Chapter 116: Nominated

Martin found himself standing in a small conference room, casting a brief glance at the individuals seated behind the conference table. The director, an elegant middle-aged man with neatly groomed short hair, fixated his keen gaze on Martin's face and body.

As he faced this situation, Martin couldn't help but reminisce about Patrick, Craven, Jaume, Michelle, and the others he had spent time with over the past few days. That familiar gaze stirred a feeling of discomfort in him—a gaze only exhibited by certain older individuals with questionable intentions.

Breaking the silence, Andrew finally spoke, "Martin Davis, a newcomer." He nodded, delivering a straightforward message, "We'll be having a character discussion meeting at the Hilton Hotel this evening. Can you make it?"

In this room where awkwardness seemed to abound, Martin weighed his options. With a hint of hesitation, he replied, "I have something crucial scheduled for tonight; I'm afraid I won't be able to attend."

Andrew's response was equally straightforward, "I see."

With no further exchange, Martin turned and exited the conference room. The two parties hadn't imposed any ultimatums; one had made an offer, and the other had rejected it. There was no tension; they simply parted ways.

In this scenario, there were no hidden agendas or unspoken rules; everything was transparent.

Walking out of the room, Martin offered a slight shake of his head to Thomas, who followed him. In a low voice, Thomas inquired, "What happened?"

Analyzing the reason behind a failure was essential to prevent a repeat of it next time.

Martin didn't mince words, saying, "Andrew invited me to the hotel tonight, but I declined."

Thomas, an agent well-versed in PUA techniques courtesy of the company, commented, "This could have been a great opportunity to work alongside Nicolas Cage."

Shaking his head, Martin explained, "It would jeopardize my relationship with Louise and potentially ruin everything."

Thomas quickly fell silent, recognizing that sacrificing a long-term meal ticket for a short-term opportunity wasn't worth it.

As they descended the stairs, Thomas encouraged, "Focus on preparing for the Saturn Awards ceremony with everything you've got. Once you win Best Young Actor, we can plan for new roles."

Martin, who also needed to practice dancing, agreed, "Okay."

Exiting the building, Martin returned to the first-floor lobby and unexpectedly crossed paths with the Lively siblings.

Eric appeared agitated, his discontent evident.

Blake, however, recognized Martin and asked, "Hi, could you spare a moment?"

Curious, Martin halted and inquired, "What's on your mind?"

Blake introduced herself, saying, "I'm Blake Lively, and this is my brother Eric. We just met upstairs."

Martin glanced at them both; the girl had blonde hair and a mature demeanor. She wore a simple white T-shirt and blue jeans that accentuated her tall figure.

In turn, he introduced himself, "I'm Martin Davis."

Blake offered a polite smile and asked, "May I inquire if you were successful earlier? Or…" She clarified, "I don't mean anything else; it's mainly because Eric didn't quite understand."

Martin vaguely explained, "The director invited me to the hotel tonight for a character study, but I declined."

Coming from an entertainment industry family, Blake grasped the situation and expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Martin replied with a nod before exiting the agency. However, upon leaving, he suddenly remembered what he had forgotten—to call Robert and ask him to bring a Coke next time.

Slapping his forehead, he made a mental note not to overlook it in the future.

Meanwhile, Blake had already pieced together the situation. Their agents had pulled some strings, securing them auditions. Andrew had discerned their family background and decided to avoid complications.

Blake approached Eric and quickly explained the situation.

Eric, less astute than his sister, suggested, "Why don't you have Dad call Andrew? He could help me land the role."

Blake believed that her brother was beyond help. "Maybe we should consider a career change, Burbank. Even the dimmest offensive lineman on the high school football team is smarter than you."

Eric felt a sting of shame upon hearing his sister's contemptuous words. "I brought you into this, recommended you to the agency. Without my protection, could you even make it as an actor?" he retorted defensively.

Blake sighed and covered her forehead, saying, "If you really think about it, was it truly your doing?"

Understanding can take time, sometimes even a decade. Eric tried to save face by asserting, "Of course, I recommended you."

Blake gestured towards Martin's departing figure and remarked, "He's much sharper than you."

...

A few days later, in Louise's villa, Martin sat on the living room sofa, tuned in to Warner TV.

Kelly reclined in his arms, nibbling on grapes.

Martin patiently waited for her to finish, then offered another grape.

Kelly, curious, asked, "Are we watching Warner TV?"

Martin turned up the TV volume and explained, "This year's Saturn Awards ceremony will be broadcast on Warner TV, and the official nomination list was also revealed through Warner TV."

Kelly playfully hooked her arm around Martin's neck and tilted her head, feeding him a grape she had just bitten.

Martin quipped, "I'd like some more, please."

Kelly teasingly suggested, "You'll have to lower your head if you want it."

The sound of a bottle popping open emanated from the nearby bar, where Louise had poured herself a drink. Irritated, she scolded, "You two are shameless. Keep fooling around, and I'll set the dogs on you."

Kelly retorted, "She's on her period, ignore her."

Louise lost her patience, saying, "You little tramp! Believe me, I'll make your face as red as your dress."

Martin intervened, urging them to focus, "Let's get started."

Warner TV officially announced the Saturn Award nomination list.

There was no nominee luncheon or press conference; the nominations were revealed directly on the news.

The list featured numerous well-known films, including "X-Men 2," "The Lord of the Rings 3," and "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Martin skimmed ahead, his gaze fixated on the nominees for Best Young Actor.

Kelly, excited, pointed at the TV screen and exclaimed, "Your name is there!"

Martin had already spotted his name among the six nominees for Best Young Actor, specifically recognized for "Zombie Stripper." Among the remaining five nominees, the only name he recognized was Lindsay Lohan.

Overwhelmed with joy, Martin lifted Kelly, jumped up from the sofa, and let out a triumphant roar. He dashed towards the bar in an exaggerated display of excitement, declaring, "Ladies, you are witnessing history! You are witnessing the birth of a Hollywood superstar! When I'm old, when I publish my autobiography, this experience will add a million dollars to its value!"

Louise, usually the queen of sarcasm, opted for a different approach. She produced a bottle of champagne from beneath the bar and said, "This calls for celebration!"

Kelly, accustomed to living with Louise and Martin, chimed in, "Just champagne? You're so stingy, Louise!" Martin took the champagne, opened it, and filled three glasses.

Louise huffed, stating, "At least I brought champagne. What have you got?"

Kelly playfully unbuttoned her clothes as she approached, perching on the bar. "I'm here to celebrate Martin, so everything I've got is for him," she declared with a wink.

Louise handed Kelly a white towel, warning, "This is for celebrating Martin, not for you to mouth off."

Martin, in good spirits, retrieved two freshly customized kettles, placing one in front of each person. "Let's make a toast. The livelier and more spirited, the better. Just imagine we're celebrating me!" He felt like something was missing and poured champagne into the two kettles. "They're good to go."

Louise glanced at the damp kettles and grumbled, "You're such a waste."

Martin defended himself, saying, "You can't just make baseless accusations! Have you ever seen anyone as dedicated as me?"

Even Kelly couldn't resist chiming in, "Is your face made of tank armor?"

Both kettles promptly flew towards Martin, who narrowly dodged the flying objects.

Before making his calls, he dialed his agent first, confirming the guest performance opportunity and the possibility of bringing his own backup dancers. Then, he called Atlanta.

Lately, he'd been investing a lot, so it was time to share the expenses. Attending an awards ceremony was a significant financial undertaking for a lesser-known actor with no sponsors.

...

In Atlanta, at the Marietta Community Theater, Robert's office was adorned with several boxes of Coke bottles and cans. They were all leftovers from last year's production during the filming of the Late night dramas.

Upon receiving Martin's call, Robert expertly prepared a bottle of Coke, dabbed it with olive oil, and placed it on the desk, facing west. A new addition to his ritual compared to before was the hopeful mantra, "Martin Davis, may everything go smoothly!"

Jerome entered the room and inquired, "What are you doing?"

Robert replied, "Just a small blessing ceremony."

Jerome didn't probe further; he understood that matters of faith could be deeply personal. "Come with me to the Hulk Mansion Strip club. We need to talk to Martin about something."

The two headed straight to Clayton Street and found Vincent, a man sporting a cowboy hat, in the club's second-floor office. Jerome presented his proposal.

Vincent stood abruptly and asked, "Are you saying that Martin has been nominated for a national film award for 'Zombie Stripper' and will be performing on stage?"

Jerome nodded calmly, saying, "The Saturn Awards, ranked among the top ten American film and television awards. Warner TV will broadcast the ceremony throughout the United States."

Vincent's thoughts were in a whirl. "Martin invited Annie and the stripper troupe to Los Angeles?"

Jerome confirmed, "Yes. Martin believes the club has provided him with considerable support, and he plans to lead a stripping boy band in a performance during the awards ceremony. During his acceptance speech, he intends to mention the Hulk Mansion Stripp Club and your name."

Sophia, the muscular woman who had been silent, took over, "That cunning guy is quite smart. He knows how to show appreciation."

Jerome added, "The club will cover all expenses incurred by Martin to attend the awards ceremony, including wardrobe, makeup, car rentals, celebration parties, and travel expenses for Annie and the sportsman troupe. All Los Angeles expenses will be shouldered by the club."

Vincent contemplated, "It seems like he's doing well in Los Angeles."

"The early stages of an actor's career come with high expenses," Jerome explained nonchalantly. "He's on the verge of winning his first national-level acting award."

Sophia concluded, "These are not issues at all. Tell Martin the Hulk Mansion will provide a separate assistance as a token of appreciation."

Jerome accepted, saying, "Of course." Art that remains unrealized is no less art.