Harry Smith was absolutely certain—he knew the answer.
He was 100% sure he recognized that face. He could even vaguely recall fragments of memories, and the name was right on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn't seem to grasp the correct answer.
Him, that guy, the newcomer introduced by someone… Wait, he needed a moment…
Harry felt a splitting headache, like something was stuck in his throat, unable to come out. Then, a voice came from behind.
It was like a thunderclap.
"It's me!"
All eyes immediately turned to the source of the voice, intense and overwhelming, sharp and fierce. The pressure, like a spotlight, bore down layer by layer, locking onto that figure like a sniper.
Edgar felt his mouth go dry and involuntarily swallowed. It was his first time being the center of attention in such a situation. He was a little nervous, but mostly exhilarated, as blood rushed to his head.
Suddenly, Edgar stood up.
"He's my client!"
His voice was firm and resolute.
"Anson Wood, eighteen years old. He gained attention for his guest role on 'Friends,' received incredibly positive feedback in the June issue of 'GQ,' and is currently working with Garry Marshall on the film 'The Princess Diaries.'"
He spoke cleanly and clearly, summarizing all the information in an organized manner.
In truth, Edgar's knees were trembling a bit.
Not because he was speaking in front of a group of senior agents, but because he was snatching food from a pack of hyenas—and not in a very straightforward way.
That photo? He had slipped it in unnoticed.
So, what was going on?
Time needed to be rewound a bit.
Last month, Sony Columbia officially confirmed Sam Raimi as the director and immediately began the casting process. Under the project name "Spider-Man," they sent out information to the top five talent agencies—
The email was directly copied to the company's top executives.
They asked the agencies to submit some fresh-faced, energetic candidates between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, with no other conditions specified. The agencies were free to suggest anyone they deemed fit.
William Morris also held a high-level meeting among senior agents. At the time, Edgar was still fulfilling his duties as the secretary taking minutes.
Initially, Edgar had no particular thoughts.
He was preoccupied with his own issues.
His career wasn't taking off. Even after being promoted to junior agent, he still had to handle assistant tasks, which wasn't what he had imagined. Because he constantly had to deal with trivial matters, it was difficult to focus on his own work. Months had passed with little progress.
Edgar wasn't impatient; he reminded himself to stay patient because he knew all senior agents had gone through this phase.
One opportunity, that's all he needed—just one chance to turn things around, to break through the barrier, and change his situation.
Anson Wood.
The name kept lingering in Edgar's mind.
He thought that over time, he would discover more hidden gems. After all, this was Los Angeles, where countless newcomers were waiting for their big break.
But that wasn't the case. The more he saw and experienced, the more he realized how special Anson was, with an unprecedentedly strong and fierce intuition.
But Anson was in San Francisco, filming "The Princess Diaries." What was Edgar supposed to do?
Should he go directly to San Francisco and knock on Anson's door?
He could, but he needed a convincing reason to prove his sincerity.
It was around this time that William Morris had finalized a list of candidates for "Spider-Man." Thirty-six resumes and photos were packed into a manila envelope, which Edgar organized and handed to the front desk for mailing—
They weren't using email much at that time.
In fact, even twenty years later, film companies and talent agencies still preferred physical resumes when it came to casting, holding them in their hands for careful observation and selection.
**Looking at the thick stack of documents in his hand, Edgar had a sudden burst of inspiration.**
Thirty-six profiles and thirty-seven profiles—there really wasn't much of a difference, right?
Of course, Anson hadn't signed with him yet, and he could sign with someone else at any time. But from another perspective, submitting this profile didn't guarantee anything either, did it?
What if—just hypothetically—Sony Columbia actually noticed Anson because of William Morris? Then, this could serve as Edgar's proof of his abilities.
Driven by a sudden impulse, Edgar acted on the idea. He discreetly slipped Anson's profile into the manila envelope.
At that moment, Edgar thought it was a brilliant idea, a stroke of genius.
Afterwards, as the excitement cooled, the impulse subsided, and the adrenaline levels returned to normal, Edgar's rational mind kicked in. He began to regret, hesitate, doubt, and agonize over what he had done. He wasn't entirely sure what he had just done or where the idea had come from. If Anson did land the role but signed with another agency, Edgar could end up losing everything—he might even lose his job.
And then, he'd become a laughingstock in the industry.
But...
There was no turning back.
Time became the best remedy, and Edgar gradually came to terms with what he had done.
Some more time passed, and with no word from Sony Columbia, Edgar had nearly forgotten about the whole thing. He assumed his gamble hadn't paid off at all—
A resume lost in the shuffle. This was everyday life in Hollywood, happening countless times every minute. There was no need to make a big deal out of it.
But then, just when he had completely forgotten, it came back to him in the most unexpected way.
It actually worked.
It did!
So, what now? What should he do next?
Edgar's knees trembled slightly as he quickly realized his situation.
He was surrounded.
He was in a battle with a pack of hyenas, and those fierce gazes were already stripping him down. If they knew the full story, there would be bloodshed; no one would let him off easily.
But he wasn't afraid.
Yes, he was nervous, and yes, he was uncertain, but excitement was winning out. He clenched his fists involuntarily. He had been preparing for this moment all along.
For Anson, and for himself, to seize this opportunity.
His heart pounded wildly.
Brian pondered for a moment. "Anson?"
He wasn't quite sure he had heard the name before—
Whether it was "Friends" or "GQ," they had certainly caused some ripples and sparked some discussion in Hollywood. But this was Hollywood, where news and newcomers appeared daily. Anson's headlines were already yesterday's news, buried in the dust of memory.
If "The Princess Diaries" failed, all the previous efforts would amount to nothing, and they'd have to start from scratch.
That's the reality of the fame game.
Although Brian wasn't entirely certain, Harry finally pieced it together, suddenly enlightened:
Anson Wood and Darren Star.
For a moment, a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, each leading in different directions. Perhaps he should try to sign Anson himself and snatch him away from Edgar; but the thought Harry latched onto was…
Wait!
"No, we didn't submit his profile."
End of the first update.