The Legendary Actor - Chapter 67

Andy narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Renly’s expression, trying to figure out Renly’s real thoughts, but obviously, this was not an easy task. The eyes hidden under the shadows of long eyelashes that made it impossible to peek further, the eyes were that far from the clear and transparent eyes of Eugene Sledge in “The Pacific”.

“So, you’ve never heard of it?” Andy, still smiling and slightly surprised, he took the initiative to say it.

“No, I got the script yesterday.” Renly chuckled twice and skillfully entered the subway entrance, but Andy was trapped outside, apparently he hadn’t taken the subway for many years, but Andy didn’t care, as he immediately went to the side to buy a subway ticket, and then came in smoothly without showing even the slightest impatience.

After entering the subway station, Andy continued what he was saying, “Now that you’ve got the script, you should realize that your name is making a lot of waves in Hollywood right now.”

The endorsement of Tom Hanks was not something that any new actor could get, not to mention that the frenzy caused by “The Pacific” on the Internet was there for all to see, and Paramount Pictures wanted Renly to audition, which was indeed a bold and risky move, but after all, it was only an audition, not a real role yet, but Paramount’s cleverness could be discerned.

“So, that’s a good thing.” Renly’s words were unassuming, with a softly rising coda that suggested a sense of doubt, as if a curious baby was asking “why” questions.

Andy’s mind was made up.

He was willing to visit Renly for the second time today because he was optimistic about Renly’s potential, and thought that this signing was a good deal and would likely produce the next superstar – of course, it would be extremely difficult, otherwise the number of superstar actors in the industry would not be so rare.

But for Renly, he is now also for sale, and there must be more than one agent willing to sign him. This means that it is now Andy’s turn to show what he can do. After the last visit, Andy once again felt the wisdom and calmness that was different from his age on Renly’s body.

The subway was still half an hour away from rush hour, but the subway was already crowded, and the rumbling sound of the subway echoed in his ears, creating a chaotic scene that was very different from that of Hollywood’s Vanity Fair. It was the first time in Hollywood that a conversation about future plans had taken place in such an environment.

Andy, however, was unaffected as he deliberated on his statement, “That’s really good. But I don’t think you should take on Thor.” Andy was the first to make his own judgment.

The end of Renly’s eyebrows rose lightly, and the corners of his mouth showed a playful look, “Oh?” This is a real departure from the norm. “I thought anyone would be ecstatic to be invited to an audition like this, even Brad Pitt, right?” Robert Downey Jr. has made a successful comeback with “Iron Man,” which is evident to all of Hollywood.

“But you’re not Brad Pitt.” Andy’s answer was so succinct that Renly couldn’t help but chuckle, “That’s just a ruse, for two real reasons. It’s quite possible that you’ll be strapped to the Rover, and a top company like Paramount will never be soft on new people, and you don’t want to be another Daniel Radcliffe or Emma Watson.”

Langley thought things were starting to get interesting.

Not only because of Andy’s precise positioning, but also because of the big picture in Andy’s simple words that really makes a difference.

“In the eyes of an agent, actors generally fall into two categories, those with a single path of development, or those with many possibilities.” Andy’s words brought a big smile to Renly’s face as he a raised voice in response, “I thought it was the profitable and the unprofitable.” The reaction made Andy wince slightly, but he had a smile on his face at all times, and the response was not quite as different as it could have been.

“Choosing a superhero, which can be a quick success and could very well be an overnight hit making instantly a new top-tier actor, but the path is a narrower, with fewer and fewer options and possibilities in the future.” Andy continued, his sincere smile as if he were exchanging industry secrets with Renly, even in the noisy environment of the subway, he still had a persuasive power, “It’s true that many new actors choose superhero movies as the fastest way to get to the top, but when they make that decision, the limits of their altitude have already been decided.”

Andy’s sincerity really brightened Renly’s day.

Of course, Renly knows that the top agents in the industry understand this, and there are countless cases of Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, and now Robert Downey, Jr., but why don’t the agents stop the newcomers from making such a choice? Because it is not necessary.

It’s a world of new people, and every day there are millions of new people emerging, and if you miss the star of tomorrow, then there is the next potential legend. As long as agents focus on the short-term interests, this is enough – they’re not running a long-term philanthropic operation, actors are just a means to an end.

Look at how fast Johnny Depp’s fees have skyrocketed since he rose to prominence with “Pirates of the Caribbean” – it’s a hard fact, it’s an undeniable success, and no one cares how bad his career curve has been since then.

The most classic case is Hayden Christensen, who started his career with the Star Wars prequels, but then went downhill and has been gradually forgotten in recent years. The same goes for the Harry Potter actors that Andy just cited.

All agents understand this, and Andy is no exception, but he showed his sincerity by voluntarily giving up such short-term plans in front of Renly, regardless of the reason.

“So, what do you think I should do?” Still, Renly showed no obvious inclination to ask the question.

Andy, however, knew it was not to be taken lightly, and said, “I think you should work on two independent films, preferably with a Golden Globe nomination, before seeking commercial opportunities. You can’t rush any of this, two years if it’s quick, four years if it’s slow, we have a plan to select the work, bring out your strengths, and after you’ve accumulated enough acclaim, you can explore different possibilities.”

The difference between a commercial actor and an artistic actor, as any agent knows, is that it is never easy to achieve crossover success, and there is only one Tom Hanks. But all agents try to explore the different possibilities, commercial films to earn profits, thus gaining more exposure for the actor and more acting opportunities; artistic films to earn fame, seek accolades and expand future possibilities.

Except for actors like Sean Penn and Catherine Keener who are determined to make their mark in independent art cinema. Otherwise, most actors are looking for a balance between business and art, but the reality is that striking that balance is the ultimate mystery that every actor and every agent is working tirelessly to find.

Andy’s definition of Renly shows that he believes Renly is still an artistic actor, and that his solid acting skills and deft camera sense are enough for Renly to make it big in independent films; at the same time, his good looks and elegance make Renly commercially viable, which may or may not work, but it’s something to try in the future.

“So, Brad Pitt?” It’s interesting that Hollywood now defines him as “Brad Pitt”, isn’t it?

Andy didn’t answer right away, but thought hard about it and gave a different answer, “Edward Norton.”

This made Renly’s eyes light up, which is an incredibly intriguing analogy, and far from Hollywood’s current view, “If I miss “Thor”, I won’t have as many options in the future.”

“But you wouldn’t care, would you?” In response to Renly’s prodding, Andy’s retort succeeded in making both men smile, knowing what they were doing.

Renly asked again, “I never knew that there was a difference between commercial movies.” In fact, in the eyes of most agents, commercial movies are all the same: popcorn works, sacrificing word of mouth to attract box office. But as an actor, Renly knows that even the same vases are different in different commercial movies.

“Of course there is.” Andy didn’t look flustered at all and said in a deep voice, “”Batman: The Dark Knight” and “Iron Man 2” are different; “Inception” and “Twilight” are also different.”

They hoped the conversation they just had wasn’t overheard, or else this would be their doom.

The craziness of “Twilight” fans is absolutely incomparable to others, and even though critics have cursed the series, the fervor of the fans still pushes the box office to new heights; in addition, the fans of DC and Marvel are also unbeatable in their support of their own movies.

“So, you’re a DC fan, then?” Renly asked. Andy, however, lifted his short, thick index finger to his lips, made a “shh” gesture, and then said with an earnest face, “I’m a fan of movies.”