Behind The Spotlight Chapter 109
When the filming had a one-hour break, Collin and Arnold decided to check on their respective clients instead of just standing around the set doing nothing.
Lawrence and Jolyne had different trailers where they could relax between takes, each decorated according to their personal tastes. Lawrence's trailer door was open, and Collin stepped inside after calling out his name.
"Lawrence, it's me."
"Collin! I saw you earlier, but I've been quite busy with filming. How's your day?"
"I should be the one asking you that."
The two laughed, their conversation carrying the easy familiarity of long-time acquaintances. There was another person in the trailer aside from Lawrence and Collin.
"Ahhm."
Lawrence accepted another bite of food from his feeder.
Yes, Lawrence had a personal feeder who gave him food during breaks, a quirky but surprisingly efficient arrangement that let him save time and avoid dirtying his hands.
In fact, Lawrence had added a clause to his contract stating that his personal feeder would be paid $5,000 for the project, regardless of the actual number of days worked. The production crew had agreed without much argument, given Lawrence's current star power and box office appeal.
So now, while chatting with Collin, Lawrence was eating bite-sized pieces of steak served on a porcelain plate, because, of course, he refused to eat from disposable containers. Celebrities certainly had unique ideas, and Lawrence was no exception, often pushing the boundaries of what a contract could include.
"Wyatt and I talked a week ago," Lawrence said after swallowing his food.
Collin had previously told Lawrence he could help his girlfriend, Zara Lauren, audition for Wyatt's current project. Thanks to Collin, Zara automatically advanced to the third round of auditions.
However, Lawrence felt that wasn't enough and decided to personally speak with Wyatt.
"Wyatt agreed to cast Zara, but he has one condition: he wants me to cameo in the Frightening Movie."
"That seems cool." Collin thought about it and concluded it was a win-win situation. Zara got her role, and Lawrence's appearance would boost the movie's ticket sales.
"Do you want me to negotiate a salary for your cameo?" Collin asked curiously.
"You don't have to. As long as they cast Zara, I'm fine doing it for free. But I want you to help me form a contract. I can only work on their project for one day, anything more than that will affect my schedule."
"I understand." Collin agreed, though he felt a little disappointed that Lawrence wasn't interested in asking for payment, it could have been an easy win.
Then again, Henry would probably be upset if they asked for money for such a short cameo when Zara was already getting a major opportunity.
"So, what's your cameo about?"
"I'm in the first part of the movie as one of the cool kids attacked by the killer, but I beat the killer instead."
"That's great to hear. It'd be a problem if your cameo involved dying. That might affect your image as a box office king."
"Box office king?" Lawrence repeated, a bit confused but intrigued by the unexpected title.
"Yeah, that's how the media's been portraying you lately," Collin explained.
"Box office king, huh. I like that." Lawrence smiled, only for his feeder to offer him another bite of steak. He chewed slowly, savoring both the flavor and the new nickname.
"By the way, what's going on between you and Jolyne? You guys were fine during rehearsals, right?" Collin asked curiously.
"Hah." Lawrence scoffed. His feeder handed him a cold soda with a straw, which fizzed as he took a long sip.
"That bitch is arrogant. Can you believe she said her salary is bigger than mine because she's better than me?" Lawrence's eyes flashed with irritation as he gritted his teeth.
"I see..." Collin decided not to push the topic, further discussion would only lead to unnecessary drama.
Collin had been shocked earlier when he first saw Jolyne Robs act, one of Hollywood's most famous actresses, and realized she had no actual talent for acting.
Yes, Jolyne Robs had no talent. There were no words floating above her head, but when Collin saw her performance earlier, he had been captivated enough to question his own judgment.
'Does it mean Jolyne Robs' situation is more about endless practice and experience?' Collin wondered.
He had seen actors without natural talent succeed in Hollywood through persistence, training, and the right roles falling into their laps.
'Maybe Jolyne's success relied on Arnold's talent as an agent. Arnold has an amazing network in Hollywood and knows exactly which doors to knock on. Arnold is also a shameless person.' Collin wasn't sure.
"I admit Jolyne has a strict work ethic. She takes acting seriously and remembers all the lines in the script, even my lines. She's hardworking to the point it sometimes surprises me," Lawrence muttered weakly.
"Hey, Collin, is it true Jolyne sucked the director's cock in her debut film to get the role?" Lawrence whispered, making sure his feeder couldn't hear. That rumor had been circulating for many years.
Collin shook his head and sighed.
"Lawrence, you probably haven't heard this, but Gorgeous Lady was Jolyne's debut film. She worked as an extra in TV shows before that, but Gorgeous Lady was her first movie and she was the lead actress."
"Really?" Lawrence was surprised.
He thought about it and couldn't recall anything suspicious between Director Nelson and Jolyne. That meant the rumors about her sleeping with the director were baseless, just another unfounded Hollywood story.
'That was disappointing,' Lawrence sighed.
"Also, you know I'm friends with Jolyne's agent. Arnold isn't the type to agree to that kind of transaction. He protects his clients very seriously."
"I see... I'm sorry for what I said. I shouldn't have said that." Lawrence admitted, lowering his voice in remorse.
"I know you don't like Jolyne, but don't spread bad rumors about her. We don't want a lawsuit."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Even though Lawrence had grown more arrogant over time and indulged in certain luxuries, he still knew his limits.
He also respected Collin. After all, Collin was the one who believed in him back when he was just another struggling actor. Collin had been his first supporter when the world was against him.
Lawrence had no reason to destroy his career. He loved his job, especially when it came with high earnings and the perks of fame.
"Well then, I'm going to head back to ANT to form a contract with the production team of the Frightening Movie for your cameo."
"Take care."
"You too."
Collin left Lawrence's trailer and found Arnold waiting for him. Judging by Arnold's furrowed brow and tight jawline, his conversation with Jolyne hadn't gone well.
Collin glanced toward Jolyne's trailer and saw two cleaners. One knocking on her door, asking her to open up so they could clean, while the other stood next to a huge garbage bin, sorting through trash with gloved hands.
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[Only one chapter today. Also, thanks for the support.]