Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 82: Renly the Butterfly

"Sorry, Ryan."

After careful consideration and audition conversations, Rodrigo ultimately decided to give the role of Paul to Renly, bypassing Ryan.

Rodrigo was well aware that this was a risky move. Giving up on his initial choice, Ryan, who possessed significant social advantages, would undoubtedly put the film "Buried" in an awkward position. However, Rodrigo was clear about his goal: to create a classic. He didn't want to sacrifice the quality of the film itself for the sake of commercial prospects.

Renly's performance successfully impressed and convinced him, even bringing unexpected inspiration. He had no reason to refuse.

It was a dilemma, but Rodrigo had no regrets. For independent films, quality always came first, not star power or commercial value.

The words were finally spoken, with little hesitation. Rodrigo had expected it to be difficult, but after saying it, he felt a weight lift off his chest. He could clearly hear the sound of a burden being lifted, which made him even more determined. "Thank you very much for coming all the way to New York and providing such valuable insights. However, the film has decided to sign with another actor."

Ryan's expression visibly froze. The stiff smile on his lips was almost unsustainable, and he awkwardly chuckled twice. "What do you mean? What do you mean by 'decided to sign with another actor'?"

Rodrigo thought carefully and decided to tell the truth. "After our conversation and getting to know each other, I believe there's a more suitable candidate for the role of Paul Conroy."

Ryan's smile remained on his lips, but it was almost impossible to maintain. His face gradually darkened, feeling embarrassed. Rodrigo's words felt like a slap to his face, burning hot and painful.

Rodrigo's words hesitated slightly, but he continued, "It's a great honor for me that you came all the way to New York. I still feel somewhat unreal. But work is work. 'Buried' will face many challenges in production, and the complexity and depth of the character Paul exceed expectations. You are an excellent actor, no, a great actor — otherwise, I wouldn't have personally invited you. However, you're not the most suitable actor for Paul."

Ryan felt a sharp pain in his cheeks. Just now, he was giving suggestions and envisioning the script and structure of "Buried," hoping to make a mark in the film. Now, he found himself stripped bare, exposed, and humiliated. The sense of shame started from the soles of his feet and burned all the way to his head.

"Sorry," Rodrigo expressed his apology again, his sincerity evident, purely professional and without any personal factors involved.

It was precisely this professionalism that humiliated him deeply and left him unable to get angry.

He, Ryan Reynolds, had been in the industry for nearly ten years, and last year, he rose to prominence with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "The Proposal." Yet, he was rejected by an independent film with a budget of less than three million dollars? He even flew from Los Angeles to New York in person just to express his importance, only to be rejected? Worse still, it was after the invitation and audition that he was rejected? Because of professional reasons?

Ryan gritted his teeth, still resisting the urge to clench his fists. The muscles under his suit trembled slightly, maintaining his almost distorted smile. "As you said, work is work. I understand."

"To be honest, I still look forward to working with you and hope to have the opportunity in the next project," Rodrigo said sincerely.

"Of course. Of course," Ryan nodded repeatedly, pausing for a moment. "Wait a minute, did you just say I'm not the most suitable actor for Paul?" Ryan was now somewhat dazed, all his thoughts focused on being rejected, forgetting to ask who the more suitable actor was.

Rodrigo hesitated. Ryan was clearly still upset, just being rejected. Moreover, if he told Ryan that Renly was ultimately chosen, fresh from the audition, he couldn't predict whether Ryan's anger would affect the filming of "Buried."

"Haha," Rodrigo forced a laugh, masking his emotions. "We're just an independent film, how could we attract so many famous actors? Honestly, missing out on you, I still feel the burn in my stomach."

The praise didn't soothe Ryan's feelings. He had lost, no matter how much he tried to gloss over it. "Scarlett," Rodrigo's peripheral vision caught Scarlett's figure. She seemed like a savior to him and quickly called out, "Sorry for keeping you waiting."

Scarlett was surrounded by several young people, excitedly talking about something, holding a notebook just signed. She smiled at them and then walked over, placing her hands on Ryan's shoulders. She noticed Ryan's tense shoulders, but didn't mention it, casually saying, "Are you guys done with work? Shall we go see the exhibition now?" She leaned in closer to Ryan's ear, emphasizing, "Remember? We have an exhibition to see today."

This sentence finally brought some rationality back to Ryan. "Of course, I haven't forgotten," Ryan stood up and put his arm around Scarlett's waist. "Rodrigo, it was a pleasant conversation today. I hope we can keep in touch in the future."

A simple sentence, but Scarlett could sense the undertone — did "Buried" fall through? Otherwise, why not 'continue' to keep in touch, but 'can' keep in touch?

The three exchanged polite farewells, and then Ryan left the lobby with Scarlett. Ryan regained his usual demeanor, even greeted other people in the lobby. Despite the circumstances, he didn't forget about fan service.

Entering the courtyard, Ryan saw the actor he didn't know the name of standing at the lobby door. He had a faint smile on his face, looking like a breath of fresh air, but Ryan didn't like him. He just wanted to punch that face hard.

"Hey, is the audition over?" The other party greeted actively, but Ryan didn't want to respond, just nodded with a fake smile, not saying a word. The other person seemed not to mind too much, tilting his head lightly to indicate understanding.

Suddenly, an incredible thought flashed through Ryan's mind: Could it be that the actor Rodrigo finally chose was this guy in front of him?

As soon as the thought came up, Ryan immediately dismissed it. "No, no, it's absolutely impossible." Then Ryan chuckled, feeling a bit paranoid. How could it be this annoying guy in front of him? He seemed like a brainless pretty face, just a shell with nothing inside. It was very likely that he was just one of the millions of ordinary people in New York who wanted to be actors, staying here because of their slim hopes. That was the most reasonable explanation.

Ryan sighed and tugged at the corner of his mouth. It seemed he had been too agitated today, even starting to have irrational thoughts. He needed to calm down.

Thinking of this, Ryan felt a bit sympathetic towards the guy in front of him, this unknown rookie. It reminded him of when he was just starting out in his acting career, wandering aimlessly, just hoping for a chance to perform, even if it was just an audition. But reality often hurt.

So, Ryan nodded slightly at the guy, expressing his sympathy.

Scarlett's gaze fell on Renly, and her eyes gradually became deeper. Somehow, she felt certain that this guy got the role, without any reason, just a gut feeling.

Scarlett found the situation becoming interesting. Although Ryan didn't have absolute strength, he had made a name for himself, and flying from Los Angeles to New York personally showed enough sincerity. There was hardly a reason for rejection. Yet, the result was unexpected. So, what did this guy in front of her do?

Scarlett's gaze remained on the guy, suddenly feeling curious about what the final product of "Buried" would look like.

Renly stood still, politely smiling at Ryan and Scarlett, watching them leave the youth hostel.

When the two reached the door, they suddenly stopped, passionately embracing and kissing each other. For those who understood the situation, it would be bewildering; why were they suddenly kissing? But for those who didn't know, seeing Ryan and Scarlett, who had just come out of the youth hostel, embracing and kissing was self-explanatory.

Indeed, two paparazzi appeared across the street, quickly pressing the shutter button to capture the moment. Renly remembered Scarlett's joke earlier, "Don't you know how to stage a photo?"

Withdrawing his gaze, Renly saw Rodrigo standing at the lobby door. He raised his voice, "Renly, can we continue the conversation we didn't finish earlier?"

"Of course."