This back-and-forth banter had drawn both men's attention toward each other. Leonardo was frowning slightly as he scrutinized Hugo up and down, the once radiant smile on his face gradually dimming, making him look rather troubled. This made both Ashley and Alex somewhat uneasy; they thought Leonardo had been offended by Hugo's teasing. The two seemed to be locking horns, and as the middlemen, that made things complicated for them.
Leonardo suddenly seemed to remember something and took half a step forward. Ashley instinctively wanted to step in and stop him, but then she heard Leonardo speak, "Are you… Hugo? Hugo Lancaster?" Ashley froze mid-step and looked at Hugo in surprise. That name had come up quite a few times in the past two weeks.
"Looks like you've caught me," Hugo admitted cheerfully.
Leonardo had originally been a little annoyed because Hugo's words carried a confrontational tone, as if he disapproved of Leonardo teasing Alex's outfit. For someone as young and impulsive as Leonardo, he naturally wanted to clap back. But then he realized Hugo's voice sounded very familiar. With that clue, he looked Hugo over more carefully and finally noticed something unusual.
"Hey, man, what are you doing at our party?" Leonardo immediately reached out his right hand and spread his fingers. Hugo smiled and raised his own hand for a high-five. "This is our first get-together since Growing Pains wrapped up. I didn't expect to run into you here." They hadn't been in touch since the Scent of a Woman audition, so today's meeting was truly unexpected.
Everyone around them was surprised to see Hugo and Leonardo know each other. Leonardo had gained quite a bit of popularity from Growing Pains, while Hugo had only recently made a comeback with Scent of a Woman. Their acquaintance really caught people off guard, including Joseph he hadn't realized Hugo and Leonardo got along so well.
But then Hugo said in surprise, "Growing Pains ended? Why?" Everyone nearby felt like a flock of crows just flew over their heads: Come on, that's not the point.
But Leonardo happened to be on the same wavelength as Hugo and replied with a chuckle, "Final episode aired on April 25th. It's over. We never had a wrap party because the cast couldn't all be there, and since everyone loves Halloween parties, that's why we're having this get-together today. Even Kirk Cameron, who never shows up to parties, came." Leonardo looked around. "But who knows where he is now probably hiding in a corner with his wife."
Kirk played the eldest son Michael on Growing Pains cheerful and outgoing onscreen, but actually shy and reserved in real life. He got married early last year, and his wife is Chelsea Noble, who played his on-screen girlfriend Kate.
"As for why the show ended, Hugo, I think you already know." Leonardo turned his gaze back to Hugo and said with wide eyes.
What other reason could there be? American TV shows usually only continue for one reason: ratings. Occasionally, shows end for other reasons, but the biggest factor is almost always viewer numbers. Since Growing Pains wasn't canceled due to contract disputes, it must've been the ratings.
Hugo couldn't help feeling regretful. He was already in 1992, yet he missed witnessing the end of Growing Pains in real time. That thought led him to recall that Friends, the most influential American sitcom for Chinese audiences, hadn't even aired yet. He would be able to experience the peak of that show in person what an exciting thought.
Seeing Hugo zoning out, Leonardo turned to the others nearby and asked, "Is he always like this?" Surprisingly, Joseph, Kal, Alex, and Charlize all shrugged in unison. Their synchronized movement was perfect and earned full marks, making Leonardo, Ashley, and Jeremy burst into laughter.
"Hey, buddy." Leonardo gave Hugo a friendly slap on the chest, only to find it completely hollow there was no sensation at all, just sponge. Charlize, standing nearby, couldn't help but burst out laughing again, and Alex and the others were no better off. This joke would likely linger for a while. Leonardo, however, didn't understand the joke, just looked at his hand, then said, "Come on, I'll introduce you to some friends."
After all, parties are meant for meeting new people and exploring new things. Not only Hugo, but Charlize and Alex were eager to join the fun. Even Joseph and Kal thought it'd be good to unwind a little.
The cast of Growing Pains was now made up of names everyone recognized, but Hugo knew that most of them wouldn't go on to have successful careers only Leonardo would break out, while Growing Pains would remain the highlight of everyone else's careers. That's the limitation of TV actors. It's hard to break free from the shadow of a hit show. Friends was like that, Prison Break was like that, and so were many other classics.
Even so, Hugo still looked forward to meeting these actors because they were a part of a generation's memories. Seeing these people whose images had lived in his mind as old TV scenes now in the flesh, Hugo couldn't help but call out their character names. It filled him with warmth and familiarity.
Tracey Gold, who had just recovered from health issues, still looked a bit weak. She had played the eldest daughter Carol on the show and was diagnosed with anorexia in 1989. Her condition worsened over time, and by early this year she weighed only 80 pounds (36 kilograms), forcing her to miss three of the final four episodes.
"No wonder I didn't see you in the last few episodes," Hugo said, referring to his past viewing memories he'd missed the live broadcast this year. "Such a shame. How's your health now?"
"I'm completely fine now." Tracey gave her signature tight-lipped smile. "Not being in the spotlight has helped a lot. Everyone used to recognize me, and I had no private life. That pressure really made things worse. But it's not like that anymore, and the symptoms have gradually faded."
Hugo didn't fully understand what Tracey was talking about. Not every actor realizes from the start that this profession means living under the spotlight, and losing one's privacy is just part of the job. But then, why put yourself under that much pressure?
Since Hugo hadn't experienced it himself, he couldn't fully grasp it. Still, that didn't stop him from using his own way to cheer her up. "Alright then, next time I see you on the street, I'll resist the urge to say hi." Hugo said this with such a serious tone that it was hard to tell if he was joking. Tracey was caught off guard by his earnestness.
It was Leonardo who finally broke into laughter, helping Tracey realize that Hugo was joking. A smile slowly spread across her face. "Got it. If you don't mind, I'll come say hi to you. As long as you don't ask me about my love life."
"Oh, that would be terribly impolite to a lady." For a man to ask about a woman's relationship status, the most likely reason would be that he's interested in her Hugo said this knowingly. Sure enough, it made Tracey laugh out loud. No woman ever refuses that kind of compliment.
When they saw Kirk later, Hugo almost didn't recognize the lively Michael from TV. Kirk was just about to leave with his wife. Even though Leonardo called out to him, he only stopped briefly to exchange a few polite words with Hugo before heading off.
It was only then that Hugo truly understood what Kirk meant by "introverted"—it was far more serious than he had imagined. The contrast with his on-screen image was stark. Then again, this also indirectly proved that Kirk was indeed a great actor.
However, whether it was Tracy or Kirk, neither of them seemed to be coping well with the pressure that came with fame. While Hugo sighed over this, what he felt even more was curiosity: is life really that complicated after becoming famous? These past two weeks had indeed been bustling, but nothing had felt particularly off.
"So, do you have any plans?" Leonardo looked around, bored. Earlier he'd tried to sneak some alcohol, but the adults at the venue were unusually strict tonight, and since Leonardo wasn't of legal drinking age, he couldn't get his hands on any. In the end, it was Hugo who ordered a beer, drank half of it, and let Leonardo finish the rest but it was far from satisfying. No alcohol, no party vibe what a buzzkill.
"Hmm?" Hugo had been lost in thought, so he didn't quite catch what Leonardo meant.
Leonardo stretched lazily. "It's Halloween—either trick-or-treat, or pranks. Do you have any plans?"
"Nope. Do you?" Hugo's eyes lit up with excitement. Back home, Halloween was never such a big deal, so who knew what kinds of surprises he might find here?
"The residential area's just nearby. We can go prank people now, or someone else will beat us to it." Just thinking about pranks got Leonardo pumped. "I'll go find Jeremy." He and Jeremy were the closest on set, so naturally he thought of his buddy first.
"What?" Hugo's train of thought was clearly a beat behind Leonardo's, mainly because he wasn't all that familiar with Halloween traditions.
"Toilet paper rolls." Leonardo just said one word before dragging Hugo excitedly back into the venue.
...
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)
Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(40 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)
The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu