Hollywood: The Greatest Showman - Chapter 271: Insatiable

Chapter 271: Insatiable

The atmosphere in the studio was a bit restless. After Paul arrived and rendezvoused with Renly, the two left the studio together and headed towards the trailers. Meanwhile, Vin walked to the trailers alone.

Before reaching the trailers, Vin made his way to the gathering spot of the actors. He circled around slowly, his sharp gaze carrying a subtle hint of protest and pressure. Only then did he confidently stride towards the trailers.

Undoubtedly, the cast had split into two factions: Paul and Vin each following their own path. While Paul and Vin had a ten-year friendship that might lead to a different turn of events after this storm settled, it remained uncertain. Yet, from the present circumstances, it was clear that their relationship had deteriorated. The next step depended on how the other actors would align themselves.

So, who would it be, Paul or Vin?

The crew members couldn’t help but whisper and speculate in hushed voices, their peripheral vision capturing every movement within the trailers.

In less than two minutes, Renly emerged from the trailer. His calm expression revealed nothing, but the faint beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed his physical discomfort.

Andy and Nathan hurried over, guiding Renly to the rest area where he took a seat. Justin followed suit, approaching swiftly and inquiring about Renly’s condition in a hushed tone.

It was evident that Justin felt deeply remorseful, particularly for his loss of control in the final moments earlier. As the director, he couldn’t shirk responsibility for failing to manage the situation.

However, Renly displayed a slight smile, earnestly asking, “Justin, how did the shots from earlier turn out? I mean, did my performance go overboard? Should I rein it in a bit, or perhaps change my approach? Is the presented effect satisfactory?”

This line of questioning caught Justin off guard, and the other actors and crew members nearby wore expressions of surprise. Even while injured, Renly’s primary concern was the outcome of the shots. Was this dedication and commitment a fa?ade, or did it stem from his true inner self?

Sensing the collective gaze upon him, Renly’s smile widened. He shook his head in resignation and spread his hands, saying, “You’ve misunderstood. I’m just trying my best to avoid a reshoot.”

The simplicity of his words couldn’t help but elicit restrained laughter. Renly clearly wished to steer clear of the predicament he had just experienced. Who knew if this time Vin would resort to a direct confrontation?

The straightforward remark carried an inexplicable sense of amusement and irony, especially in Vin’s absence. A chuckle sounded, and Gal Gadot, standing nearby, couldn’t hold it in. She burst into laughter, and alongside her, Sung Kang and Tyrese Gibson also joined in.

Justin looked at Renly before him, his expression a mix of astonishment, surprise, admiration, and joy. Finally, he too broke into a smile.

Ten minutes later, Paul left the trailer. His demeanor was one of indignation, striding purposefully toward Renly. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, suggesting dissatisfaction with how things had been handled. Upon seeing the relaxed atmosphere among his fellow actors, his expression involuntarily froze for a moment before he joined in the conversation.

The final one to emerge was Vin, with a ten-minute interval since the last departure. His expression was cold and distant, projecting an air of “no entry”. He paid no heed to Paul and Renly, yet he didn’t explode in anger as before. Instead, he calmly took his seat, submitted to the makeup artists, and began preparing for the next scene.

The peripheral vision of everyone in the room seemed to hover on Vin, half-expecting him to erupt at any second. But he didn’t. He dedicatedly immersed himself in the forthcoming tasks, as if the previous incident had been completely cast aside.

The storm had subsided, at least judging from the smooth filming of the upcoming scenes.

In the confrontation between Hobbs, Dominic, and Brian just now, Justin had switched between three different angles for the shots.

This time, filming progressed exceptionally well. Both Vin and Paul managed their lines within normal parameters. Renly’s performance continued to astonish, smoothly controlling the pace of his acting. In the end, Justin retained Renly’s slightly theatrical performance, using hand gestures to depict a gun being fired, further escalating the conflict.

After the storm had settled, the calm that followed was not reassuring. Everyone knew that this was just a prelude to a larger storm. The problem was, nobody could predict when or how this storm would sweep in, or what consequences it would bring. This uneasy restlessness and anxiety created both fear and anticipation.

But there was reason to celebrate – the filming of “Fast 5” had finally found its rhythm. In a matter of three weeks, the filming in Los Angeles had concluded, smoothly wrapping up all indoor scenes. Simultaneously, the filming agreement for Rio de Janeiro had been formalized. The entire crew would now shift to South America for on-location shooting, which marked the truly challenging phase of the movie.

However, before departing for Rio de Janeiro, the crew had a small event, an interesting one that gathered most of the members.

Lead by Renly, a preview screening of “Buried” was scheduled for October 22nd in both Los Angeles and New York.

It was merely a preview, with Focus Features refraining from holding grand premieres or inviting the media. The screenings would take place in eleven theaters across the two cities, offering an opportunity for enthusiastic movie lovers to witness this independent art piece that had received acclaim in Toronto and Telluride.

Renly had reserved two screening halls, inviting the entire cast of “Fast 5” to attend.

On one hand, it was a celebration of the successful completion of previous filming, a brief relaxation before the busier second phase. On the other hand, the crew’s attendance would create some buzz, giving the news media a topic to cover. Of course, it also served as an excuse for a party – after the screening, the crew would collectively head to Paul Walker’s villa in Santa Monica for an all-night revelry.

Who could resist a party, after all?

Renly had invited all the crew members except for the pre-production team already preparing in Rio de Janeiro. Each member received a specially printed invitation.

“Is Diesel also invited?” Nathan looked puzzledly at Andy, full of complaints. “Why? After the way he treated Renly, do we still need to show goodwill? I’m pretty sure he won’t come, and Renly’s friendliness will go to waste again. Besides, if he does show up, I’m afraid the atmosphere will be utterly ruined. I don’t get it.”

Naturally, Vin Diesel was included in the invitations as well.

Facing Nathan’s grievances, Andy didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to Renly and asked, “What do you think?”

Renly shrugged. “I think it’s fine to invite him.”

“Renly!” Nathan felt a tightness in his chest, prompting a smile from Renly.

For the aristocrats, unless there was a deep-seated feud, even if they despised each other, they would pretend as if nothing were amiss in public social settings. They might even engage in friendly conversations. Even in an event like a party, invitations would be extended as a formality, and the other party would find a suitable excuse for absence, ensuring that no grounds for social critique would be provided.

Renly didn’t mind at all. More accurately, handling such occasions was a breeze for him. Moreover, during the promotional period for “Fast 5”, he and Vin would inevitably have to share the stage. Otherwise, the keen paparazzi would start digging up behind-the-scenes gossip.

Andy gazed at Renly with a smiling squint. He found Renly truly fascinating – so young, yet displaying remarkable maturity and wisdom. Andy couldn’t help but become curious: what was Renly’s background?

“It’s accurate to extend the invitation,” Andy intended to explain. “If we don’t invite him, it would be our fault. We’ve invited the entire crew, except for Vin. Would that be courteous?”

“But!” Nathan wanted to say something more, yet he realized he didn’t know how to justify his argument.

Andy continued explaining with a smile after the invitations. Vin attending or not would actually be advantageous for us. If he doesn’t come, he’ll be the one at fault again. Everyone will blame him, and Neal might even confront him. If he does come, the atmosphere might be awkward, but his presence can be used for publicity for “Buried”. Don’t forget, he and Paul are the biggest names in the cast. The news media will definitely pay more attention to him, resulting in bigger headlines the next day.”

In essence, whether Vin attended or not, Renly would benefit, while it would be Vin who would feel uncomfortable.

In fact, the idea of inviting the entire crew to watch “Buried” was Andy’s brainchild. On one hand, it was a trap for Vin. Renly had borne Vin’s punch earlier, and Andy had yet to retaliate. He had a vengeful personality, and no one could harm his artist.

On the other hand, it was a means of promoting “Buried”. This was the main purpose of agreeing to star in “Fast 5” initially, and now it was a golden opportunity that had to be capitalized on.

Nathan stared at Andy, flabbergasted. His thought process felt a little out of sync, and he glanced at Renly, who sat composedly beside him. After a long pause, he failed to muster any words, causing both Renly and Andy to break into light laughter.

Meanwhile, Vin took the invitation handed over by Christian, a card of deep blue-striped paper. The retro and elegant texture could be felt at his fingertips. The refined, handwritten black font read, “To Vin Diesel.” Opening the card revealed the details about attending the screening of “Buried” at the movie theater before midnight on Thursday. The signature read, “Yours, Renly Hall.”

Vin looked up at Christian, frozen in place. “Is this an April Fools’ joke?”

Christian nonchalantly replied, “This is real, and you must attend.”

“Damn!” An expletive burst out of Vin’s mouth as he stood there, his expression scarier than New York’s weather. “But…”

“No buts. You must attend,” Christian said with unwavering determination.