Chapter 201: Mental Fortitude

After a day's shooting, Murphy left the cleanup of the set to Paul Wilson and exited Studio 2, planning to find Robert Downey Jr., who was working out in Studio 3, to discuss the more challenging shoot scheduled for the next day. The difficulty lay in the scenes between Robert Downey Jr. and a young girl named Nancy, which involved considerable interaction.

As everyone knows, scenes involving children can be hard to manage, requiring not just the director's guidance on set but also the lead actors' involvement.

Due to the limited number of children actors who auditioned, Murphy and the crew eventually chose a blonde girl named Nikki Milton, who performed quite well during her audition.

The crew was mostly busy inside Studio 2, so when Murphy stepped out, the area outside seemed unusually quiet. The two studios were not far apart, and it took him less than half a minute to reach the entrance of Studio 3.

Just as he was about to enter Studio 3, Murphy suddenly heard strange sounds coming from the corridor leading to the far end of the Disney lot on his left, prompting him to stop.

Listening closely, the initially faint sound grew louder, unmistakably someone in agony.

It sounded like a man... no, more precisely, a boy.

Since there were no underage boys among the crew, Murphy immediately thought of Rüdiger Hauer's son, Ryan Hauer. Could it be that he had had an accident?

With this thought, Murphy turned around and hurried towards the sound, the boy's pained cries becoming clearer as he approached the corner of the corridor.

As he neared the corner, he also heard a girl's voice, thick with an Australian accent. There was only one girl on set who spoke like that, David Robey's sister, Margaret.

Quickening his pace and rounding the corner, the first thing Murphy saw was Margaret, standing with her hands on her hips, towering over someone in front of her.

"I'm a country bumpkin from Australia," her crisp voice rang out with an accent. "I've seen too many people like you who think they're superior, just selfish, hypocritical, superficial trash!"

As she spoke, she lifted her leg and kicked at the ground in front of her, her brown leather boot landing harshly on someone curled up on the ground.

In front of Margaret, a boy lay curled up like a cooked shrimp, clutching his stomach and screaming in pain – the source of the agony.

"Margie!" Murphy rushed over, "What are you doing?"

Turning to see Murphy, Margaret didn't panic and simply said, "I'm teaching Ryan Hauer a lesson in manners."

Murphy didn't address her response directly but moved past her to kneel beside Ryan Hauer, putting himself between the two.

"Mr. Stanton..." Ryan Hauer saw Murphy and, lying on the ground, turned his face towards him in pain, "Please... help me..."

Hearing this, Murphy was somewhat relieved; Ryan Hauer seemed alright.

"Can you stand?" Murphy offered his arm, "What does lying on the ground solve?"

"I..." Ryan Hauer's gaze moved past Murphy to Margaret behind him, shrinking back a bit, "I can stand."

He got up with Murphy's help, still clutching his stomach, hiding behind Murphy as if very afraid of Margaret.

Murphy looked from Ryan to Margaret, noting Ryan was almost a head taller than Margaret...

Shaking his head, he turned to Margaret, "Margie, what happened?"

"She..." Ryan, feeling emboldened by Murphy's presence, started to speak but retreated after Margaret raised her fist, swallowing his words in fear.

Margaret put her fist down, facing Murphy's gaze, "Since we met today, he's been calling me a country bumpkin non-stop, flaunting his sense of superiority in every way."

Murphy glanced back at Ryan, frowning slightly. Rüdiger Hauer was a respected and elegant veteran actor with a good reputation on set. His son...

Whether Margaret was lying was evident from Ryan's expression. Murphy shook his head slightly, turning back, "So you hit him?"

"I am indeed a country bumpkin," Margaret said, hands in her pockets, "and I resolved it in a country bumpkin's way."

She glanced back at Murphy, "Who knew he was so tall yet so frail, not manly at all."

Margaret had grown up on a farm in Queensland, surrounded by horses, hunting dogs, and vast fields, embodying the spirit of a cowgirl.

"Mr. Stanton," Ryan mumbled from behind, "could you... pretend you didn't see this?"

Murphy looked back at him, puzzled.

"If my father finds out..." Ryan lowered his head.

These were just two kids fighting, a common occurrence worldwide. Murphy didn't want to intervene further, "Make sure there's not a next time!"

Ryan nodded, and Margaret shrugged.

"Let's go," Murphy said, worried they might start again if he left. Shaking his head, he added, "Back to the studio."

Margaret followed him, and Ryan kept his distance, brushing off dust as if afraid his father would notice something.

"Are all boys in Los Angeles like him?" Margaret's voice was low but audible to Murphy, "All talk and no action, turning into turtles at the slightest sign of trouble."

Murphy didn't look back, simply saying, "Discuss it with David."

Margaret seemed ready to take responsibility, "I stand by what I do."

Murphy took the altercation as a simple fight between kids and didn't dwell on it, heading straight to Studio 3 to find Robert Downey Jr. and remind him to lead the young female actor the next day.

However, the situation didn't go as smoothly as hoped. Children are unpredictable, and despite the child actor for Nancy being twelve, issues arose.

Before the shooting, Nikki Milton was fine, but once Murphy called "action," surrounded by three cameras, she immediately froze, her face turning pale and her body rigid, unable to perform any actions.

"Cut!" Murphy halted the shooting for the fifteenth time, with Robert Downey Jr. showing signs of impatience.

Trying to alleviate Nikki's nervousness, Murphy reduced the cameras to two and even cleared the set to minimize onlookers, leaving only essential personnel.

Still, Nikki's performance was far from her audition.

Murphy, patient, knelt before Nikki, who was trembling and pale, trying to reassure her, "Hey, dear, look, there are no monsters here, it's just like at home. We're playing a game. There's a bad guy trying to catch you, and he..." pointing at Robert Downey Jr., "is a good guy who will save you. It's all a game."

Despite efforts, the shoot made no progress, testing Murphy's patience. Nikki seemed to understand, nodding her head after his encouragement.

"Take a half-hour break!" Murphy called out, signaling her mother and agent to come over, hoping familiar faces would help her relax.

Murphy hadn't anticipated the audition performer's nervousness on set, overlooking the importance of psychological readiness in young actors, not all of whom have the stage presence of Natalie Portman or Kirsten Dunst.

After the break, Nikki's situation worsened, bursting into tears the moment the cameras focused on her, her cries loud and inconsolable, even with her mother and agent's comfort.

"This isn't working," Robert Downey Jr. emerged from the set, "At this rate, we won't complete a single scene today."

Murphy nodded, asking Paul Wilson to summon Frank Miller and others, aware that continuing could prompt insurance company representatives to intervene.

"We can't keep dragging this on," Murphy stated, suggesting a replacement, "Anyone know a suitable child actor available immediately?"

While the contract with child actors allowed for termination under such circumstances, finding a quick replacement was challenging.

"I know Kristen Stewart's agent," Bill Ross offered, though unsure about her availability.

Facing unexpected difficulties, Murphy inquired about immediate options, but no quick solution was found until Frank Miller mentioned he knew a suitable candidate.

___________________

(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)

If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters

Read Ahead

Patreon.com/INNIT