C 11

This explosion cost over $300,000 and had another impact—Sophia Coppola was likely frightened. She called Luke the next day, claiming she was sick and needed a few days off.

Frankly, Luke wasn't entirely satisfied with the results. Compared to the bomber scenes from his previous projects, the explosion footage they captured felt underwhelming. The pyrotechnics and photography team signed by Lucasfilm, while skilled, weren't top-tier in this field.

Still, Luke couldn't ask for more—top professionals of this kind are rare even in Hollywood.

Following the preset schedule, after returning to the set, the crew shifted to model shooting. For expensive, complex shots like the bus flying over a gap, Luke opted to use models. Industrial Light & Magic built realistic miniatures, ensuring that the effects wouldn't be compromised.

Ultimately, most of the models met their explosive demise. At Universal Studios' outdoor set, a 20-foot-long Boeing freighter model and a similarly scaled bus were reduced to debris in fiery explosions.

The crew was hitting its stride by early November. Luke even completed two weeks' worth of filming ahead of schedule, thanks not only to the team's growing cohesion but also to his habit of planning for the worst.

As the crew's de facto leader, Robin Grande had been nearly invisible, trusting Luke to manage everything on set. Luke knew Robin had reviewed all his footage multiple times and, given the lack of critique, was generally pleased. Assistant director Kane had also mellowed out, likely thanks to some behind-the-scenes advice from Robin.

It was clear to Luke that Robin had his back, probably because of George Lucas's influence. But beyond that, Luke didn't dwell on why Robin was so supportive. His focus was solely on making the movie.

Of course, nothing in Hollywood is without its bumps.

"This is the shooting schedule for the afternoon," Sophia Coppola said, placing the paper on the table in front of Luke. "But the lead hasn't arrived yet. Should we change the shot order?"

"He's already twenty minutes late."

All the scenes scheduled for that afternoon required Keanu Reeves, while Uma Thurman and Dennis Hopper were already waiting in the rest area, makeup and costumes done.

Luke glanced at his watch, ready to adjust the shooting plan. Suddenly, a commotion arose at the entrance of the studio. Keanu Reeves staggered in, whistling. When a crew member approached to guide him toward makeup, Reeves shoved him aside.

"Hey, kid! Don't bother me!" he shouted hoarsely.

Luke tossed aside the schedule and marched over. Even from a distance, he caught a familiar whiff of smoke. Though Luke had never used it himself, the scent was unmistakable—Reeves had been using drugs. Given Keanu's wild reputation in the early 90s, it wasn't hard to figure out what had happened.

"You're late, Reeves," Luke said, helping the crew member up.

"Just a few minutes!" Reeves waved him off. "It's fine!"

Luke, unimpressed, turned to Reeves's assistant. "Find somewhere for him to sober up."

The assistant tried to pull Reeves away, but the actor shoved him aside, too. "I want to shoot! I'm ready to film!" Reeves yelled, his voice growing louder.

He stumbled toward Luke, but before he could reach him, he tripped over a prop and slammed into a set wall, knocking it down. In a frenzy, he grabbed a rope for balance, yanking down another set piece more than twenty feet long.

In Hollywood, it wasn't uncommon for stars to use drugs, but not many threw tantrums like this on set. Luke stared coldly at the wreckage of the afternoon's work.

"Call his agent," Luke told Sophia, "and get some security to throw him out if needed."

"Please don't!" Reeves's assistant pleaded, knowing the career damage this could cause.

Luke sighed and walked back to his resting area, mentally shelving the afternoon's work as a loss. Uma Thurman, Dennis Hopper, and the others had already witnessed enough. There was no salvaging the day.

Eventually, Reeves was calmed down, but he sat in a daze, head hung low, seemingly reflecting on his outburst. Sophia quickly gathered more information.

"He was at Johnny Depp's bar before coming here," she explained to Luke. "Keanu, Johnny, and River Phoenix are notorious in Hollywood—part of a 'drug trio.'"

"They can do whatever they want," Luke responded coldly, "but he ruined today's shoot."

Robin Grande, who hadn't been on set, soon arrived, followed by Keanu's agent. In the set office, Luke and Robin sat across from the now partially sober Reeves and his frustrated agent.

"I'm terribly sorry," the agent repeated, apologizing for the umpteenth time.

"Mr. Reeves didn't just disrupt my schedule," Luke said calmly. "He also damaged the set, which will cause delays."

"I'm very sorry," the agent replied again.

"I'd rather hear it from Mr. Reeves himself," Luke said, staring at the actor.

Keanu looked up, visibly annoyed, but after a few whispered words from his agent, he muttered, "I'm sorry."

Luke nodded, accepting the apology without further confrontation. The work would continue, and dragging the issue out wouldn't benefit anyone.

By the end of the day, the air between Luke and Reeves was tense, but Luke didn't care. Since the beginning of production, he'd kept a professional distance from the cast, focusing solely on his work.

A week later, after wrapping up the subway scenes, Dennis Hopper became the first main actor to leave the crew. Robin, ever the professional, arranged a farewell party at a bar in Universal Studios.

"Dennis, you were fantastic," Luke said, clinking glasses with the veteran actor. "I hope we can work together again."

"Same here," Hopper replied with a grin.

After mingling for a while, Luke retreated to the quieter part of the bar, ordering another glass of champagne. While everyone around him celebrated, he couldn't relax. The pressure of directing weighed heavily on him, even in moments like this.

"You don't like crowds?" a voice with an Australian accent asked.

Luke shook his head slightly. It wasn't that he disliked parties, but the burden of responsibility kept him from joining in.

"Not much of a socializer?" the voice continued. "Or are you just trying to maintain your director's mystique?"

Luke turned to the speaker. "Miss Watts, how much authority do you think I really have on this set?"

Naomi Watts smiled knowingly. Having worked in the industry for years, she understood the dynamic. "You can call me Naomi."

She extended her hand. "Naomi Watts, from Australia."

Luke shook her hand with a small smile. "Luke Rosenberg, born and raised in Los Angeles."