"Cut!"
"That's not going to work!"
Martin stepped out of "Arthur" and looked over at Todd Phillips. "Something wrong, Todd?"
"It feels off. You're too good—those three got completely overshadowed."
Martin walked over to the monitor to watch the playback.
Sure enough, his performance stood apart from the other three supporting actors.
Sometimes, a movie's about the whole picture—it's not just about being as vivid as possible. It's about coordination. If the contrast between characters is too jarring, the audience can get pulled out of the scene in minutes.
Even though Joker was essentially a one-man show, the supporting roles were still crucial for building the story. He wasn't the only actor here.
That connection between performances mattered a lot.
If it had been anyone else, they might have been forced to tone themselves down to match the weaker actors.
But Martin didn't need to do that. He was the Incubus. He had mastered the technique that could pull others right into the scene with him.
"Next take, watch my eyes," he told the other three.
"Scene one-fourteen, take forty-two—action!"
At Todd Phillips' cue, Martin slipped into character. One sweep of his gaze, and the quiet pull of his presence spread. Instinctively, the three supporting actors followed his lead…
"Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!" Todd Phillips murmured, amazed.
Martin really could draw people into a role. What incredible emotional gravity.
"This one's good. Let's keep it," Martin said after reviewing the take.
Then it was time for his scene opposite Cameron Diaz.
"I'm a little nervous—you're too good!" Cameron admitted.
She'd been watching him act these past few days, and he'd completely blown her away. Her man was incredible! It was hard not to worry about getting overshadowed.
"Relax. You saw earlier—I'm good at bringing people into the role."
"All right… just don't hit me with too much at once."
"Don't worry, sweetheart. I wouldn't dream of it."
"Scene one-fourteen, take forty-four—action!"
Cameron stepped out of the elevator, a paper bag of groceries in hand.
Suddenly, Arthur's apartment door swung open. That thin, frail man stood silently in the doorway, smiling at her.
For some reason, Cameron's heart skipped a beat. She quickened her pace.
"Hey, Sophie—been out shopping?"
Arthur greeted the girl he secretly adored. Cameron forced a stiff smile and hurried into her own apartment across the hall.
Bang!
She closed the door, leaning back against it, stunned. What's wrong with me? Why am I suddenly afraid of Martin? No… not Martin—Arthur. This is what he meant by bringing me into the role? He actually pulled it off… amazing!
"Cut! Fantastic—that's a wrap for this one." Martin's voice came from the monitor.
He turned to Todd. "We done for today's scenes?"
"All finished," Todd confirmed.
"Good." Martin glanced out the window at the darkening sky—it looked like rain. "All right, everyone, wrap it up. Head home and rest early!"
Boom!
Thunder cracked, and moments later, a heavy downpour swept over New York.
Martin held Cameron's soft body against his, sitting by the window, eyes smiling as he watched the rain.
Mid-October in New York already carried a bite of cold, and this storm would surely drop the temperature further.
But inside Martin's apartment, it was warm as spring—a world apart from the chill outside.
Cameron draped one arm around his neck, a glass of red wine in the other. She took a slow sip, then pressed her lips to his, passing the wine between them.
Martin's eyes half-closed as he savored it.
The air in the room grew warmer, thicker.
Just as Martin was about to take things further, the phone rang.
"Hello, darling—you're supposed to be on vacation with Courteney, aren't you?"
"Oh? You met Nicole in Australia?"
"What? You want a baby too?"
"You're where? Downstairs? Well, that's a nice surprise—come up! Popo's here too."
"Who was that?" Cameron asked as Martin hung up.
"Jennifer. Jennifer Aniston."
Looks like tonight was going to be busy, Martin thought.
A stormy night indeed.
The next morning, a sleepy Jennifer Aniston woke in Martin's bed, glanced at the clock, and called her good friend Courteney Cox. They agreed to meet before visiting Martin on set.
Courteney arrived first, parking downstairs to wait for Jennifer so they could ride to the studio together.
When she saw Jennifer, Courteney blurted, "Damn, we've only been apart a little while, and you're glowing! Just how much fun did Martin give you last night?!"
Jennifer smiled sweetly. "Plenty."
"I envy you. He may never marry you, but aside from that, he can give you everything. Not like Dave—lately I hardly see him at all."
Talking about her marriage, Courteney's face darkened. Her second marriage was clearly on its last legs.
"Hey, don't dwell on the bad stuff. Let's check in first—then I'll take you somewhere fun."
"All right. Let's have some fun," Courteney said with a reluctant smile.
…
The Sun (UK): "At a rally attended by over 20,000 on the 13th, Republican VP candidate Palin paused her speech when protesters, too far from the stage to hear, began shouting, 'Louder! Louder!' She urged them to honor veterans by showing courage and gratitude, even as they exercised their right to protest…"
Los Angeles Times: "In today's market saturated with superhero blockbusters, Martin Meyers has chosen to film an anti-hero movie. While the industry is dominated by familiar icons like Superman, Batman, Iron Man, and Spider-Man, centering a film around a villain is rare. It remains to be seen how audiences will respond…"