Chapter 35 - 035 Meet Al for the first time

Hugo tilted his head and looked around carefully, only then realizing that he was standing in the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel. This five-star hotel, located on Park Avenue near 49th Street in Manhattan, New York, was one of the most luxurious and famous hotels in the world.Because of its top-tier hotel service, the Waldorf Astoria Hotel was the first choice for heads of state and top aristocrats from around the world when arriving in New York. The floors below the 28th were standard rooms, with rates ranging from $500 to $1,300 per night, suitable for ordinary people who wanted to enjoy top-notch luxury service. The 28th to 42nd floors were luxury suites; not only did many dignitaries and billionaires stay there, but many even established "permanent residences," staying there whenever they arrived in New York.Hugo hadn't expected that for his first film, he would actually be staying at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The contrast with his previous life of wandering was just too great. It was no wonder so many people dreamed of being stars; perhaps it was because everything seemed to come so easily—at least, that's how it appeared:You could earn $500,000 for taking on a film, but ordinary people didn't see the anxiety and pain of perhaps having no work for a year after shooting one. They appeared on the big screen, portraying the lives of others, but ordinary people didn't know how difficult it was to play a role well or make a good movie. Standing under the spotlight, accepting the cheers and shouts of the whole world, ordinary people forgot that they also had to pay the price of having their private lives made transparent, not to mention how long the road from obscurity to the spotlight was.Hugo didn't know how hard filming would be, nor did he know how much pressure Actors had to bear on their shoulders, let alone the torment of being under the spotlight. But he knew very clearly how hard-won his opportunity was. Not to mention the ten years before his transmigration, the criticism after "hudson hawk" and the "Golden Raspberry Awards" had almost let the opportunity for "scent of a woman" slip through his fingers. Therefore, Hugo would not let himself be carried away by temporary joy. He knew that everything was just beginning."Didn't they say the production budget was tight? How can we still afford to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel?" Hugo and Joseph walked into the hotel lobby side-by-side, guided by a bellhop to the front desk."It's a sponsorship." Joseph replied simply, then said to the front desk, "Joseph Gibbs, Hugo Lancaster." The receptionist immediately nodded with a smile and began to flip through the reservation records. Joseph then turned his head and continued to say to Hugo, "The Waldorf Astoria Hotel is collaborating with the production team. They provide the filming location and accommodation, and the cost is that the hotel's logo will appear in the movie, and it will serve as positive publicity for the hotel."This was actually not hard to understand; it was product placement. Hugo found it quite novel. He had originally thought that product placement was only a convention in the Asian film and television industry, but now it seemed Hollywood was no exception. But thinking about it carefully, weren't the sports cars and cigars that always appeared on time in the "007" movie series also a form of product placement? It was just that Hollywood was more rational and cleverer than Asia; their product placement was more subtle, influencing the audience imperceptibly. For example, whenever people mentioned "James Bond" now, they would think of "Aston Martin" sports cars; that was the logic.Hugo stood where he was, carefully recalling "scent of a woman" that he had watched before his transmigration. The promotion for the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in it was indeed subtle and profound. This made Hugo think of the "Four Seasons Hotel" he visited when auditioning for "a river runs through it." That was the filming location for "pretty woman," and it had also left a deep impression."Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Lancaster, your room is on the 23rd floor." The front desk clerk placed their driver's licenses and room keys on the counter, smiling as he said, "Mark will take your luggage to your room. Here is a message for you: Mr. Martin Brest wants you to go directly to the luxury suite on the 30th floor after you arrive."Joseph put away the documents and keys and nodded casually. Hugo, standing next to him, smiled and said "Thank you," and the two of them left the front desk. "So we're going straight to the 30th floor? We don't need to change clothes?" Hugo looked at his trouser cuffs, which had been dampened by the rain, and his light sneakers, which he had worn for the long flight and were now stained with some dirt. His outfit wasn't a formal suit, just a simple T-shirt and jeans, but other than that, he was fine.Joseph thought for a moment, "Let's go to the 30th floor to say hello first, and then go back to the room." If they went back to the room, time would probably be wasted.As the two talked, they entered the elevator under the escort of a bellhop. Joseph handed the keys to the bellhop, "Take the luggage to the room, and then deliver the keys to the luxury suite on the 30th floor.""No problem, sir." The elegant and polite greeting was like a breath of fresh air.Watching the bellhop leave the elevator on the 23rd floor, Hugo found it all very interesting. He had never stayed in a five-star hotel before—actually, never mind five-star, even a standard star-rated hotel was a luxury for him. So, Hugo couldn't help but sigh that the service at star-rated hotels was indeed different, especially at a world-famous hotel like the Waldorf.But soon, Hugo pulled his attention back and braced himself, because they had arrived at the 30th floor. Walking on the dark red carpet through the hallway filled with a classical atmosphere, they finally stopped at the door of the luxury suite. Joseph rang the doorbell, and the door opened quickly. Martin's smiling face appeared before them, "Hugo, you're here. Welcome to New York City."Martin gave Hugo a hug, which made Hugo's nervous mood relax slightly. "I hope I'm not too late." This was just a polite formality; the production team had notified them that arriving today or tomorrow would be fine, and there was no specific time limit.But Hugo's polite formality was unexpectedly met with a criticism, "You are indeed late." The voice came from the direction of the living room sofa. As Martin stepped aside, Hugo saw Al Pacino right in front of him.Al Pacino was already fifty-two years old this year; the wrinkles on his forehead, the loose skin, and the scruffy stubble vividly displayed the traces left by time. Mentioning Al Pacino, I'm afraid the first image that appeared in most people's minds was Michael Corleone in "The Godfather." In the first and second parts of this movie, the dashing Al Pacino, handsome and stylish, had captivated countless young women.Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman were both famous short men in the entertainment industry. Dustin was only five feet five inches (1.66 meters), and Al Pacino's height was only five feet seven inches (1.7 meters). Back then, the "The Godfather" production team had argued over Al Pacino's height, believing he couldn't embody the aura of the Mafia, but in the end, Al Pacino proved the correctness of that choice with his actual performance, making Michael Corleone one of the classic characters in film history. Now, standing in front of Hugo, he seemed even smaller, and the contrast was very obvious."You should have arrived in the morning so we could have had more time to rehearse the script. You're late." Although Al Pacino's words had a tone of reproach, his face wore a warm smile, neither intimate nor distant. Then he stepped forward, extended his right hand, and gripped Hugo's hand tightly.Although Al Pacino was much shorter than Hugo, his aura was not weak at all. That calm yet sharp temperament made people unable to help but look twice, not to mention the vigorous grip coming from his calloused palm, allowing Hugo to feel Al Pacino's vigor in his old age in the most direct way.Although when Hugo first saw Al Pacino, he couldn't help but shout "Al Pacino" in his heart, it was already much better than the previous few times he had seen celebrities. Coupled with this sudden, head-on show of power from Al Pacino, it certainly kept Hugo clear-headed."Sorry, my mistake." Hugo didn't make excuses and accepted it immediately, which instantly made Al Pacino's facial lines relax a bit. "I think, other than working harder, there's nothing else I can do. Maybe starting now is a good idea."Originally, Martin had wanted to defend Hugo, but after hearing Hugo's words, his gaze toward Hugo became even more satisfied. The result was that Bo Goldman, who was sitting on the sofa, stood up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's start practicing now. Hugo, you brought your own script, right?"Hugo couldn't help but be stunned, and then he heard Martin's voice, "You two are too anxious. It's raining heavily outside, Hugo just arrived in the city, and there isn't much time left before dinner. Even if you're anxious to rehearse the script, you don't need to care about this hour or two."Hugo really hadn't expected that he would enter rehearsal mode as soon as he arrived, which was why he was stunned. But after reacting, Hugo continued, "No, no, we can start now. Actually, while reading the script, I still had some questions. Maybe during the rehearsal, we can communicate and learn. I think this will be helpful for the official shooting."Al Pacino and Bo Goldman both smiled and nodded in agreement, while Martin, standing on the side, looked helpless. Hugo looked at Joseph beside him, "Joseph, I remember the script is in my carry-on backpack. Could you please help me get it?" Hugo's own script had key points highlighted and notes made, which was very important information for the rehearsal. Hugo knew he lacked experience and strength, so he could only make up for his clumsiness with diligence; otherwise, having only talent was not enough.Joseph hadn't expected things to develop this way either. He nodded and greeted Martin, "I'll go down and get the script." Immediately, he left the luxury suite where they had arrived less than two minutes ago.Hugo, left in the suite, followed Al Pacino to the sofa and sat down. Hugo looked around but didn't find any other Actors, so he couldn't help but feel a little puzzled, "So, it's just us? No one else?"