"In the past year, it seems like you've gone through changes that many people wouldn't experience in a lifetime. Let's talk about that." Jay wisely avoided the topic of Jack Nicholson there would be plenty of opportunities when Hugo promoted A Few Good Men. No need to rush today.
Hugo nodded, "Yeah, you know, after that crying fiasco at the Razzies, getting back up wasn't so easy. I just hope you guys don't bring out that photo again." Hugo was referring to the picture published by the Los Angeles Times after the Razzies, showing him sobbing uncontrollably likely to become the most iconic image of Hugo's career.
"We're a very ethical show. We'd never do that," Jay said with a dead-serious expression but threw a glance toward the raspberry sculpture center stage. A single look, no explanation needed, drew laughter again. "Hugo, climbing back from that low point to where you are now you must've worked harder than most people can imagine."
"I don't know how it compares to others, but I do know that I've just been giving it my all." Hugo spoke earnestly. "I hope what I'm doing now is enough, because I honestly don't know if I can push myself any harder." As he spoke, Hugo made a straining face like a cartoon character, causing a burst of chuckles.
"The audience will get to find out," Jay said with a hint of meaning, clearly referring to Scent of a Woman, which was currently showing. "Let's take a short break, we'll be right back. Don't worry, Hugo will stay with us."
The studio band played as the show cut to commercials. Jay leaned down and said quietly to Hugo, "You're doing great." The mics were off now; only the two of them could hear it.
"Phew, that helps. At least when my agent checks in later, I can use your words as my review," Hugo replied, making Jay chuckle.
To Jay, though Hugo was slightly nervous on the talk show stage, he had a natural presence a kind of instinctive command that didn't need calculated thinking or rehearsed lines to convey himself in the most direct, sincere, and often humorous way. It was a kind of talent like acting or singing an innate gift for hosting. Still, Hugo was a bit raw and didn't yet know how to seize the initiative, often relying on Jay's lead.
Now, recalling Hugo's breakdown at the Razzies, Jay didn't see it as pathetic anymore. Maybe Hugo was an actor everyone had underestimated. There was still so much to uncover in him a very exciting thought. Hugo was like a book—something like In Search of Lost Time or One Hundred Years of Solitude, or at the very least The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen not just a pretty face.
After the break, Jay quickly steered the conversation to the main topic. "Can we quiet down in here a little? I can barely hear the director in my earpiece. I know you all love Hugo—I do too—but you don't have to hit me with it so hard."
Jay's remark made Hugo laugh. Honestly, he still wasn't used to such praise. He always felt like Jay wasn't really talking about him, or the cheers and screams weren't for him. It was such a surreal feeling.
"So, Halloween's coming up. Got any plans this year?" When the episode was taped, Halloween was just a week away, so it was unavoidable as a topic. Jay brought it up directly.
"Oh, I'm not sure. Might have some shows or promotions lined up." Although Hugo was someone from another world, in the 21st century, Halloween was celebrated in many big cities worldwide, including Asia, so he had plenty of Halloween experiences. Halloween meant parties, and for the band "Death Or Glory," parties meant gig opportunities.
"Do you like Halloween? Like wearing masks, or playing 'trick or treat'?" Jay asked a fan-favorite question.
Hugo shook his head, "Oh, no, I actually have some bad Halloween memories. One time I threw a white bedsheet over myself, tied a belt at the waist, tried to be a ghost, but it didn't work out so well." The audience burst out laughing even before Hugo finished. A ghost? That costume idea was a riot.
"How so? What went wrong?" Jay asked, holding back a laugh.
"Uh, a friend led me the wrong way, and I fell into a bush? Then a bunch of 'superheroes' messed with me, and I ran smack into a plane tree?" This was one of Hugo's real-life experiences. Things had gotten wild back then. He'd been pranked pretty badly, but it remained a vivid memory to this day.
Hugo's words triggered a full-on laughter explosion from the crowd. Jay, grinning from ear to ear, asked, "Why not cut two holes for your eyes?"
"I did try," Hugo said, exasperated. "But my friend helped me with the costume, and the holes ended up on my butt. You know…"
"Hahahahaha…" Just imagining that scene was hilarious. Even Hugo laughed along it had been one of the best times with the "Death Or Glory" band.
"I can see why Halloween might not be your favorite," Jay said with a meaningful smile, still amused. Hugo was clearly different from most heartthrobs he didn't carry that idol image burden and could make fun of himself so freely. That was rare. Then again, thinking back, Hugo's Razzies meltdown was already a sign. So today's stellar performance wasn't so surprising after all.
"Then I can only hope I'll have work this Halloween," Hugo shrugged.
"If you love Hugo or even if you hate Hugo—I hope you'll go to the cinema and see Scent of a Woman, because he delivers a truly brilliant performance," Jay smoothly transitioned into the day's main subject. "Hugo, tell us about the story."
"Sure." Hugo's expression turned serious, and he took a deep breath. "It's a story about two men."
...Silence.
A second later: "That's it?" Jay clearly hadn't expected such a brief description from Hugo.
"Yes, because it's a very complex story, and explaining it would be a bit troublesome." Hugo's troubled expression drew a round of chuckles from the audience. "Strictly speaking, it's about how my character Charlie helped the colonel rediscover the meaning of life, while the colonel helped Charlie reaffirm his beliefs."
"Uh, what about the woman?" Jay had already seen the movie, but still asked on behalf of the audience.
"I'd like to leave that suspense in the theater for everyone to discover." Although Hugo was honest, he still had that basic sense. After speaking, he playfully winked at Jay, which made Jay burst out laughing.
"Then let's talk about the brilliant performance in the movie. This time your excellence reminded many people of how amazing you were in 'Dead Poets Society.'" Jay smoothly shifted the topic, still focusing on the film, but tightening the focus on Hugo himself. "But we all know that you ran into some trouble before. So how did you convince Martin during the audition to give you this role?"
"That's actually pretty interesting. When I went to the audition, Martin only gave me thirty seconds to perform. My first reaction was what? What can I do in thirty seconds? My mind went totally blank." Hugo's vivid tone made the audience smile. "So I just told the truth."
"What? What did you say?" Jay looked a bit surprised.
"I said I didn't know what I could do, because thirty seconds was just too short." Hugo replied honestly, causing gasps from Jay and the audience. "That response made Martin and the others a bit unhappy, so the conversation began. Later I tried hard to explain my perspective and did an audition performance."
"Thirty seconds?"
"Yes. But I also shared a lot of my understanding about the film and the character." Hugo concluded in one sentence. "I always thought it was because of my relentless effort that I got the role of Charlie, but the funny part is after I joined the cast, Martin and I were chatting one day, and he denied that idea."
"Whoa, that really is interesting." Jay couldn't help but sigh.
"Martin told me that besides my preparation and effort, the main reason they picked me was because of my honesty, which was similar to the character of Charlie." Hugo's words made Jay reveal a look of pity, and he picked up the thread, saying, "Well, that's going to be rough future auditions might become very difficult."
Indeed, if everyone auditioned for "Scent of a Woman" the way Hugo did, the industry would probably be unemployed. A truly smart audition is one that adapts to the situation. Every character and every crew is different, and so are their demands on the actor. A Few Good Men and Scent of a Woman are two very different things.
Hugo also understood the meaning behind Jay's words. He smiled while waving his hands repeatedly, "I hope those actors who failed their auditions won't come after me. I didn't invent this method."
"Dear audience, this is Hugo Lancaster. Please go to the theaters to watch Scent of a Woman, and you'll experience even more of Hugo's charm on the big screen." Jay brought the topic back, quickly wrapping up the show. Today's conversation was so fun that they went a little overtime. "Hugo, thank you thanks for coming today!" As he finished, Jay grasped Hugo's hands, his face lighting up with a big smile.
.....
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