Chapter 207: The Secret Garden

Chaos, urgency, tension, and hesitation filled Brad Renfro's expression. The alcohol he had just downed brought a hint of color to his cheeks, slightly alleviating his previously pale complexion.

Anson remained calm, using his right hand to mimic a breathing rhythm, signaling Brad to follow along with his body language. Gradually, Brad regained his composure.

"I… I might have had a bit too much to drink, so I sat down on a sofa to rest for a moment. I just needed a short break, you know, just close my eyes for a bit to recover."

"I thought the night had just begun, hehe."

As Brad started to drift off-topic, Anson gently reminded him, "The sofa, you were resting—then what happened?"

Brad blinked in confusion for a moment, taking a beat longer to catch up. "Ah, the sofa, right."

"Then someone sat down next to me. I opened my eyes and saw it was another drunk guy. His gaze was even blurrier than mine, so he must've had a lot too, haha."

"We started talking, just like two people forgotten in a corner, rambling. Surprisingly, he turned out to be a producer."

"Well, maybe not that surprising, considering where we are. Directors, producers, and actors—none of that should be a shock."

"As we chatted, he mentioned he was working on a new project and was in the process of developing a character. He seemed uncertain about the direction, so we discussed it, and I gave him some ideas. He really liked what I had to say, and our conversation just kept getting better."

"He thought maybe I could bring a fresh perspective to the role and began asking about my work, my past acting experiences."

"But—"

"But! Before we could get into the details, someone else came over. They said they had an actor named Ryan Gosling to introduce to the director and dragged the producer away."

"So, uh, what should I do now?"

Brad's speech was somewhat scattered, his eyes filled with uncertainty. The warmth that had just returned to his face quickly drained away, leaving him pale again. His anxious, restless gaze revealed his unease and nervousness, clearly torn between hope and fear.

Even though Brad's story lacked some critical details—like the project's scale, the budget, the other actors involved, or the significance of the role—Anson still pieced together the situation.

He could understand Brad's excitement. After struggling for so long, finding a chance to reignite his acting career would naturally stir his emotions.

Just as Anson was about to offer advice, Brad hastily added, "Oh, right, the producer mentioned that the project's female lead is currently in deep negotiations with Sandra Bullock."

"Sandra…" Brad swallowed nervously to soothe his dry throat. "She's very interested."

His gaze landed on Anson, filled with anticipation. His nervousness was so palpable that he seemed to forget to breathe. "What should I do?"

Anson raised an eyebrow, fully grasping Brad's excitement and hope.

Sandra Bullock—an actress who had made her name playing quirky, endearing characters on the big screen—had unexpectedly become the queen of romantic comedies.

Her breakout role in the 1994 hit *Speed* established her as a box office star. Following that success, films like *While You Were Sleeping*, *A Time to Kill*, and *In Love and War* had solidified her status. But Sandra had reached a career plateau.

What should her next step be?

For six years, Sandra had been offered one "quirky girl" role after another. But she couldn't stay in that lane forever. If she did, she risked becoming the female version of Adam Sandler—stuck in the same type of role indefinitely. Sandra needed to find a way to break out, take on different challenges, and evolve.

Looking back at the trajectory of Sandra Bullock's career, her first major peak was set to occur later this year during the Christmas season with the release of *Miss Congeniality*. The film cleverly capitalized on Hollywood's spy craze but tailored it specifically for Sandra, blending comedy in a way reminiscent of *Mr. Bean* but beating *Johnny English* by three years. It became a box office hit and cemented Sandra's position as a leading actress, giving her the box office clout to carry films on her own.

However, the success of *Miss Congeniality* also delayed Sandra's attempt at diversifying her roles. She would continue down the "quirky, endearing" path until 2009, when her performance in *The Blind Side* finally allowed her to fully break free and transform her career.

Nevertheless, in the few years following *Miss Congeniality*, Sandra took on some roles that deviated from her usual "quirky girl" type—what Brad was currently excited about might just be one of those opportunities. This explains why Brad was so eager and thrilled. After years of struggling, he saw this as his shot at reentering the mid-tier projects led by A-list actors, offering him a chance to regain his place in the Hollywood mainstream.

But…

Anson remained much more grounded.

First, Sandra was only "very interested," not confirmed for the project. 

Second, even if Sandra did join, there was no telling what the project actually was. 

And third… what if it was all a scam?

It's crucial not to assume that Jeff Robinov's party was devoid of tricksters. In fact, parties like these were often rife with bluffers who exaggerated their projects, claiming to be working with major stars when, in reality, their films didn't even have a confirmed cast or financing. In Hollywood, it often came down to who could hype up their projects the most convincingly.

So, the bigger the opportunity seemed, the calmer one needed to be.

Anson turned to Brad. "What's the producer's name?"

Brad froze for a second. "Uh…"

He blinked, trying to recall, then said, "Richard, yeah, Richard."

"Richard what?" Anson asked.

Brad stammered before blurting out, "Crystal… Billy Crystal?"

Anson's eyebrows shot up. "Billy Crystal? *The* Billy Crystal? The one who hosted the Oscars eight times? The star of *When Harry Met Sally* and *Analyze This*?"

Brad waved his hands frantically. "No, no, not Billy—Richard Crystal."

Anson frowned. "Richard Crystal?" He didn't recognize the name.

Although they shared the same last name, they were unrelated.

Wait a second. *Richard… Crystal...* Suddenly, Anson recalled someone.

There was indeed a lesser-known actor/comedian by the name of Richard Crystal, who also dabbled in writing and producing. Though not nearly as successful as Billy Crystal, Richard had worked steadily in Hollywood for over two decades, making appearances and contributing behind the scenes without ever being in the spotlight.

The reason Anson knew this particular Richard Crystal was because of one project: *Murder by Numbers*.

The film, a modest investment with average box office returns and lukewarm reviews, would have been easy to overlook amidst Hollywood's many releases. However, it became somewhat notable among film buffs for introducing several key actors:

- **Sandra Bullock**, who used this film as a stepping stone to explore more serious roles, ultimately paving the way for her participation in the Oscar-winning *Crash*.

- **Ryan Gosling**, the then up-and-coming Canadian actor from the indie scene, who would later become a favorite among cinephiles thanks to his exceptional performance in this movie.

- **Michael Pitt**, while never breaking into mainstream superstardom, earned critical acclaim from art-house fans for his role in *The Dreamers*.

In terms of both box office and critical reception, *Murder by Numbers* flopped. But in hindsight, it served as a crucial turning point for these three actors, each of whom carved out significant milestones in their careers afterward.

So, could this be that project?

The pieces started to fit together in Anson's mind as he considered the possibilities. However, before getting carried away, he needed more information.