Change of plans

After turning and leaving, Renly checked the time and speculated that Andy should have just landed in Boston. He dialed his phone and after a while, Andy indeed answered. Renly didn't waste time on pleasantries and directly recounted the unexpected situation that had just occurred.

Once he finished speaking, silence hung on the other end of the line. Renly couldn't even hear Andy's breath, as if the call had been disconnected. After a while, Andy's voice returned with a slightly exasperated chuckle, as if he had been holding his breath for a long time and finally regained it.

"Fine. I understand," Andy sorted out his thoughts. Just as he thought he had regained his composure, he couldn't help but chuckle again, a mix of absurdity and amusement, and a touch of helplessness.

This could definitely be described as a turn of fortune from desperation to a glimmer of hope. Just as he was worried about Renly's next project, he found a solution right before him, perfect as a pillow to a drowsy head. The problem, however, was that he, as Renly's agent, had become a mere decoration once again, which was truly frustrating.

After struggling for a bit, Andy finally composed himself, started to organize his thoughts, and carefully inquired about the details of "Detachment". He quickly understood the situation. "No problem, leave the rest to me. You just focus on reading the script attentively."

Andy pondered for a moment. He didn't have any objections to recording an album; he could treat it as a hobby that didn't harm anything.

Even if he wasn't a polymath like Barbra Streisand, who had won Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar awards, actors like Johnny Depp, Will Smith, and Jamie Foxx had all dabbled in music. Johnny even formed his own band.

Moreover, even without his reminder, Renly's attention was always focused on acting. Just like in the case of "Detachment".

Andy had initially thought that Moriarty or Mikael had already posed a serious challenge to Renly's acting skills. He hadn't expected that Renly was pushing himself to even more terrifying limits.

In the realm of professional exploration, it seemed that Renly's progress was slightly outpacing Andy's. This was also a headache. However, from another perspective, this was a good thing.

For Renly, works like "Detachment" were a stage for challenging his own limits and continuously refining his acting skills. But for Andy, "Detachment" wasn't about awards, box office numbers, or even reputation. It was about showcasing Renly's professionalism.

Especially under the consecutive praise for "Buried" and "Like Crazy", there was a potential danger of excessive adulation. After all, Renly was only twenty-one years old and had only released two works. The praise was a bit overzealous. In such a situation, Renly's choice to focus on the world of acting, stepping slightly away from the overheated spotlight, and disregarding the attention from commercial and independent films, could be considered a good thing.

In a way, it could be seen as stepping back to move forward.

Andy's choice of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" for Renly might have been made with these considerations in mind. Although the attention on the project was exceptionally high, and the media might easily blur the focus, at least the film itself had artistic attributes in terms of its cast and script. From a promotional and planning perspective, it made sense.

However, now there was a new option, and in comparison, "Detachment" seemed more suitable.

Moreover, the male lead in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was forty-three years old, while the male lead in "Detachment" was in his thirties. In terms of character compatibility, the latter obviously had the advantage.

Given Renly's age, it was truly difficult to uncover fitting scripts and roles. Scripts like "Detachment" were like finding a needle in a haystack. With Andy's connections, he could naturally find scripts, but there were plenty of similar scripts out there. He needed to go through them one by one. Now, Renly had stumbled upon a new discovery, which was undoubtedly a stroke of luck.

Andy had enough trust in Renly's professional integrity, believing in his judgment and choices.

Furthermore, the project "Detachment" linked two heavyweight figures, Tony Kaye and Woody Allen. Both of them were renowned in New York's artistic circle, establishing a solid foundation for future connections. This was much more worthwhile than the films "Buried" and "Like Crazy".

The perspectives of an actor and an agent were clearly distinct. In just a few sentences of conversation, Andy had entered a completely new realm, a domain that Renly would never think about.

"As for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"..." Andy pondered for a moment, his brain rapidly spinning as he reorganized his thoughts.

With "Detachment" as a reference, Andy's plan became clearer. Looking at it this way, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" had too much attention, and the role didn't quite fit. The competition was intense, and the role of the male lead was overshadowed by the female lead. It indeed had various disadvantages.

However, the film's advantages were also quite evident. It had the opportunity to collaborate with David Fincher, and it was a work that combined commerce and art. Renly's acting reputation was already sufficient, but his recognition hadn't yet achieved a substantial leap. After "Fast 5", it was uncertain how things would develop.

"I'll give it a try, and if there's any progress, I'll let you know right away." Andy felt that from a strategic perspective, it was still necessary to put in more effort. However, the focus had to be adjusted. "As for the specific itinerary, I'll talk to Nathan about it after our discussion. You just focus on researching your performance."

"Alright," Renly agreed briskly. He naturally welcomed this kind of collaboration with open arms and hands. "By the way, I've already negotiated the remuneration for "Detachment". It's $300,000 and a 5% share of the box office and DVD sales."

Andy's mouth fell open, and he was so surprised that his attention wandered, almost causing him to bump into a pillar. He managed to brake just in time, his brain catching up.

For a project like "Detachment", it was destined not to have too much investment. Andy had already prepared himself for a remuneration possibly below $100,000. But now, not only had the amount far exceeded his expectations, there was also a share of the profits! Including DVD sales!

As an agent, Andy understood the implications hidden behind these numbers all too well.

Andy was even curious about how Renly managed to negotiate this. Just based on this series of data, it was clear that the production team highly valued and appreciated Renly. It might even be a recognition from Woody Allen! Andy knew he couldn't let his imagination run wild, otherwise, the pink dreamy bubbles might not stop.

Now, Andy was full of enthusiasm! Compared to all the strategic maneuvering, tangible benefits were much more pleasing. In Andy's eyes, Tony Kaye became quite likable. The strategic significance of the film "Detachment" was also undergoing subtle changes.

"At least we're not losing money anymore," Andy quipped, revealing his bright mood.

After hanging up the phone, Renly didn't have time to celebrate. Village Vanguard was gradually becoming busy, and he rolled up his sleeves to once again play the role of a temporary waiter at the bar, dancing around and bustling.

Renly enjoyed this kind of life. Because these days always reminded him that this was the place where dreams set off. He was still an actor, a down-to-earth actor. Regardless of reaching any height, achieving any accomplishment, or facing any difficulty, he should never forget his original intention.

In the evening, the bar encountered quite a few old friends. During the liveliest moments, Renly bought a tequila shot for every customer in the venue, celebrating the news that "Cleopatra" had made it to the top twenty on the Billboard charts. He also thanked these old buddies for their continuous support.

When Renly woke up the next morning, a faintly throbbing temple reminded him that he had drunk too much the previous night.

It was currently the holiday period, and if he wanted, he could easily spend the whole day in bed. Moreover, this was also the worst time for New York weather. However, today Renly planned to go to Sinai Hospital. He hadn't been there since the new year, and he didn't know how the children were doing.

If possible, for the next few days, Renly planned to spend some time there every day. He was going to Los Angeles next, and after the filming of "Detachment" started, he didn't know how busy he would be.

Volunteering at Sinai Hospital was something Renly wanted to persist in. He had no intention of giving up.

So, Renly forced himself to leave the warm bed, took a shower in the bathroom, then brewed a cup of honey lemon water. Only then did he start feeling refreshed.

Opening the fridge, he saw several containers inside. In one large container were triangular slices of toast, and the other containers contained neatly arranged cucumber slices, tomato slices, cheese slices, ham slices, luncheon meat slices, and even two containers with fried eggs and bacon.

Everything was neat, square, and precise. Even the cucumber and tomato slices were stacked meticulously according to size. It didn't look like food at all; it looked more like modern art.

Just from this organized appearance, it was evident that this was Matthew's work.

He had been worried that without a roommate, he might starve at home. But now it seemed that the gentleman living upstairs had essentially become his successor roommate. It felt like he had returned to his college days. Renly was quite satisfied with this roommate.

Opening a container, he quickly made two sandwiches, wrapped them in plastic wrap, and then grabbed his skateboard, leaving the apartment.

New York was still shrouded in misty scenes, and the overcast sky showed no sign of clearing. Renly pulled up the hood of his windbreaker and tossed his skateboard onto the ground, once again speeding away. The ancient and weathered streets gave him a feeling of traversing a time-space tunnel every time he traveled through them.

However, this situation didn't last long. The sound of a phone ringing in his pocket shattered the tranquility. Renly slowed down slightly, took out his phone, and answered, "This is Renly."

"Hey, buddy. I'm standing at Times Square right now, and I can't feel my toes anymore. Can you come rescue me?"

Renly chuckled at once. It was Paul Walker.