Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 12: Finalizing the Role

The night in New York had already deepened, but Manhattan Island was still brightly lit with no sign of quietness. The bustling and noisy sounds drifting in the air only intensified the summer's restlessness. Groups of young people lined the streets, fully enjoying the exuberance and extravagance of youth.

Pushing open the side door, Renly stepped out onto the street first. Then, after Tom and Steven came out, he closed the door behind them. "Sorry, the lounge is full, and I'm not sure if you would be comfortable chatting on the street. I hope this isn't too impolite."

Renly's humble and polite yet witty words successfully made Tom chuckle. "I don't mind; that's not the point. As long as you don't mind, it's fine."

Renly raised his eyebrows slightly. "I thought this conversation was because of my brief absence earlier, which may have led to your dissatisfaction with the service. But now it seems my guess was wrong."

Tom chuckled twice and then turned to Steven, handing over the initiative of the conversation.

"Ahem." Steven cleared his throat, drawing Renly's gaze. "We're hoping to formally extend an invitation and personally inform you that you're welcome to be a part of the 'The Pacific' cast." Since the decision was already made, Steven didn't beat around the bush, quickly stating their purpose.

However, there was a hidden meaning in his words, subtly conveying their formality and respect, as if granting Renly the highest honor—having two top Hollywood legends personally present. This was indeed an honor for any actor. Inadvertently, Renly felt deeply grateful; it was hard to imagine anyone not being moved by this.

If Renly hadn't lived two lives and seen through the warmth and coldness of human relationships, he might have been caught off guard at this moment. But Renly knew that Tom and Steven hadn't come specifically for him—there had been a small misunderstanding during ordering. Something unexpected must have happened in the past few hours to change their minds. However, that wasn't important to Renly; what mattered was that he got the role!

A rush of joy swept over him like a tornado, stirring up waves of excitement in his veins. He had done it; he had really done it. With his own strength, he had won his first role in life. He had truly embarked on the path of an actor! After reincarnation, all the hesitation, confusion, and uncertainty vanished at this moment. His efforts, his perseverance, his struggles were finally paying off. Though it was just a small step, it was the first time in two lifetimes that he had truly achieved a goal according to his own desires. The joy was overwhelming, almost uncontrollable.

He clenched his fists, then clenched them again, tightly holding onto all the excitement, excitement, gratitude, joy, and happiness in his hands.

"Are you serious?" Renly's voice trembled slightly. He awkwardly cleared his throat twice. "I thought I still needed to wait for further notice."

Steven shrugged. "This is just an early notice. Over the next two days, notifications will be sent to every actor's agent. Just wait for instructions to join the cast."

"Uh... I don't have an agent at the moment." Renly had only been in New York for less than three months, slowly getting used to life here.

Although during his performances at Off-Broadway, four or five agents had approached him, in Renly's view, two were scammers, two were all talk but lacked real power, and only one seemed decent. He wasn't in a hurry. A reliable agent was too important a partner to settle for less.

The "The Pacific" is a public audition. They had released a job offer in the Screen Actors Guild of America. Anyone who meets the conditions can participate. This is the first official audition of Renly. First, although it is only a TV series, not a movie, the opportunity is indeed rare. Second, Renly also hopes to try the water, at least to understand the operation of the film industry.

So, when the afternoon audition was over, he was told to "wait for notification". He was a little disappointed, but not too depressed. Unexpectedly, things have turned around now.

"You don't have an agent? Don't worry, the actors' union will send an agent." Steven waved his hand. It is very common for new actors to have no agents. The American entertainment industry has matured and naturally there will be corresponding solutions. "We will contact the actors' union directly, and they will send an agent to help you handle the follow-up matters."

"If you have any requirements for the remuneration, you can mention it to the public agent assigned to you by the Actors Guild, and then we will discuss it." Tom who was Stanleyding next to him suddenly added that. Steven glanced at Tom with speechlessness in his eyes, which made Renly smile.

Tom is the chairman of the Screen Actors Guild of America. He is constantly running for the interests of actors and is highly respected among actors. In this regard, Tom and Steven, who is a producer, are very different.

" I'm sure HBO will give me a reasonable number.," Renly said confidently, causing both big shots to glance at him again, then revealing a hint of amusement.

As a newcomer, Renly didn't have much leverage in negotiating his salary; moreover, for him, "The Pacific" marked his first official performance in front of a camera. His acting skills were what he needed to focus on.

With the task of informing Renly completed, Steven turned to leave but hesitated for a moment, then asked casually, "When you participated in the audition this afternoon, did you have any role in mind?"

The casting information from the Screen Actors Guild had simple descriptions for the four main roles, which helped narrow down the actors' choices. However, Eugene, who was internally selected, wasn't on the list. Steven was merely curious which role prompted Renly's afternoon performance.

"I didn't," Renly's response was unexpected. "I just wanted to give it a try. However, the prepared piece I had wasn't used." He didn't continue his statement, just looked at Tom, making it clear.

Tom innocently shrugged, indicating his innocence. "Don't worry; you'll have your chance in the future."

After a brief pause, Steven relaxed. Perhaps, this was fate. One unexpected event after another led to Eugene's replacement by Renly. Since that was the case, let's see where fate would lead them. It wasn't until this moment that Steven fully accepted Renly playing Eugene.

"So, which role did I finally get?" Renly asked curiously.

Tom and Steven exchanged a glance, and finally, Steven gave the answer. "Eugene."

Renly clenched his fists silently, knowing that Eugene in "The Pacific" was one of the most challenging roles, meaning his first real test would be tough. But he wasn't afraid, not even nervous. His excitement surged like fireworks, blossoming deep in his pupils.

After seeing off Tom and Steven, Renly returned to the bar backstage. Jason's performance had ended, and he was engaging with the audience. Stanley, the first to notice Renly, approached eagerly, followed closely by Neil, who rushed over, asking eagerly, "How did it go? What did they want with you?"

Renly deliberately kept them in suspense, not answering immediately. Quietly, he looked at Neil and Stanley, both of whom held their breaths, freezing in anticipation. Then Renly spoke, "I got the role."

A simple sentence weighed heavily. The two in front of him paused, then Neil burst into laughter, "Haha, I knew it! I just knew it!" Neil began to jump around excitedly, exclaiming, "They've got an eye for talent!"

Stanley remained composed, but a big smile appeared on his face as he gave Renly a big hug. "Congratulations! Although I knew it was only a matter of time before you became a top star, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. I was thinking of keeping you here for a few more months."

Renly chuckled, "Isn't it too early to say that? You should know, in America, there are tens of thousands of second-tier actors who can't find work. Not to mention, I haven't even touched the third tier." Thanks to his performances at Off-Broadway in the past few months, he could barely be considered an amateur actor at the eleventh or twelfth tier.

Such a humorous tone made Stanley's smile even brighter. "I'm starting to worry now that I won't find such excellent cheap labor in the future. You must know, every time you come on stage to save the show, the audience's reaction is exceptional. You are even more popular than many professional musicians."

"That's because they recognize my face," Renly said with a smile.

Stanley didn't buy it at all. "I'm serious. I know music is just a hobby for you; acting is your true passion. But trust me, you're a fantastic performer." Stanley became serious for once, saying, "To make up for the losses in the bar, you should record those songs and release them as singles, then give me all the profits."

"Haha," Renly burst into laughter, recalling Tom's words before leaving, "Thank you for the performance; it's been a while since I felt genuine music." Then Tom asked about the name of the song, repeating it twice before leaving.

"You can cross your fingers and pray silently; maybe one day it'll come true," Renly joked, knowing it wasn't serious, causing Stanley to be speechless, pointing at the bustling scene in the bar and Neil, who was sharing Renly's good news with the other waiters, "I should go help out if we want to close on time."