Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 233: First Collaboration

Jennifer knew that Renly was serious, extremely serious.

In the world of acting, there are no shortcuts or secrets. The methods and techniques are all laid out clearly, and anyone who dedicates themselves fully and hones their craft can achieve success. As for natural talent, the difference it makes is only between a top actor and an excellent actor. Of course, legendary actors worthy of being remembered in history might only appear once every ten years.

But under the spotlight of Hollywood, no one cares about that. Or more accurately, no one wants to be an excellent actor; they want to be a top star. The dream of overnight fame and the fairytale of a rags-to-riches story always attract people.

Jennifer wanted to be a star, but she wanted to be an actor even more.

"Thank you," Jennifer said sincerely. After "Winter's Bone" received numerous accolades at Sundance, she was a bit complacent, but now she was humbled again. There are always people better than you.

Renly also didn't expect such a response. He knew better than anyone how attractive the glamour and attention of Hollywood could be to young people. Even he, an "old" soul living a second life, couldn't help but feel excited at times. But Jennifer brought an unexpected surprise.

"My pleasure," Renly replied with a sincere and humble smile.

That modest yet straightforward expression made Jennifer chuckle. Pretending to rummage in her pocket, she said, "Here, let me light your cigarette." She acted like an eager assistant.

Renly laughed out loud and looked at the cigarette in his hand. "No need, it's just a medium for relaxation while thinking."

Before Jennifer could inquire about the story behind it, Drake's voice rang out, "Actors, are you ready? We can start shooting!"

Today's scene had moved to a new location, no longer worrying about the neighbor's disturbances. In the movie, after graduating, Jacob opened his own furniture design studio, renting a small warehouse. There was a staircase leading to a loft on the second floor, which he turned into his bedroom, while the ground floor was filled with tools for designing and making furniture.

This small warehouse was also rented through a friend of Drake's, who was very generous and only charged fifty dollars as a symbolic fee for utilities.

"I think that's our cue," Renly pointed in the direction of the voice, smiling. "We'd better hurry."

"Of course!" Jennifer was eager and immediately stood up, rubbing her hands together in anticipation, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.

The two walked to the center of the studio. Drake personally came over to explain the entire shooting process, then noticed Jennifer's excitement and couldn't help but chuckle. "Calm down, calm down, young lady. This scene isn't your time to shine yet."

Jennifer proudly lifted her chin. "A truly great actor can grasp every detail of every scene. I won't slack off."

This made Drake laugh. He turned and patted Renly on the shoulder, not saying much, but the trust in his eyes was clear. In just a few days, Renly's outstanding performance had won Drake over—even more profoundly than at Telluride.

Renly sat at the desk, spreading out the design sketches, arranging them slightly messily, then placing some crumpled paper beside them. After some thought, he organized the sketches neatly and left only two crumpled pieces of paper.

After the breakup, Jacob's mental state should be sullen and repressed, distracted even while working. But after Sam moved in, the studio should appear more orderly—Sam's first line is asking if Jacob needs his jeans ironed, clearly a domestic expert.

So, the desk should be clean and tidy, with only Jacob's current work area in disarray. Thinking further, Renly took a knife from the pencil holder and sharpened a pencil on some scrap paper, leaving scattered shavings.

In this life, Renly chose to study music, but he also dabbled in other arts like painting, sculpture, theater, and novels, mainly for appreciation. In terms of practice, he wasn't skilled—his sister Edith was the artistic one. But having seen Edith work, he knew enough to apply it here.

With the preparations complete, Renly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed his thoughts. This scene was simple, introducing Sam with a few lines of dialogue. But in the previous version of "Like Crazy," the content was too thin, leading to misunderstandings about Jacob's character.

In fact, Jacob had broken up with Anna, trying to move on and focus solely on Sam. He forced himself not to contact Anna, but Anna, overwhelmed by longing, begged him on the phone, proposing to him. Jacob made a choice—he broke up with Sam and went to London to marry Anna, beginning a long struggle for a visa.

The challenge for Renly was to convey Jacob's post-breakup state and struggle in a short time, making the later revelation understandable for the audience.

The warehouse fell silent as the crew, familiar with Renly's process, waited for his signal. When Renly gave an "OK" gesture, Drake stepped forward and called out, "Action!"

Jacob sat at the desk, focused on drawing, a smile on his lips, sweet and happy. The soft curve of his smile was tender, his lowered lashes couldn't hide the brightness in his eyes, as if he had the world. His relaxed shoulders made the air feel lighter, his white T-shirt rising and falling gently.

Drake was puzzled. "It shouldn't be like this!" Jacob had broken up with Anna and should be in pain. His relationship with Sam wasn't about love, just companionship in loneliness—he shouldn't be this happy. But why was Renly acting this way? That happiness reminded him of Jacob and Anna's good times.

Drake hesitated, unsure whether to call "cut." After struggling for a moment, he decided to trust Renly for now and see how the scene played out. He signaled the assistant on the second-floor railing, who then gave Jennifer a signal.

Jennifer, already in character, nodded in understanding, counted silently to three, and then said loudly, "Do you need me to iron your jeans?"

Sam's voice broke the studio's silence, and the warm air seemed to bring a glow to Jacob's face. "Hmm?" Jacob lazily responded, like an old married couple tuning out each other's words but always catching the voice. The upward tilt of his tone was sweet.

"Your jeans, do you need me to iron them?"

The voice grew clearer, Jacob finally responded, turning toward it. He saw Sam wearing his dark blue shirt, leaning over the railing, smiling gently.

Jacob's expression subtly shifted for a fraction of a second—shock, confusion, panic, and sadness flashed by, a mix of emotions that was heart-wrenching. His deep brown eyes held a hint of sorrow that quickly vanished.

His lips pressed together and then lifted into a smile, as if genuinely considering Sam's question. The earlier joy and spontaneity were gone, replaced by a polite, almost unnatural, detachment. The air around him turned distant and strained, though his true feelings were hidden away.

"Uh..." Jacob elongated the sound, pondering deeply as if contemplating Aristotle's laws, then raised his brows. "Sure," he said.

Sam's smile brightened, her face glowing with the warmth of love. She mouthed "OK" and turned to her task, holding the jeans a bit tighter, her steps light and quick.

Jacob's smile remained, now tinged with bitterness and loneliness. He stared blankly at the second floor, where Sam had disappeared, his bright eyes dimming as if something was breaking inside, showing a glimpse of confusion and lostness. He stayed still, frozen in the moment, as if time had stopped, and his world with it.

Silent pain and heartbreak spread through the air, a poignant sadness.