"Are you sure you want to try again, Hugo?" Joseph asked as he sat on the sofa, watching Hugo gradually calm down.
"Joe, didn't we already talk about this?" Hugo said, lost in thought for a moment before lifting his head to meet Joseph's uneasy gaze.
Joseph looked a little conflicted. "I know. It's just—today I got a call from Ephron's assistant. I was so thrilled that the opportunity had finally come that I didn't stop to think whether it was actually suitable. Ephron already rejected you once, and now the word is that she's confirmed Tom Hanks for the role. That means you weren't her first choice. I don't know if this is another trap… or if it's really the right opportunity for you right now."
As he spoke, Joseph rubbed his temples. Just as he said, when the chance to audition for Sleepless in Seattle came around again, he had been overwhelmed with joy. It was the first real breakthrough in nearly three weeks since the Golden Globes after-party and in their current situation, it felt even more precious, even more exciting than when the audition for Scent of a Woman appeared last year.
But Joseph had overlooked two things. First, this could easily be another trap. Once bitten by a snake, you learn to fear even the well rope and considering Tracy and her schemes had only just passed, caution was necessary. Second, they still hadn't properly mapped out Hugo's acting career.
When Sleepless in Seattle first came up, Joseph and Hugo had already discussed this question, what kind of actor Hugo wanted to become. But back then, neither of them had a clear vision.
After that, opportunities like The Firm and The Fugitive had appeared both big commercial productions that could have boosted Hugo's box-office appeal but neither had worked out. Now Joseph had to bring the question back up. Maybe, after this quiet stretch, it was time to outline a rough career plan to decide which projects Hugo should take, and which ones to pass on.
"Joe, in this business, the power has always been in the hands of the producers," Hugo said after a pause. "Even if agents, actors, or directors have influence, the final decision always comes from the production side. Simply put, whoever holds the money holds the power."
Over the past few weeks, Hugo had done a lot of thinking. Maybe it was the excitement of getting back into live performances with the band, or maybe his mind had simply cleared. Whatever the reason, he finally had a vague sense of direction for his entertainment career. It wasn't crystal clear yet, but at least he wasn't wandering aimlessly anymore — no longer just following audition calls wherever they led.
Joseph nodded, agreeing with Hugo's assessment. "Exactly. People like Tracy or Ron there will always be people like that. They're just producers and agents now, but what if someday the same thing happens with an executive at a major studio? If someone higher up decides to target or blacklist you, what then? Do we just quit acting?"
Hugo smiled faintly. Joseph's first reaction was, of course, "No." And then he added, "This industry runs on profit. No one ever truly blacklists an actor, because studios have their own internal rivalries. One person's enemy could easily be another person's ally — as long as there's enough profit involved."
Hugo nodded, though silently he added: Some people can never be friends. Like Tracy.
After a pause, Joseph suddenly understood what Hugo was getting at. "You mean this kind of thing is unavoidable in this industry. Even if it isn't Tracy, there'll always be someone else in the future. So instead of being afraid, we need to find new partners and build our own alliances — carve out our own path."
"That's not exactly what I meant," Hugo said with a small laugh, "but you're right. I was trying to say that there are landmines everywhere. Worrying won't help. The only way to find out is to step forward and try. Every project involves complicated relationships and conflicting interests — no film exists in a vacuum."
To outsiders, Hollywood might look like one united front. Even though there's fierce competition within, when it comes to issues like the U.S. film market in China, the studios will band together to lobby the government for shared benefits. But within Hollywood, it's all about interests and everything is interconnected in a way that no one can stay completely untouched.
So worrying about people like Tracy or Ron suddenly getting in their way was pointless. It was inevitable. The only real solution wasn't to hide or retreat, but to compete using whatever leverage they had. Only by doing that could they survive and stand firm in the business.
"The problem," Hugo summed up, "is that we don't have much leverage right now. That's why we're always at a disadvantage. So, we don't really have the luxury of being picky. Whenever an opportunity comes, we have to try — otherwise we'll never know the outcome."
Joseph slowly nodded. He understood now. Sleepless in Seattle was one of those rare chances — even though the industry didn't have much faith in the project. Its production had been shaky, and several actors had already turned it down. But still, it was the best opportunity Hugo had at the moment — even if he gave it his all, Nora Ephron might still not choose him.
"Still… what about your acting career?" Joseph asked again, unwilling to let it go. "Shouldn't we have a plan? What if we run into another Hudson Hawk situation?"
Hugo chuckled. "Of course we should plan. But since we don't have a clear direction yet, we might as well take it step by step."
He thought for a moment. If a script came his way right now one he knew was bound to fail would he take it out of desperation? Probably not. Maybe that was the hidden advantage of his rebirth — the knowledge he carried with him was already quietly shaping his career path.
"If you had the choice," Joseph asked curiously, "would you rather do commercial films or art-house films?"
Hugo laughed. "Why separate them like that? I think the main purpose of movies is to entertain the audience. Think about it — if a film is so artistic that critics praise it to the heavens but no one wants to watch it, what's the point of making it at all?"
"But…" Joseph quickly spotted the flaw in Hugo's reasoning. "A lot of art can only be understood by a small number of people. Van Gogh's paintings, for instance — during his lifetime, the world rejected him. It wasn't until after his death that his work was celebrated around the globe. Or take Citizen Kane — countless critics now regard it as one of the greatest films ever made, but back when it was released, audiences didn't like it at all. It lost the Oscar for Best Picture because that year the Academy introduced a popular jury system, and ordinary people just couldn't understand the film. That's why it became one of the biggest regrets in Oscar history."
"So, by your logic," Joseph countered, "works like those wouldn't be worth taking on?"
Hugo paused, realizing he'd been caught off guard. He hadn't thought of that. After all, his time in the film industry was still short, and his understanding of such issues wasn't yet deep enough. "What I mean is," he explained after a moment, "no matter whether a film is commercial or artistic, it ultimately needs recognition from people to stand the test of time, right? Van Gogh's art and Citizen Kane both achieved that, even if it came late. Otherwise, they would've been buried by history like countless other forgotten works. So maybe when we look at a script, the first thing we should ask is whether we like it not whether it's commercial or artistic."
He paused again and added thoughtfully, "As for everything else, let time decide. Maybe one day, we'll figure it out — figure out what kind of actor I truly want to be."
It was a question as big as asking, "What's the purpose of your life?" Some people spend their entire lives without finding that answer — they just live for the sake of living. Many actors are the same way: acting to survive, to be famous, to hear the applause, to enjoy the spotlight. They never stop to wonder whether they'll be remembered for eternity or simply entertain others — they just act.
So for Hugo, at twenty-five, not knowing the answer yet was perfectly normal. "I just hope that one day in the future, I'll figure it out," he said quietly. The world of art is full of uncertainty, a never-ending journey where no one knows if they'll ever reach the end — or what they'll find if they do.
Joseph chuckled at Hugo's unusually mature tone. He realized the question had been a bit too heavy. "Then let's start with something simpler," he said with a grin. "Our short-term goal: to make you into an actor with enough leverage, enough influence, and enough control over your own career."
"Great idea!" Hugo said enthusiastically, nodding. "So then — when's the audition for Sleepless in Seattle?"
"Tomorrow at lunch," Joseph replied simply. Come to think of it, Sleepless in Seattle really was an important opportunity. Even with Hugo's recent setbacks, Nora Ephron was still willing to give him a second chance — that alone was rare. Maybe, if he seized it, the future might look different. Joseph's mood gradually settled into quiet optimism.
Then, out of nowhere, Joseph asked, "Are you sure you don't want to stop by the supermarket first?"
"For what?" Hugo blinked, confused.
"Diapers," Joseph said with a perfectly straight face.
....
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