Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 68: Genius or a Madman?

While talking, the subway arrived at the station.

Renly and Andy walked out of the subway station together. This time, Andy didn't continue to follow Renly forward but stopped by the side of the road.

Renly took two more steps forward before realizing Andy had fallen behind. He turned around, and Andy's kindly smiling face came into view. "So, what do you think? Let me plan your future movie journey for you." After the lengthy discussion just now, after two encounters, Andy expressed his intentions clearly and accurately for the first time. "I am a top-tier agent. I have resources beyond ordinary people's reach, professional knowledge, and a blueprint for planning. Give me three years, and I guarantee you can become a true top-tier star. Do you know what I mean by 'star'?"

Confident, composed, and even with a touch of humor, Andy displayed all the charm a agent possesses.

As they stood facing each other at the subway station exit, several African Americans passed by. They were probably on their way to work, observing Renly and Andy, one impeccably dressed in a suit and the other with a street style look. It was a pairing of someone who appeared to be a Wall Street elite and someone who seemed to be a hip-hop enthusiast passionate about graffiti art. Such a normal yet abnormal combination drew almost everyone's attention involuntarily.

Especially Andy's confident demeanor attracted a lot of attention - it was like watching someone crazy.

Renly couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you believe it? They're probably looking for cameras around here now." In New York, street filming for movies was a common occurrence.

Andy spread his hands, looking calm and unaffected by Renly's joke, his attention fully focused on Renly's response.

Renly knew Andy's words were very convincing. It not only demonstrated Andy's business acumen, negotiation skills, and linguistic ability, but also showed his sincerity. Clearly, he had done his homework in advance, specifically researching Renly's recent activities and preferences.

Just from these two aspects, Andy had already stood out among all the agents Renly had contacted so far. Coupled with the background of the Innovative Artists Agency, Renly had no reason to refuse Andy.

If it were someone else, they probably would have agreed immediately, but Renly was not like everyone else.

Having lived two lives, Renly knew very well that talk during negotiations could be flowery, but actual actions could be vastly different. Hollywood was an immensely realistic circle where whoever held the profit could control the discourse. Once they were no longer useful, they could be easily discarded. The realities depicted in movies like "Sunset Boulevard" and "The Day of the Locust" only scratched the surface of Hollywood's harshness.

For most people, agents could be replaced at any time. They could sign with an agent first, skyrocket to fame, and then ditch the agent without any problem. But Renly didn't want that. He had clear goals and a clear idea of the projects he wanted to choose. So, he hoped to find a suitable partner and walk the path together.

He could be called idealistic, cautious, or even overestimating his capabilities. However, Renly wanted to test it again.

"I'm a very picky person," Renly said, smiling slightly. "Or to be more precise, I'm a very troublesome person."

"Oh? How so?" Andy's interest was piqued, asking eagerly.

Renly shrugged. "For example, I don't like signing package deals and selling myself to Marvel in one go," he said, making Andy laugh outright. "And also, I want to challenge some unconventional roles, which may break the mold." This was also the biggest difference between Renly and actors like Tom Hanks and Brad Pitt.

In Hollywood, to reach the pinnacle, one had to become a finely packaged "product." What one could do and what one couldn't do, what independent films one could take and what commercial films one couldn't take, were all carefully planned.

"Also, occasionally I want to enjoy some of my own free time." Renly raised the skateboard in his hand, implying everything was understood without saying a word.

Things were getting more and more interesting, Andy thought.

For a newcomer like Renly, there were countless bricks thrown in Hollywood. Just one "The Pacific" could only illustrate so much. Even actors like David Schwimmer, who had proven himself in "Friends," found it difficult to prove himself and expand his career afterward.

In other words, Renly didn't have many chips, yet he was still so picky. Andy had personally visited him twice, showing enough sincerity, yet Renly continued to be critical. If it were any other agent, they would have probably flipped the table and walked away by now.

So, was Renly foolishly self-absorbed, or was he confidently capable? Was he arrogant, or was it just his strength? Was he seeking fame, or was he firm in his beliefs?

From a positive perspective, such people often knew what they wanted, had clear goals, and were completely focused. They could go further on the path of exploration given the opportunity to shine. From a negative perspective, such people were either too foolish, easily swallowed by Hollywood's tide, or too stubborn and inflexible, easily broken.

What kind of person was Renly?

Andy was also making judgments, but his expression didn't reveal his thoughts at all. He just smiled and said, "Sometimes, confidence is a good thing. But too much confidence becomes arrogance. The line between the two is thinner than most people imagine."

A jest didn't anger Renly; instead, he also smiled, a playful gleam in his eyes. "I thought every actor demanded narcissism, even had to be a bit arrogant. Otherwise, living under the spotlight every day, receiving praise, criticism, cheers, jeers, and even seeing your own face everywhere in life, they'd go crazy long ago."

Rather than refute, he accepted, nodding affirmatively. "So, most actors are always conceited, especially those from the British academies." This sarcastic remark was sharp indeed.

Renly politely closed his mouth, accepting the evaluation, then lifted the skateboard in his hand, pointing in the direction behind him. "I'm going to be late for my morning competition. So, until next time," Renly said, dropping the skateboard to the ground and effortlessly skating away into the sunlight, his slender figure quickly swallowed by the gaze of onlookers.

Andy remained in place, watching Renly leave with careful attention.

Today he didn't directly achieve his goals, but Andy gained a lot. He understood Renly a little better now. Frankly, among contemporary actors, he couldn't find a suitable reference point. Edward Norton was somewhat similar, but Edward lacked some of the spirited nonconformity and arrogance.

This Renly seemed more like... Marlon Brando, relying on his talent, disdainful of others, unrestrained and arrogant. However, Marlon's flamboyance was external, shining brightly, making it hard to look directly at him. But Renly was restrained, needing to be approached slowly to uncover. That kind of pride inherent in his bones mixed with his demeanor, giving birth to an indescribable charm.

Andy wasn't disappointed; instead, he became even more curious. Was Renly a genius or a fool?

Often, geniuses considered themselves above others, even arrogant, because they could see what ordinary people couldn't. They stood at heights unreachable by ordinary people, persisting in truths that would only be discovered decades later. So, this meant they were inevitably out of sync with society.

But the line between genius and mediocrity was thin. For mediocrities, their arrogant illusions became their downfall. The inability to match skill with confidence, horizon with depth, doomed them from the start.

If they were geniuses, their strength would always crush their opponents, even if they were rejected, envied, hated, or suppressed, their brilliance couldn't be extinguished. But if they were mediocrities, they would die faster under the chaotic currents of real life, especially in Hollywood's star-studded circles—

As Renly said, every Hollywood practitioner was like this, more or less narcissistic or even arrogant. The mutual exclusion and competition between them made this arena of fame and fortune even sharper and bloodier.

So, was Renly's demeanor due to genuine confidence from his strength or foolish arrogance from his lofty aspirations?

Andy had initially prepared to leave, but after a moment of hesitation, he followed. He stopped his steps outside the skateboard park, watching Renly's every move.

At this moment, Renly was warming up beside the park, fully focused. All the noise around him seemed to disappear, leaving only the sport of skateboarding. His focused expression made it feel like a world championship was about to begin—but it was just a neighborhood skateboarding competition.

For many, they might scoff, "It's just a small neighborhood competition, why take it so seriously?" They would find Renly's behavior absurd, even laughable. But that kind of wholehearted dedication was the key to success—something most people lacked. So, those who stood at the peak were always a small minority.

As Renly prepared to take the stage, Andy turned and left. He knew Renly needed some time to consider, and he needed some time to ponder. Setting aside his own stance, Andy genuinely looked forward to Renly's journey in Hollywood, eager to see whether Renly would be swallowed by the masses or shine at the pinnacle of the world.

Was he a genius or a madman, after all?

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AN - The synopsis written by the author was "Is he a genius in the spotlight or a madman behind the scenes?" Just a single line...