Impressive

"What do you mean?"

Vin's mind was full of question marks, completely failing to grasp the subtext of Renly's words: Kiefer Sutherland was already a well-established figure, while Renly had only recently emerged. This was clearly a disadvantage, so why did Renly claim it as an advantage? Also, compared to Kiefer, Renly was at a clear disadvantage. Why would he bring up his own shortcomings? Was he simply ignorant or arrogantly overconfident?

Vin cast an inquiring glance at Neal, who wore a polite smile that concealed his true thoughts. Then, Vin saw Neal shift his gaze to Andy and playfully said, "Are all young people this confident nowadays?"

Though Andy had been quietly observing, his attention had not wandered. He shrugged immediately and nodded, "It seems to be the case with Gen Y. Haven't you heard all the recent news buzzing around?"

Neal instantly caught on. Andy was referring to the "Transformers" set, where first Megan Fox had cursed at the director, complaining incessantly, and then Shia LaBeouf got drunk and engaged in an ugly altercation at a nightclub. Both were representatives of Gen Y actors.

"Youth is always full of vitality. Does this mean that we're all old fogies?" Neal continued the joke. "Even in Sundance these days, it's a young person's world. Even Colin Firth has become an old man."

Now, Vin was even more confused. Why had the topic suddenly shifted? It seemed that Neal had no intention of continuing to inquire about Renly. Neal and Andy had started chatting. What on earth was happening?

"Neal?" Vin couldn't contain himself and anxiously called out. He saw Neal's gaze turn back, and he smiled, saying, "Didn't you just watch "The Social Network" today? How did you find it?" Before Vin could answer, Neal slapped his forehead. "I forgot, you're an old-timer too. Are you part of the baby boomer generation?"

Colin Firth was born in 1960, and Vin Diesel was born in 1967.

Vin could sense the determination in Neal's words. The words that had almost left his mouth were swallowed down, replaced with a smile, a smile more unsightly than crying. "No, I'm not that old. I'm from a different generation, just like Paul."

Vin knew that the audition was over. It had begun without a fuss, and now it had ended unobtrusively. In this short exchange, it had hidden so much information. Yet Vin couldn't figure out why it had ended at this moment, how Neal truly perceived it, whether today's audition was a success or failure, and how things would unfold from here... He had no concept of it.

Taking a deep breath, Vin remembered something very important: it was all just a smoke screen, a smokescreen to make Dwayne Johnson yield.

With that thought, Vin couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief. He didn't like Renly, didn't like dealing with someone like him. Although Dwayne wasn't someone easy to deal with either, compared to the two, Vin still preferred Dwayne. Physical confrontation was always simpler to handle.

Afterward, they didn't bring up the topic of "Fast & Furious" again. They chatted about the interesting stories of Sundance, as if they were a group of old friends who had come specially for the film festival. During this time, some recognized Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, happily approaching for a photograph. Journalists also noticed their presence, coming over for a brief chat. The entire dinner was relaxed and enjoyable, lasting nearly two and a half hours before finally concluding.

Everything unfolded according to Neal's plan. The reason they had chosen a face-to-face audition was because it was a public event. Reporters and fans were constantly coming and going, and news couldn't be contained. Neal and his team had arranged journalists in advance, capturing photos of the entire meeting. Not only Renly's, but also all the other audition sessions would be photographed and released on the internet, creating the impression that they were actively casting roles. Thanks to the setting in Sundance, all these arrangements would appear natural.

The news of their enjoyable conversation with Renly today would probably be buzzing all over Facebook and Yahoo Communities before midnight.

However, Neal unexpectedly gained insights.

Renly's final words had clearly contained more than met the ear. The implied subtext was, "Apart from the disadvantage of fame, I have an overall advantage compared to Kiefer." How could Neal possibly miss that?

In terms of age, Renly was younger, likely performing action scenes more impressively. Regarding his appearance, Renly was a fresh face, providing a stronger stimulation for the audience, particularly female viewers. In terms of acting, Renly excelled, as his two works were already proof. In terms of popularity, from Toronto to Sundance, Renly's trajectory had been consistently upward, and with "Buried" about to be released, it was foreseeable that this momentum would continue.

In other words, Renly truly had the overall advantage, with the only drawback being his lack of fame.

The film market was a balancing act of Yin and Yang. On one hand, audiences sought the trust brought by familiar faces, like Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and others. The films they appeared in already possessed a certain attraction for the audience—what's known as box office appeal. On the other hand, audiences were also eager for the emergence of fresh blood, like Megan Fox in "Transformers", or Jessica Alba in "Fantastic Four" and "Sin City". They craved new faces to stimulate their adrenaline.

Kiefer Sutherland had long been famous. If he were to join "Fast & Furious", the audience would undoubtedly have high expectations for his performance, much like the "Expendables" series with Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, and Dolph Lundgren. It wouldn't require any deliberate promotion; the audience's curiosity would naturally be piqued.

This was the advantage of fame.

But why did Renly claim that even this "disadvantage" was an advantage for him? The reason was simple: salary.

Fame had to be exchanged for salary. The more well-known an actor was, and the greater their box office appeal, the higher their salary. This was also the source of Neal and Dwayne's disagreement, as well as the root cause of Renly winning the audition opportunity. In other words, this was Renly's greatest advantage.

Newcomers like Renly, who had only appeared in one film, typically only required around half a million in salary, if not less. However, now that the "Fast & Furious" crew was in a messy situation of their own making, Neal believed no agent would be willing to settle for a low price. Yet, securing him for around a million was doable. In comparison to Dwayne's $3.5M, they'd save over two-thirds of the budget.

In fact, Neal's lowest acceptable salary for Dwayne was $2.5M. In other words, if they chose Renly, they could still save a substantial amount. Saving money wasn't just about economizing; it was about utilizing every cent fully, then making a profit. This was a question that producers needed to persistently consider from the moment a project was initiated.

Upon careful consideration, choosing Renly indeed seemed to have more pros than cons, or at least the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. Even though they still needed to assess several other actors, Renly's performance tonight had piqued Neal's interest. In his impression, there seemed to be no other actor in the younger generation quite like Renly.

"What do you think of him?" Neal's voice abruptly sounded in the car. Although he didn't name names, the implication was crystal clear. Paul and Vin were both taken aback.

A smile formed on Paul's face, but before he could speak, Vin straightforwardly said, "I don't like him. He comes across as too crafty and overly arrogant. Good God, he's just a bastard."

"Vin, what are you saying?" Paul frowned, defending, "Renly is a bastard? Are you sure we encountered the same person tonight? Renly is not only humble and courteous but also friendly."

Vin felt a constriction in his chest. He just didn't like Renly, yet he couldn't come up with a proper explanation. He could only stare at Paul in disbelief.

Paul met his gaze unflinchingly and spread his hands, "I think Renly is the perfect choice. Back when we were rock climbing, we only crossed paths briefly, but even then, I thought he was a pretty good guy. I just never expected him to be an actor, and there's a possibility of us collaborating." Paul turned to Neal, wearing a smile, "I think he's a great fit. He has a strong sports sense and a refreshing presence, don't you think?"

"Paul, don't forget, we're just trying to warn Dwayne Johnson," Vin finally found his voice. Seeing Paul choke on his words, Vin couldn't help feeling smug. "In the end, Dwayne will be the last to join the crew, and he's the perfect choice."

As he watched Paul and Vin engage in a dispute, Neal's smile widened. They say people with dominant auras often dislike each other on sight. Trying to become friends is as hard as ascending to heaven. Therefore, Vin's aversion and resistance towards Renly weren't hard to understand. Moreover, Vin had finally managed to barely elevate himself to the ranks of first-line actors with the "Fast & Furious" series, and he had even secured a producer's role. He relished the prestige that came with being in such a lofty position and naturally didn't want anyone to challenge his authority. In comparison to Dwayne, Renly seemed like a greater threat.

Neal thought this was a more proactive signal. His intention was to find an actor who could contend with Vin, wasn't it?

"So you don't oppose it, right? I'll spread the word that Renly is joining the crew to make Dwayne feel threatened," Neal proposed. Vin's voice immediately got stuck in his throat. Even if it was all just a play, Vin didn't want to praise Renly. "Vin, we need to be persuasive. We need to make both the media and Dwayne believe. So, this isn't child's play. I believe Renly is well-suited for this whetstone role. What do you think?"

Vin opened his mouth, attempting to say something, but he stumbled. Weakly, he said, "Why does it have to be him? He looks like a bookish weakling, completely incomparable to Dwayne."

"That's why he's even more threatening. If he was of the same type, we wouldn't find anyone to rival Dwayne," Paul countered once again. "Besides, Renly isn't a bookish weakling. If you've seen him rock climbing, you wouldn't have these absurd thoughts."

Vin ground his teeth but ultimately didn't continue arguing. He only muttered, "Rock climbing, rock climbing, damn rock climbing."

Neal flashed a smile. "So, that's settled then."