, it's just a young actor and just a guest role in a series."
Edgar didn't agree. He believed it was worth it.
The first meeting gave him a feeling.
The second meeting made that intuition clearer.
Edgar believed he needed to do everything he could to win Anson over. This young man could be the turning point in his career.
Realizing this, Edgar didn't hesitate and made a decisive move.
However—
Anson remained unmoved. His expression didn't change significantly, though there was a glimmer of interest in his eyes. He was curious, after all—Edgar was indeed different from other agents, so enthusiastic and sincere, showing a completely different side. So, what did Edgar see in him?
But it didn't really matter. Anson could stay calm and patiently see what cards Edgar had to play.
Third update.