Watching Hugo's performance during the script rehearsal just now his modulation of tone and pacing, the way he seized control of the conversation through shifts in tempo it was clear he had a firm grip on the rhythm of the entire scene.
In the script, Captain Kendrick is a tough, upright military man unyieldingly loyal. Daniel's confrontation with him is direct and fierce, a warm-up for the more intense clash with Colonel Jessep later on. Hugo, during his scene with Kiefer, captured this dynamic perfectly. He maintained control of the pacing, set a silent trap within the flow of dialogue, and by the time his opponent realized it, the ground had already turned to quicksand beneath them. This ability to dominate the scene through rhythm was stunningly executed by Hugo, to the point where Jack couldn't help but break into applause.
Once Jack shattered the tense atmosphere of the rehearsal, everyone finally snapped out of it and realized just how much energy Hugo had injected into the script. His ability to shock and awe was nothing short of breathtaking.
Over the course of five days of rehearsal, Hugo's stellar performance became the talk of the set. Though the crew still didn't treat him warmly, they at least stopped giving him a hard time indifference replaced hostility, which was already a relief for Hugo. However, for some people, a first impression is everything, and no matter what happens afterward, it's nearly impossible to change that. Allerge was clearly one of those people.
He firmly believed Tom was the better choice not only because he was a die-hard fan of Tom, but also because he thought only Tom could form a power trio with Jack and Demi. As for Hugo? He wasn't even qualified in Allerge's eyes.
To Allerge, Hugo was nothing more than a pretty face, someone who used flattery and petty tricks to draw attention. Why else would the Razzies have nominated him three times in two years? Not to mention the juicy rumors linking Hugo to top producer Tracey Jacobs. Allerge had always looked down on Hugo.
Especially on Hugo's first day on set he had the nerve to show up late and act like a diva. Sure, some big stars might get away with that, but Hugo wasn't on that level. Allerge had only wanted to teach him a lesson, but things had backfired and that made Allerge grind his teeth in fury.
So all those rumors about Hugo being naturally talented, Jack being impressed by him, and Hugo being humble and hardworking? Allerge dismissed them all as calculated PR spins from Hugo's agent. Even when Hugo brought thick legal texts to the set to better understand the film's legal context and scribbled pages of notes onto his script, Allerge believed it was all for show. He was convinced everyone on set had been duped, and that only fueled his burning desire to "set things right" if only he had the chance.
And that chance came today.
The scene they were about to shoot depicted a crushing courtroom defeat. Just when it seemed like Daniel might win the case, everything fell apart. Furious and disappointed, Daniel walks home in the pouring rain, soaked to the bone, and vents his anger at his waiting team.
There were a few ways actors prepared for a scene like this. Some stars would soak just their outerwear in water while keeping their undergarments dry and adding heat packs to stay warm. But that often looked fake on camera. To achieve the best effect, it was ideal for the actor to be fully soaked.
Even then, there were smarter ways to do it like using warm water to avoid steam on camera or dangerously cold temperatures. Though it was late March, L.A. was still chilly, with a lingering crispness in the air. But Hugo didn't hesitate. He chose to be completely drenched.
It didn't matter what his past reputation was. In Hugo's view, the Razzies were behind him—this was a new beginning. He had to start from scratch, step by step, like a rookie. As an actor, it was his duty to give his all to the film. Fame or status had nothing to do with it. So being soaked through was a must.
While the set was being prepped, Hugo stood beneath a showerhead in a bathtub, ready to be drenched at a moment's notice. He even had the energy to joke with Joseph nearby, "This reminds me of Singing in the Rain. Even walking through a storm, you have to embrace the moment. How about it? Do I have a bit of Gene Kelly's flair?"
Joseph, looking at Hugo being silly in the tub, didn't respond at all. His eyes simply drifted upward ever so slightly a silent side-eye that clearly said, Seriously?
Though Joseph stayed quiet, some of the crew couldn't help but chuckle. They still weren't friendly toward Hugo, but they couldn't deny the brightness and humor he brought. He had that rare charm his light, easygoing manner just made people smile.
Allerge stood watching coldly, sneering internally. Outwardly, he said nothing, but when he called out, "Hugo, ready?" his voice slithered like a snake's tongue slick and chilling. Everyone knew Allerge couldn't stand Hugo.
Joseph glanced over at Rob. Concerned that Hugo might catch a cold, the crew had arranged everything so Hugo would only get soaked at the last possible moment. Once Rob gave the signal that all was ready, Joseph nodded to Allerge, "Go ahead."
Allerge turned the knob.
Water burst from the showerhead and hit Hugo's forehead. He instantly shivered the water was freezing. It seeped down his collar, raising goosebumps across his skin, sending wave after wave of cold through every inch of his body.
Allerge watched Hugo's trembling and grinned maliciously. That had been his plan all along to swap out the warm water for freezing cold. As Production Assistant, he had that power. He knew Hugo wouldn't complain if he wanted to keep up the appearance of being "dedicated." If all went well, Hugo would suffer through it, maybe even fall sick that would be perfect. And if someone did look into it later? He'd just say it was a technical mix-up. Simple.
Joseph noticed Hugo shaking but didn't think much of it. Anyone would react that way when hit with water after standing in a warm space. He had no idea the water temperature was near freezing.
Standing there under the icy spray, Hugo felt his head going numb but still said nothing. He had no idea that the water temperature could be manipulated. His past work as a bit-part actor never exposed him to such behind-the-scenes games. He just assumed cold water was used for realism after all, winter rain wasn't warm.
So, even as he started losing feeling in his limbs, Hugo didn't complain. Instead, he channeled it into his character. He imagined Daniel's emotional storm, the disappointment and frustration, preparing himself to unleash it in the scene to come.
Once all the emotion had settled, Hugo stepped out of the bathtub directly and staggered toward the built set room. His staggering steps bore an uncanny resemblance to Daniel's drunken state, so no one over thought it everyone assumed Hugo was simply getting into character. As soon as Robert called "Action," the shoot officially began.
In this scene, Hugo had a huge amount of dialogue. He was venting Daniel's anger at Major Galloway, played by Demi, with long stretches of lines, and the fury inside was unleashed along with the words. Following that was a short portion portraying inner struggle and hesitation, making this scene anything but easy to perform.
After that scene wrapped, they moved on to another one where Daniel drives in the rain to chase after Major Galloway. The team spent a long time filming under artificial rain produced by a water truck.
Hugo ended up getting drenched in the rain for nearly an hour. Only after all the filming was done did Joseph finally notice something was off about him.
Even though Hugo wrapped himself in two layers of blankets right after filming ended, he couldn't stop shivering. He was curled up on the sofa, but it wasn't helping much. The water dripping from his hair still carried a biting chill, and Hugo felt like his whole body was about to freeze. His once rosy lips had begun to lose their color, and his teeth were chattering uncontrollably.
"This won't do you need to change your clothes now. If this keeps up, you're going to get sick." Joseph suddenly recalled how Hugo's body had been hollowed out by drugs. He couldn't afford this kind of strain.
Hugo hadn't noticed at first, but the moment Joseph tugged on him, a wave of soreness and pain washed over his body. He shivered three times in a row and still couldn't stop. That's when he realized his current body wasn't the strong, healthy one it used to be. He had probably overexerted himself just now.
Looking at the utterly worn-out Hugo, Allerge didn't show anything on his face, but inside, he was gleeful. However, Allerge hadn't yet mastered his poker face. The schadenfreude in his eyes sparkled with sharp glints.
....
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