86 Chapter 86: Entourage

The accent class at Paramount Studios began on a Saturday afternoon. Martin arrived early and entered a room of less than 30 square meters, furnished with neatly arranged desks equipped with headsets.

Martin chose a random table and took a seat, glancing around to see that most attendees were in their twenties.

"Hi there, I'm Mene," said an older African-American man sitting next to Martin, his skin showing signs of bleaching. He had a thick accent. "You look familiar. What kind of roles have you played?" Martin shook his head and replied, "Mostly background roles."

"Ah, cool," Mene responded, losing interest in conversation and turning his attention to the door, where two women had just entered.

One of the women was blonde, of average height but with a well-proportioned figure featuring perky breasts and a curvy behind. The other had long brown-black hair, was tall with long legs, and had fair, almost snow-white skin.

In the entertainment industry, encounters with individuals of exceptional looks or unique appearances were quite common.

Mene waved at the two women and called out, "Ladies, come sit over here."

However, the two women bypassed him and chose to sit on the empty seats next to Martin.

The blonde woman, Emily, was surprised to see Martin and remarked, "I didn't expect to run into you here."

Martin nodded and greeted her, "Good afternoon."

The brown-haired woman inquired, "Who's he?"

Emily introduced, "This is Martin. Martin, meet Jessica."

Jessica, sitting diagonally behind Martin, openly asked, "Hey handsome, can I have your phone number? I'm Jessica Stojadinovich, a model and actress."

Martin, who seemed familiar to her, didn't decline and shared his phone number. He introduced himself, saying, "I'm Martin Davis, an actor."

Emily also noted down Martin's number and teased him, "Neighbor, do you still remember my name?"

"Of course," Martin replied, thinking that Antonio hadn't been lying – there were indeed actors living in the apartment.

The class commenced with Professor Griffin as the lecturer. Before beginning, he asked if anyone had faced challenges with accents.

Mene was eager to share, "I lost a significant role due to my accent. I could have been the next Will Smith."

Laughter filled the room, but it abruptly ceased when Mene used humor based on race, exclaiming, "Are you all laughing at a black man's failure?" The room fell into an awkward silence.

Quickly refocusing, Professor Griffin delved into the Hollywood accent, describing it as a fictional blend of British accent tones and the standard American accent. Proficiency in this accent could enhance one's competitiveness in the industry.

All attendees, including Martin, listened attentively. This was no casual educational experience; each class came with a hefty $400 price tag.

The class concluded promptly as the hour ended, with Professor Griffin wasting no time in dismissing everyone.

Martin gathered his materials, including a tape recorder, placed them in his bag, and left the room.

As he exited, Jessica caught up to him, asking, "Why didn't you wait for us?"

Emily joined them outside.

Martin explained, "I had some other things to attend to, so I had to leave in a hurry."

Emily, thanking him once more, said, "Thanks again for what happened that morning."

Jessica added, "I was scared, Jesse. Have you sorted things out? I never want to see that ugly guy again."

Jessica continued, "I paid off the money I owed him, so he shouldn't bother us anymore." She then turned to Emily, "I'm out of money. Can I move back in with you?"

They had previously been roommates, and Emily couldn't refuse her, saying, "It's your call."

Upon reaching the parking lot, Jessica turned to Martin, suggesting, "Handsome, we'll be neighbors from now on. How about we grab a drink?"

Martin regretfully declined, stating, "I'm sorry, but I have other commitments. I need to head to Burbank."

Without waiting for further responses, Martin hopped into his car, waved farewell through the window, and swiftly drove out of the parking lot, heading to Warner Studios to obtain the new character script.

As he had anticipated, the project was officially titled "Entourage" and was set to air on HBO the following summer. The first season was slated for eight episodes, with each episode not exceeding 30 minutes.

Martin's expectations were spot on – the series featured numerous large-scale shots.

Meanwhile, Jessica got into Emily's car, picked up her luggage from her temporary residence, grabbed a copy of "Hollywood Report" from a street vendor, and settled into the car.

As they drove, Emily inquired, "Did you understand the class?"

Jessica, somewhat disdainful, responded, "Don't underestimate me, Aussie. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm clueless. I dropped out of Delaware College of Art and Design, while you attended a rural ballet school."

She picked up the newspaper and shook it, concluding, "People in the industry love this. I'd advise you to read more and stay up to date with industry trends."

Emily shook her head and expressed her skepticism, "Reading this won't help. When Australians come to Los Angeles, there are hardly any decent roles available. Even if you wanted someone to hand you a role on a silver platter, it wouldn't happen."

Jessica retorted with a hint of humor, "If simply sleeping around could make you a star, I'd be this year's Oscar winner. Hepburn, Taylor, Monroe, Kelly, Big Mouth, Paltrow – they've all had their share of Hollywood encounters, haven't they?"

Emily sighed in helplessness, "The competition in Los Angeles is fierce. Almost everyone here is an actor or a model."

Jessica, after scanning the newspaper, handed it to Emily, saying, "Take a look! Do you recognize this guy? Isn't this Martin Davis?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Emily quickly pushed her away. "If you're so eager to die, take off your pants and jump out of the car. Just don't involve me."

Jessica pointed at a picture in the newspaper and said, "Martin Davis, the lead actor in the theater film 'Zombie Stripper,' just released in North America. It's grossed $6.74 million at the North American box office!" She read carefully, "Martin Davis is the star!"

Emily replied, "It's not unusual for lead actors to earn $100 million in Hollywood."

Jessica, full of youthful ideas, emphasized, "We know those A-listers, but he doesn't know us. Martin Davis is our neighbor."

Emily couldn't refute Jessica's point, considering their age gap, and she agreed, "You've got to change your mindset, you're a few years younger than me. Brain nutrition is key here! The addresses of those directors and producers aren't exactly secrets. If you go flash them, you'll be in handcuffs within minutes."

Emily retorted, "Have you tried that, you crazy bitch?"

Jessica neither admitted nor denied it, simply stating, "The first step is always the hardest. If he succeeds in one film, he's bound to get another important role soon. Then, with a little assistance from us, we'll be one step closer. Do you think we can find a better opportunity in the short term?"

Emily considered for a moment and responded, "We can't just go flashing our neighbors. It's not worth it to send them running."

"We'll need a plan," Jessica declared, taking out a pen and notepad. She asked, "What should we call this plan? Seduce the male neighbor? Make the male neighbor fall for me? How to conquer the male neighbor?"

Emily pondered, "We need him to take the initiative. That way, we'll have the upper hand."

Jessica tore off a piece of paper from the notepad and tossed it on the ground, urging, "Think fast! Do you have any great ideas?"

Emily suggested, "Let's go to the supermarket first."

...

At Warner Studios, Martin acquired a new character script from the crew. The independent director's role remained unchanged, and the plot had only minor alterations. It was a project with numerous large-scale scenes.

Martin's primary concern was that the male protagonist didn't engage in any inappropriate behavior with the director. Instead, their interactions were confined to conversations.

The series was set to begin shooting soon, with Martin joining the cast the following week. Portraying the role of an eccentric independent director was proving to be a bit challenging.

After dinner, Martin headed back to his apartment. Climbing the stairs to the second floor and turning into the corridor, he encountered Emily, dressed in low-waisted jeans, exiting her apartment with a bag in one hand and car keys in the other.

Upon seeing Martin, she greeted him with a smile, "Martin, just got back?"

Martin nodded and casually inquired, "Heading out?"

"Running a quick errand," replied Emily as they passed each other. Her fingers purposely loosened, causing the car keys to fall to the ground.

Feigning surprise, she exclaimed, "Oops! My keys!"

Martin turned around, and Emily quickly bent down to retrieve the keys. Her low-rise jeans sat even lower, barely covering half.

In that moment, Martin glimpsed a black high-slit T-back that dipped into the Great Rift Valley.

Without reacting, Martin turned back, opened his apartment door, entered, and locked it behind him. He even made sure the baseball bat was within reach.

Men must be cautious when venturing outside!

It was a lesson learned through countless experiences and hardships.

Inside his apartment, Martin opened the refrigerator, grabbed a glass of ice water, and drank it down.

"What's her game?" His appearance was undeniably attractive, but he wasn't interested in women.

Martin recalled Kelly and Louise and the effort it had taken to establish a genuine connection with them.

After a moment's contemplation, he called Kelly and Louise separately, then opened his laptop to initiate a video chat with them.

Nothing extraordinary was discussed – Martin shared details about his role in "Entourage," and Louise concurred with Thomas' advice. Joining the Screen Actors Guild was a crucial step toward landing important roles.