Off the original script

Upon hearing Gavin's first formal question, Renly couldn't help but smile, but he didn't directly refute. Instead, he began to contemplate seriously, "This is a philosophical question, one I'm still exploring. Who am I? Where should I go?"

Gavin soon realized that his way of questioning was flawed. Renly's words made him chuckle in spite of himself. Looking at the narrow gleam in Renly's eyes, Gavin felt sweat starting to form on his back again. "I mean, right now, everyone's understanding of you is quite limited. Whether it's SAG or the Internet, there's scant information about you. I think we should at least gather some basic information."

"Basic information?" The intonation of Renly's voice gently rose, as he struggled to grasp the meaning of the question.

Gavin further explained, "Currently, on the internet, apart from your height, weight, and birthdate, everything else is a blank slate."

Renly's expression lit up with lively interest. "I thought that would be sufficient. What special information does an actor need, anyway? I believed our works were the best business cards."

Gavin found himself momentarily stunned, a fleeting awkwardness flickering across his expression. He was a journalist from Us Weekly, accustomed to conducting interviews in a gossipy manner. Probing was their style. Now, Renly unexpectedly retorted in such an upright manner, catching Gavin a bit off guard. Fortunately, he was well-prepared beforehand, and he quickly regained his composure.

"That's exactly what I mean. About your works, we currently have no information whatsoever, including your past experiences. Of course, there's more detailed information, such as, we all know you're British, but where specifically is your hometown? Does your heritage come from different ethnicities? Your childhood experiences, as well as those after growing up. And, your eye color, the color of your irises, and so on."

Listening to Gavin's questions, Renly couldn't help but laugh, finding them somewhat absurd and humorous. "Are you saying there are actually people concerned about these details? I thought the United States was an immigrant country, and Hollywood embraces actors from all over the world. No one would care about these trivial matters. Besides, I'm an actor, not a football player."

Gavin could sense the mockery in Renly's words, but he didn't panic. "Don't you know? In recent times, you've truly created quite a few miracles. Discussions about you on Yahoo's community have never ceased. However, so far, information about you is truly scarce. All the questions I just mentioned are the topics people are discussing."

Renly pursed his lips, slightly nodded, but had no intention of answering. In his view, those intricate minutiae were utterly unimportant. He had no intentions of becoming a model.

After Gavin finished his lengthy discourse, the room suddenly fell into silence, causing Gavin to become even more nervous. Subconsciously, he wiped the sweat from his hands, glanced down at the list of questions he had prepared, and asked, "So, if you were to participate in an audition, how would you introduce yourself?"

"Good morning, my name is Renly Hall, twenty years old this year. Today, I'll be auditioning for the role of Paul Conroy. I've prepared a performance piece. Are we ready to begin?"

Having listened to Renly's response, Gavin found himself momentarily choked up, struggling to find words. Renly's self-introduction was flawless, leaving him unsure of how to proceed. Then, Gavin noticed the hint of a smile at the corner of Renly's mouth, and he chuckled as well. Evidently, if they were to continue with the original interview approach, they would waste the entire time allotted for the interview today.

After a moment's thought, Gavin decided to simply place the question list back on the table, abandoning his original plan. "From "The Pacific" to "Buried", your performances have garnered much praise. Many speculate that you come from a classical school of acting. Is that true?"

At last, the interview posed a substantial question. "Yes, I graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and received a complete two-year formal education there," Renly responded, neither modestly deflecting Gavin's praise nor hesitating. He answered with calm confidence, "During my time at the academy, I interned in London's West End for about a year. After graduating, I came to New York and explored off-Broadway for a while until I got the opportunity to perform in "The Pacific", So yes, I am indeed from a traditional classical school."

"West End in London? Off-Broadway in New York? It's not common for young people like you to truly immerse themselves in stage performances," Gavin remarked, somewhat surprised.

It was widely known that most British actors continually honed their skills in stage plays, yet many young actors who came to Hollywood were often captivated by the glamour and applause of the limelight. Renly's choice of New York over Los Angeles was intriguing in itself.

"At the beginning, it was an assignment from the academy. But standing on stage and immersing oneself in a performance, that feeling is truly unique. Before you know it, you merge with the character and genuinely experience the allure of acting," Renly's face was aglow with keen enthusiasm. When he talked about acting, his eyes sparkled with excitement. "After completing the filming of "The Pacific", I returned to New York and once again threw myself into off-Broadway performances, leading a fulfilling life."

"From "The Pacific" to "Buried", there's been a gap of several years. Were you participating in off-Broadway performances during that time?" Gavin displayed a pleasantly surprised expression. This was the genuine unexpected discovery. After all, Renly had already worked with top-tier celebrities in "The Pacific". Even after completing such a project, he was able to maintain his equanimity, returning to off-Broadway—and not just off-Broadway, which certainly garnered admiration. "So, what are the titles of these productions? Are there any famous works?"

"No, not at all," Renly beamed with a radiant smile, shaking his head, appearing remarkably at ease. "The productions I participated in were experimental works, and one of them even involved students from Columbia University. Don't even bother asking for names; you won't find any relevant information online."

No wonder. This explained why all the efforts of the internet community hadn't been able to unearth more details.

"The most memorable one for me was a performance in an underground basement," Renly's expression took on a contemplative quality, and his relaxed lips couldn't help but curl upwards. "The space could barely accommodate thirty people, and on the day of the performance, there were only a dozen or so audience members, yet there were a whopping twenty-three cast members. In other words, we had more actors than audience members. Later, the actors who weren't performing that day took their seats in the audience, pretending to be spectators, and applauded along with everyone else."

Renly couldn't help but smile as well, but Gavin's expression turned puzzled. "But such performance experiences are truly unique. Because these audiences aren't sophisticated intellectuals from Broadway; they are simply theater enthusiasts or bored passersby. Their reactions are straightforward, and you can often feel their emotions during the performance." Renly chuckled lightly, which left Gavin with a look of confusion. "In the end, I simply stepped off the stage and invited the audience to join our performance. That day's show was truly entertaining."

Gavin was genuinely flabbergasted this time. On the surface, Renly appeared to be a conventional gentleman, and he even emanated a traditional British restraint. He seemed entirely unrelated to off-Broadway or underground theater, which carried a more grassroots spirit. Yet, upon closer examination, the stark differences between the two roles Renly had played so far revealed not only his ambitions as an actor but also his tenacity in challenging his own limits.

"I can't imagine that scene, but I can imagine your joy and fulfillment," Gavin couldn't help but exclaim, "So, over these past few years, you must have had some difficulty adjusting, right? Suddenly, all the spotlights were on you. There's clearly been a monumental change."

"Actually, before Toronto, I didn't experience it too much," Renly candidly admitted, "I could still walk down the street normally and go anywhere freely. Occasionally, some audience members would recognize me, but they couldn't call out my name. So, overall, I felt it was okay."

Observing Renly's calm demeanor, Gavin shrugged. "I can't speak for others, but for media reporters, it's been an absolute frenzy. Right now, there are at least thirty reporters waiting in the hotel corridor for a chance to interview you. I'm the first one today."

"I suppose winning an Emmy probably carries some weight," Renly's jest made Gavin burst into laughter, and the next question flowed naturally.

"Since winning the Emmy, you've become a consistent topic of discussion. There are even speculations online that you might have a profound background in the entertainment industry, similar to Emma Roberts." Gavin finally delved into the first piece of gossip, visibly excited. It reminded him of his first interview after becoming a journalist—naive yet exhilarating.

"Ha ha." This was Renly's initial response. After contemplating it seriously, he laughed again. "I've been crossing my fingers and praying for this day to come, but obviously, I've been lacking a bit of luck."

"But why did you choose to perform on the streets after the Emmy? It genuinely surprised people, and many thought it was pre-arranged," Gavin's questions started to become sharp, gradually revealing an edge.

"If they choose to think that way, that's their prerogative," unexpectedly, Renly didn't offer a defense. Instead, he shrugged with utter candor, "Although I don't know how filming a street performance video and uploading it to YouTube could help my acting career, I'm honored to entertain netizens."

Renly's composed posture left Gavin at a loss for words. After a moment of thought, Gavin took an assertive tone and inquired, "So, are you saying your family truly doesn't have any background in show business?"

"What if they did?" Renly didn't evade the question and countered directly, leaving Gavin momentarily stumped.