An actor's career

"Hugo, are you sure you want to give it another try?" Joseph sat on the sofa, watching Hugo gradually calm down.

"Joe, didn't we discuss this issue just now?" Hugo immersed himself in his thoughts, then lifted his head to look at Joseph, who still appeared uneasy.

Joseph's expression showed some difficulty, "I know. It's just that today, I received a call from Ephron's assistant, and I was only thinking that the opportunity has finally come. But I didn't carefully consider whether this opportunity is suitable. Ephron rejected you once before, and there are rumors that she has confirmed the use of Hanks. This means that you are not her first choice. I don't know if this is another trap, and I don't know if it's suitable for your current situation..."

As Joseph said this, he couldn't help rubbing his temples, just as he had said. When the audition opportunity for "Sleepless in Seattle" appeared again, he was almost overwhelmed by joy. It was the first breakthrough in almost three weeks since the Golden Globe Awards celebration, and it became even more precious in the current situation. It was even more exciting than the audition opportunity for "Scent of a Woman" that appeared around the same time last year.

But Joseph forgot two things. First, whether this could be another trap. Once bitten by a snake, one becomes afraid of even the well rope. He had to be cautious, especially considering that it hadn't been long since Tracey and others' scheming. Second, planning Hugo's acting career.

In fact, when the opportunity for "Sleepless in Seattle" first appeared, Joseph had discussed this issue with Hugo, what kind of actor Hugo wanted to become. However, at that time, neither of them had a clear plan.

Afterward, both the opportunity for "The Firm" and "The Fugitive" were actually in the commercial blockbuster route, which could have had an impact on the box office. Unfortunately, they didn't materialize. Now Joseph had to bring up this issue again. Perhaps, taking advantage of this moment of calmness, they could make a rough plan for Hugo's acting career, which projects to accept and which ones to reject. It was a good opportunity.

"Joe, in the film industry, the initiative always lies with the producers, right? Even if the agency, actors, and directors have great influence and can sway the decisions of the producers, ultimately, it's still the producers who have the final say. In simple terms, the ones with money are the bosses." Hugo had also been thinking a lot during this period, perhaps due to the renewed enthusiasm for performing with the band, or perhaps because his mindset had returned to normal. Regardless, Hugo had a vague concept of his entertainment career. Although it was still unclear, at least he was no longer lost, no longer passively following audition opportunities.

Joseph nodded in agreement with Hugo's view. "So, whether it's Tracey or Ron, such things will never stop. Right now, they are just producers and agents. But what if the same thing happens with the executives of a large film company in the future? If they are willing to target me, or even blacklist me, what should we do? Should I quit the acting profession altogether?"

Upon hearing Hugo's words, Joseph's initial reaction was "no", and then he continued, "This is a circle where interests reign supreme. They will never be able to blacklist any actor because there are also conflicts of interest within the film companies. People can be enemies or friends, as long as there are enough interests at stake."

Hugo nodded, but added in his mind, "Except some people can never become friends, like Tracey."

After Joseph finished speaking, he suddenly realized and understood, "What you mean is that such things are unavoidable in the industry as a whole. Even if it's not Tracey, there may be other enemies in the future. So what we need is not to retreat or fear, but to persistently seek different partners for mutual interests and pave our own path."

"I didn't mean that exactly, but you're right," Hugo replied, expressing his thoughts.

In the eyes of outsiders, Hollywood appears as a unified entity, despite internal competition. For example, when it comes to the distribution of American films in China, Hollywood unites to negotiate with the government for common interests. Within Hollywood, the core of competition is always based on interests. If they become intertwined, it would form a complete circle. There is simply no way to remain independent.

Therefore, worrying about Tracey or Ron suddenly emerging is unnecessary. It is unavoidable, and the real solution is not avoidance or retreat but competing based on the interests at hand. Only then can we establish a solid position in this industry.

"The problem is that we currently lack sufficient bargaining chips, so we've always been at a disadvantage," summarized Hugo. "So we don't have the luxury of being selective. Whenever an opportunity presents itself, we must try it out, otherwise, we will never know the outcome."

Joseph also understood, realizing that an opportunity like "Sleepless in Seattle" was already rare. Although no one within the industry had high expectations for this film, the entire preparation process had been turbulent, and many actors had rejected the script. However, it was Hugo's best opportunity at the moment, and even if he gave his all, Nora Ephron might not give her approval.

"Sigh... What about your acting career? Won't you make a plan? What if you come across another project like "Hudson Hawk"?" Joseph still felt somewhat unwilling. He initially thought that after "Scent of a Woman" and "A Few Good Men", he could finally make a proper plan for Hugo's acting career, but it seemed to be falling apart now.

Hugo chuckled, "Of course, we need to make a plan, but right now we don't have a clear goal. How about we take it step by step?" Hugo couldn't help but think, if he were to receive a script that he knew would fail, would he despairingly accept it due to his current circumstances? Probably not. Perhaps this was the advantage of his time-traveling ability. Unknowingly, his advanced knowledge had already started shaping his acting career.

"If you have a choice, would you prefer to star in commercial films or art films?" Joseph curiously inquired. In fact, Hugo's performance in commercial films had been quite poor. When Ron managed Hugo, his art films received excellent reviews, but the commercial films were all failures. On the other hand, both films Joseph accepted for Hugo were successful at the box office, but strictly speaking, they leaned more towards art films.

Hugo couldn't help but laugh. "Why do we need to classify movies as commercial or artistic? I believe the most important purpose of a movie is to please the audience. Think about it, if a movie has exceptionally high artistic value and leaves people in awe, but no one likes it, does it have any meaning to exist?"

"But... many works of art are only understood by a small number of people," Joseph noticed a loophole in Hugo's argument. "Van Gogh's paintings weren't accepted by the world during his lifetime. It was only after his death that they gained recognition worldwide. Or take "Citizen Kane", for example. Many authorities consider it one of the greatest films in history, but back then, people didn't love it. It missed out on an Oscar because that year, the Oscars had a civilian jury, and these ordinary people couldn't understand the film. It became one of the biggest regrets in Oscar history."

"Then, according to your point of view, are these kinds of works not worth pursuing?" Joseph countered.

Hugo admitted that he was stumped. He hadn't considered this aspect, perhaps because his time in the film industry was relatively short, and his understanding of many issues was not profound enough. "What I mean is, regardless of whether a movie is commercial or artistic, it ultimately needs to be recognized by people to flourish, isn't it? That's the case for Van Gogh and "Citizen Kane". Otherwise, it will end up like countless other works buried in the river of history. So, perhaps when we receive a movie script, we should at least see if we like it first, rather than limiting ourselves to commercial or artistic considerations."

At this point, Hugo paused for a moment. "As for everything else, let time take care of it. Maybe at some point, we will understand and figure out what kind of actor I truly want to be."

In fact, this question was similar to asking about one's life goals. It was a broad topic, and many people spent their entire lives without knowing their purpose, merely living for the sake of living. Many actors were the same, constantly acting for a living, for fame, for applause, for the halo, without having the time to think about whether they could achieve everlasting fame or entertain the masses. They simply became actors.

So, for Hugo, who was only twenty-five years old, it was normal not to understand this question. "I hope one day in the future, I can figure it out," Hugo sighed. The world of art is full of unknowns and an endless journey. No one knows if they will reach the end, and even if they do, what scenery awaits them remains unknown.

When Joseph heard Hugo's nostalgic tone, he couldn't help but smile. He also realized that the question had become too big. "So, let's focus on short-term goals for now and make you an actor who has enough chips, enough interests, and can take control of your own career!"

"Great idea!" Hugo nodded vigorously. "So, when is the audition for "Sleepless in Seattle"?"

"Tomorrow at lunchtime," Joseph replied simply. In this context, "Sleepless in Seattle" was indeed a very important opportunity. Despite Hugo's predicament, Nora Ephron was still willing to give him a second chance, which was extremely rare. Perhaps, after seizing this opportunity, he would see a different outcome. Joseph's inner emotions gradually settled.

"Are you sure you don't need to make a trip to the supermarket?" Joseph suddenly blurted out.

"For what?" Hugo asked, wide-eyed and puzzled.

"Diapers."