Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 75: An Arrogant Goal

Renly divides the protagonist Paul Conroy in "Buried" into two levels of performance.

The first part is the expression of emotions. Fear when frightened, panic when panicked, despair when in despair—this is typical of method acting. Furthermore, even within the same emotion of fear, the presentation varies at different stages. When Paul first discovers being buried alive, when he fails to get help with his phone, when he realizes death is imminent... These delicate and intricate nuances are a rigorous test of his basic skills.

True method acting emphasizes control. From muscles to the corners of the mouth to the eyes, the entire person is a whole. Every change in detail conveys different emotions. Perhaps the audience cannot describe it in words at first, but when combined with the character and the plot, the empathetic emotions will be accurately expressed, making watching the performance enjoyable.

Alfred Hitchcock once stated that all his works required method acting, rejecting the use of traditional acting techniques. The reason is simple: for genres like horror, thriller, and comedy, emotional accuracy is paramount.

Although this is a familiar field for Renly, it is not simple. In "Buried," Paul's emotions fluctuate in chaos. The turmoil in the confined space becomes more intense and oppressive as time passes, like a powder keg being compressed continuously. Performing under such circumstances is no easy task.

Moreover, while Renly has lived two lifetimes, most of his experience with acting has been theoretical. His lack of practical experience is evident.

The second part involves character exploration, testing the actor's understanding of the character and the script. This goes beyond the character itself to include their relationship with society, the background of the story's creation, and the source of its thematic core. This requires actors to move beyond mere technical performance and truly understand the character's image, the era's background, and the social significance, then infuse their performance with their understanding.

In "Buried," the Iraq War serves as a major backdrop, while the financial crisis resulting from the recent housing bubble burst in the United States lurks in the background. Paul's decision to accept the job from an Iraqi contractor is not only related to him but also to society.

For example, when Paul contacts the FBI, they ask him not to inform the media. Ostensibly, it's to avoid malicious speculation from diminishing Paul's chances of survival. However, in reality, it's because of the volatile situation in Iraq. American civilians are dying there, and the U.S. government is being criticized domestically due to the Iraq situation. The dire situation of the financial crisis exacerbates public discontent. At this moment, the last thing they need is news of "another civilian death."

Therefore, the attitude of the FBI, Paul's anger, urgency, and helplessness all vary in presentation. As Renly said, whether Paul is a civilian or wealthy, male or female, in the United States or Iraq, all lead to different results. Paul himself is aware of this, and his reactions naturally differ. The details, methods, and content of his performance will all deviate accordingly.

If traditional acting emphasizes control, method acting emphasizes letting go, truly immersing oneself in the character, blurring the boundaries between oneself and the character, reality and fiction, and empathizing and expressing oneself. For the audience, this closer connection with the character brings about a more profound impact.

This is a new field for Renly. In his previous life, he spent ten years bedridden, and before that, his life was mundane and routine. His experiences were derived solely from movie stories. But everyone knows movies are always somewhat exaggerated or dramatized, differing from reality.

Therefore, in terms of experience, Renly is essentially only "twenty years old." If he attempts method acting, he must start from scratch with each performance.

Now, Renly is attempting to merge the two acting styles, exploring a new way of acting, and giving the character a fresh sense. If anyone knew Renly's thoughts, they would either curse him as a madman or disdain his overestimation of his abilities.

Setting aside Renly's age, "Buried" is only his second work, his first film. Even traditional acting is far from perfected, yet he wants to combine two acting styles. It's simply unbelievable. Even seasoned veterans like Meryl Streep and Daniel Day-Lewis wouldn't dare claim they could do it, let alone Renly.

However, Renly has no such worries. Since he has already been reborn once, since he has decided to continuously challenge the limits of acting, since he has chosen this path, why not go crazy? Moreover, innovation requires thinking outside the box, boldly imagining. If one simply follows the methods of predecessors, they will never forge their own path, right?

In his second life, Renly isn't here to be conservative.

For Renly, traditional acting skills are undoubtedly advantageous, like the foundation of a towering building—solid, stable, precise. However, overall, traditional acting imposes too much restraint, lacking vitality, lacking spirit. Eddie Redmayne is a typical example. His acting is not bad, but his approach is too obvious, his framework too apparent.

On the other hand, method acting is too casual. Not only is it prone to overexertion, but misunderstandings can lead to the collapse of the entire character. But from another perspective, actors, without constraints, can interpret according to their style, their understanding. That kind of borderline madness brings an uncertain mystery to the character. Leonardo DiCaprio is a representative of this. While his performances often verge on overacting, they vividly captivate the audience.

In simple terms, traditional acting performances are pre-rehearsed. Actors know what to expect and deliver the right performance at the right time, in the right way. The solid foundation turns acting into a joy, constantly honing one's skills, enough to move any audience.

However, method acting performances are unpredictable. Once actors immerse themselves in the role, they may lose control. The result might be exaggerated or lacking. But the fusion of reality and fiction brings a soul-stirring viewing experience.

Thus, merging the two acting styles, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses, and opening up a new way of acting—that is Renly's goal.

Rodrigo is a director, and although his understanding of acting is not as profound, he knows that what Renly proposed—displaying both levels—is not an easy task. More accurately, it's incredibly difficult. Even top actors known for their acting skills wouldn't dare boast such an ability. But if successful, not only will the depth and breadth of the character change, but the entire work of "Buried" will undergo a transformation.

Having lofty goals is a good thing, but only if one remains grounded. Aimlessly pursuing high aspirations only leads to failure.

Rodrigo looked at Renly, confident and composed. His expression wavered for a moment, then he suddenly stood up. "Give me a minute." Without waiting for a response, he dashed away, disappearing into the crowd. In a short while, he reappeared, bursting back with excitement, sitting down again in front of Renly. "Let's do it."

He handed Renly a small notebook, but before Renly could take it, Rodrigo snatched it back. "Wait." He began flipping through the notebook, pondering deeply. After hesitating twice, he nodded to himself, then presented the notebook to Renly.

"Read through the script, and then let's give it a try."

The script laid out in front of Renly was none other than "Buried."

Taking the script, Renly smiled. "So, are we finally getting to the audition?" His calm demeanor made Rodrigo even more curious and excited.

In the formal audition, casting directors test actors in various ways. It could be a simple chat, a prepared performance, or discussing a specific topic. However, the most common method is to perform a scene from the script on the spot, testing the actor's ability to react on the spot, read the script, and deliver lines.

That's exactly what Rodrigo was doing now.

He watched Renly's movements intently, feeling a bit nervous, excited, curious, and thrilled. Whatever Renly had up his sleeve, for Rodrigo, a live performance was the best way to test his abilities and see what he could bring to the table.

Renly didn't rush to start reading the lines immediately. Instead, he briefly scanned both pages of the script to understand the context. Then, he selected a section of the scene and read through it carefully. On the third reading, he whispered all the lines to himself. The whole process was swift but not hurried, maintaining a steady pace and showing professionalism immediately.

Suddenly, Rodrigo remembered what Renly had mentioned earlier, and he felt relieved that he hadn't watched "The Pacific," so he had no preconceived impressions. Was that really the case?