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After changing agents and starting over, Charlize Theron's daily routine became a cycle of part-time work, auditions, watching films, and refining her acting.
Whenever she had spare moments, she flipped through the books Henry recommended, supplementing her knowledge where needed—some on psychology, others on actors' psychology and performance techniques.
The latter proved especially useful. After this period of imitation-based practice, coupled with being able to watch her own performances on camera and compare them with what she read in books, Charlize genuinely began to gain insights and understanding.
From an observer's standpoint, Henry could clearly see how quickly Charlize's acting was improving. While she was still far from the level of seasoned actors—let alone Oscar winners—she was no longer embarrassing to watch. There was still a touch of rawness, but the foundation was forming.
Henry, on the other hand, had far more on his plate.
His most important task was, of course, driving Charlize all over the place for auditions.
As long as a production didn't seem obviously shady, Henry would take the future Oscar winner to try for any opportunity that came their way.
Occasionally, they would run into directors or producers who dropped hints. Other times, members of the production team, emboldened by Charlize's beauty, would make suggestive or inappropriate demands under borrowed authority. Henry had to handle these situations tactfully, shielding her from ill intentions.
In truth, sleeping with someone and then refusing to acknowledge it was hardly news in Hollywood. Whether or not these men truly held casting power, once an actress had paid the price, they could always dodge responsibility by claiming someone else offered more.
After suffering such a loss, could a woman really go to the police or take it to court? Forget lawsuits—she couldn't even afford to make a scene. Once her reputation was ruined and she lacked a powerful backer, her career would be over.
This was the harsh reality of actresses' vulnerability and predicament. It was precisely this imbalance that gave Hollywood men their brazen confidence, allowing them to shamelessly impose unspoken rules.
Henry understood these tactics well. Whether the people making advances truly had decision-making power or not, blocking these problems was part of his job—as both Charlize's agent and her boyfriend.
Beyond that, Henry also rented a videotape every day to use as teaching material for Charlize. He doubled as cameraman and instructor, guiding her acting in front of the lens and reviewing the recorded footage together afterward.
This work took up the most time, but it was relatively straightforward: staying in Henry's apartment, watching films, imitating performances, reviewing footage, and dissecting acting choices.
However, as an agent with no resources, Henry could only compensate with diligence—frequently visiting the Screen Actors Guild to check postings from productions openly recruiting actors.
Sometimes, before even securing an audition, Henry would proactively approach these film crews himself.
The big-budget productions from the major studios were far beyond the reach of an entry-level agent like him. The only ones he could access were underfunded, understaffed independent film crews, or B-movies intended for direct-to-video release.
Approaching these small productions early had its advantages. Aside from assessing their reliability, Henry could occasionally offer pointers when they ran into trouble.
After all, he'd been in Los Angeles for several years and had spent nearly half a year navigating Hollywood. He knew enough of the industry's inner workings to guide newcomers who were still clueless.
With these small favors, Henry managed to secure quite a few audition opportunities for Charlize—though not many ultimately led to success.
Still, thanks to Charlize Theron's natural qualities and Henry's relentless support, she soon landed roles as an extra. Even without lines, she was finally appearing on camera.
To be honest, because of Henry's strong involvement, Charlize's trajectory at this stage had already diverged from what he remembered from his previous life.
Her first on-screen film was no longer the direct-to-video B-grade horror Children of the Corn III, but another equally obscure B-movie whose release was still uncertain.
Auditions came regularly—at least once every couple of weeks—and about once every one or two weeks, she'd get an on-camera role. Even if it lasted only a day or two, and even if it was just as an extra, she was finally serving as background presence in other people's films.
For someone just entering the industry, this progress was nothing short of a ray of light cutting through the fog. It gave Charlize a glimpse of a path toward success.
No matter what, it was far better than under her former agent, John Crosby. With him, Charlize could only shoot modeling photos and never once appeared in a film.
Though John had once lent a helping hand when she was most desperate—something she still felt grateful for—his ulterior motives were equally impossible to forgive.
Still, Henry knew all too well that the real breakthrough lay between background roles and speaking roles. That leap—from zero to one—was the true barrier. He himself had never crossed it, so how was he supposed to help Charlize move forward?
Late at night, gently easing away from the sleeping girl beside him, Henry dressed quietly and headed to the dockside warehouse to put the finishing touches on his underwater server project.
This massive contraption had to be completed and lowered into the sea before the short-term warehouse lease expired. There wasn't much time left. As he worked, Henry continued to think.
After three months of adjustment, he had to admit something honestly: as an agent, he was not qualified.
As an acting coach, with the support of cameras and equipment, he was passable. But being an agent required connections and resources. It was about networks, access, and—above all—information.
An agent had to be sharp-tongued, capable of fighting for opportunities and negotiating pay, but more importantly, they needed to know things before others did.
Hollywood produced around seven hundred films a year. Setting aside the major studios and big productions, less than half—perhaps far less—of those opportunities ever made it to the Screen Actors Guild listings.
And frankly, the projects that did reach the Guild were usually the scraps. The good ones were carved up early and never trickled down to public casting calls.
Those truly in the know were the major talent agencies and agents who already represented stars.
As for "finding hidden gems"? That wasn't easy in Hollywood at all. At least so far, Henry hadn't encountered a single script that matched his memories of future box-office hits or standout projects.
Even if he wanted to act proactively, he first needed to know who held the rights to a project before he could push in the right direction.
In the end, it all came down to a lack of resources and poor access to information.
As an agent, Henry could afford to slowly build connections and expand his sources. But an actress—especially one with a limited window of youth—didn't have that luxury.
While there were cases of late-blooming actresses who rose through exceptional acting skills and accumulated experience, their ceiling was usually limited.
And that limitation didn't just apply to awards—it applied to income as well.
Moreover, during those years of grinding experience, how much effort did it take just to survive in Hollywood without succumbing to temptation or falling into moral compromise?
The actresses who truly reached the top almost always shone brilliantly during their most beautiful youth.
They didn't need to "grind" their acting skills first. Just standing on the big screen was enough to captivate countless viewers, giving them a chance to achieve both fame and fortune.
Through their time together, Henry had come to understand Charlize Theron well. She wasn't someone who loved acting with burning passion—though she did care about it. She simply believed she had talent and potential in this field, and so she worked hard at it.
What Charlize truly longed for was to escape poverty and to preserve what little dignity actresses were allowed in the eyes of powerful men. She had chosen a path far harsher and more difficult for women.
If he didn't want Charlize Theron to waste away under his guidance, then it was time to resort to tactics outside the standard playbook.
That was what Henry thought.
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