The Greatest Showman

“Mr. Hall, please get in the car.”

Concise and commanding, with an undeniable authority and determination, it was clear that this was someone used to giving orders from a position of power. However, Renly was not one to enjoy following commands.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr….” Renly paused, seemingly unable to recall the other person’s name, and thus used “Mr.” as a generic title. “My mother told me to never get into a stranger’s car.” After saying this, Renly gave an apologetic smile, nodded slightly, and then continued walking towards the bus.

Nathan was stunned, as he was standing here in a daze, unsure of what to do; Fisher, who was sitting in the car, raised an eyebrow slightly, evidently not expecting such a response from Renly. However, he showed no signs of panic, patting the back of the driver’s seat. The driver released the handbrake, and the car slowly started moving along the road, quickly catching up with Renly. Nathan glanced at the car, then hurriedly jogged to follow, staying a step behind Renly, ready at any moment.

“I thought we were friends, but hearing you refer to me as a stranger truly made me a bit sad.” Fischer moved his seat and sat by the car door, opening it slowly and saying to Renly, “The car is moving along the road slowly, gradually causing the vehicles behind to slow down as well”.

Fischer said these words while carrying a faint smile, but the friendly banter lacked some of the casualness and ease typically found between friends, hinting at a certain agenda. “As a friend, I came to pick you up—first, to spare you the trouble of the journey, and second, hoping that we could finally sit down face-to-face and have a chat. Ever since our last phone call, I’ve been looking for an opportunity, but unfortunately, you’ve spent most of your time outside of the United States.”

With Fischer’s explanation, if Renly refused to get in the car, it would almost seem as if he was the one at fault—as if the reason they hadn’t been able to sit down and talk over the past three months was all because Renly was enjoying himself on the European continent.

Renly showed a little smile at that, unsurprised by Fischer’s behaviour. Anyone capable of breaking through the blockade of the Creative Artists Agency was clearly no easy person to deal with.

Without waiting for Renly’s response, Fischer continued, “Honestly, you are an outstanding actor with an unimaginable future ahead of you. What you are missing now is a top-tier agent. I can guarantee that for any role you want to play, I can secure an audition opportunity for you.” With these simple words, the confidence and assertiveness conveyed through his bold claims made Renly’s steps pause for a moment.

Renly couldn’t help but think of the audition for “Buried.” If he had the management of a top agent, his chances of beating Ryan Reynolds for the role would certainly have greatly increased. That time, Renly was lucky enough to land the role, but what about next time? Perhaps next time, he might face not just Ryan.

Noticing the slight pause in Renly’s movements, Fischer seized the moment to press further, “If you refuse to get in the car, we can continue moving like this all the way.”

From behind, the driver’s curses could be heard, “Are you f***ing kidding me?” An airport is undoubtedly the busiest place in any city, and occupying a lane is absolutely not allowed. Even a slight traffic jam can affect hundreds of thousands of people.

Fischer shrugged with an indifferent look, “I have all day.”

Renly stopped in his tracks and looked back at the long line of cars behind them that had already formed a traffic jam. Quite a few drivers were sticking their heads out of their windows, trying to figure out what was going on. He chuckled, “Looks like you are definitely getting a ticket. I wonder if there will be a court summons as well.” Renly was joking about how Fischer had disrupted public order, and the surveillance cameras had surely captured it. Tickets would be issued based on the license plate.

Fischer maintained his smile, showing no change in expression. He then moved over a spot and extended an invitation. This time, Renly didn’t refuse and got into the car. As he was about to close the door, he noticed Nathan coming up with a relieved expression on his face, as if a huge burden had been lifted from his heart. Nathan flashed a big smile at Renly, then closed the door and sat in the front passenger seat.

After everything was ready, the car started up again and slowly accelerated. Finally, the congested road returned to normal.

“Alright then, what’s the good news? You can tell me now.” Since Fischer had emphasized that the two of them were “friends,” Renly didn’t hold back. He took the initiative and was the first to speak.

Fischer showed a puzzled expression, seemingly not quite understanding what Renly meant by his words. Renly chuckled lightly and said, “I know there must be a piece of good news that emerged recently, otherwise you wouldn’t be here, specifically checking my returning flight and then waiting on the driveway. We both know your time is far more valuable than mine.”

Unlike Renly’s gentlemanly and elegant appearance, these words were straightforward and rather blunt. They not only skipped the pleasantries typical of social occasions but also cast aside the polite facade to directly address the interests at hand. This made Fischer laugh out loud.

“Last week, the Emmy Awards announced this year’s nominations. You have been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, competing against Al Pacino, Jeff Bridges, Ian McKellen, and Michael Sheen,” Fischer said succinctly and directly, not beating around the bush.

This was certainly an unexpected surprise. Although Renly had anticipated that Fischer wouldn’t have come all the way to the airport without a good reason, as the good news he got must carry some weight, he hadn’t expected it to be the Emmys—this far exceeded his expectations.

In the American art field, there are four major top awards: the Tony Awards for theatre, the Grammy Awards for music, the Oscars for film, and the Emmy Awards for television. These four awards are regarded as the highest authorities in their respective fields. Winning any one of these trophies is considered a supreme honour, representing the best of the best in the industry and is the goal that every artist tirelessly strives for.

Because these four awards are all presented by four major academies, they are also collectively referred to as the “Academy Awards.”

Among them, the Emmy Awards are presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the United States and are jointly organized by associations representing the East and West coasts, such as those in New York and Los Angeles. The Emmys are awarded each year specifically to recognize series broadcast on the small screen, with categories including drama series, comedy series, TV movies and miniseries, reality shows, and variety programs. The awards adhere to the principle of “quality first, ratings second,” which has allowed cable networks like HBO, AMC, and Showtime to shine repeatedly at the award ceremonies, effectively driving the development of the television industry.

Compared to the increasingly commercialized Grammys and Oscars, the Emmy Awards have consistently been praised by professionals for their expertise. On the other hand, compared to the increasingly obscure and niche Tony Awards, the Emmy Awards are far more popular, well-regarded, discussed, and followed by the general audience.

This year marks the 62nd year of the Emmy Awards, and it remains as highly anticipated as ever. Drama series such as “Breaking Bad,” “True Blood,” and “Mad Men,” as well as comedies like “The Big Bang Theory,” “Modern Family,” and “30 Rock,” are all highly acclaimed and popular shows.

However, it is in the categories of miniseries and television movies that the stars truly shine this year. In the Outstanding Actor category alone, there are four Oscar-level actors among the nominees.

Among them, Al won the Oscar with “Scent of a Woman,” while Jeff achieved Oscar glory earlier this year with “Crazy Heart.” Ian has been nominated for the Oscars twice with “Gods and Monsters” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” Michael has received three BAFTA nominations for his roles in three different works, including “The Queen.” Each of them is a seasoned actor who has dominated the film industry for decades. Even the youngest, Michael Sheen, is already 41 years old this year. (T/N – BAFTA – British Academy Film Awards)

There are five slots for the Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie category. Besides the four aforementioned actors, there is also… Renly Hall, a fresh-faced newcomer not yet 21 years old, and “The Pacific” is his debut work.

What’s more remarkable is that “Band of Brothers,” hailed as a masterpiece, swept the Emmys back in the day, receiving 19 nominations and winning six awards*. However, it did not receive any nominations in the acting categories. But now, Renly has managed to do it.

Renly will be competing against four top-tier, Oscar-level actors, including Al Pacino, the Al Pacino who has starred in countless classic masterpieces! This… is truly unbelievable! (T/N – Ngl, I am getting hyped!!)

This cannot be said to be unprecedented, but it is definitely without parallel in history. No wonder Fischer travelled thousands of miles to New York in person and came to the airport to greet him, proactively extending an olive branch.

It can be said that after the premiere of “The Pacific,” it experienced a rollercoaster of public opinion and controversy, something that no one had anticipated. Even though Renly’s acting initially received numerous acknowledgements; even though there was endless praise for Renly on the internet; even though the crew of “The Pacific” themselves couldn’t stop singing him praises, this all still seemed like a wild fantasy, that was hard to believe.

Renly had nearly broken through all impossibilities to earn the first Academy Award nomination of his acting career.

A surge of emotions stirred deep inside him, and Renly could clearly feel the exhilaration and excitement coursing through his veins. Compared to the nomination itself, what lay behind the nomination — the affirmation of his acting skills — was what mattered most to him. Regardless of whether, as George and Elizabeth said, he was a talentless mediocre person, at least he had proven that his efforts, his struggles, and his dedication had been recognized. Perhaps he was not a genius, but he still had the potential to become an outstanding actor.

The surge of emotions was a bit difficult to control for a moment. Renly did not hide the surprise in his eyes, but it quickly turned into a smile. He said teasingly, “Wow, I didn’t foresee that answer.” Renly looked at Fischer and slightly raised his chin, “It seems I’ve done my job well, haven’t I?”

Faced with Renly’s confident yet not mocking words, Fischer responded with a smile, “Indeed, not bad.”

…

*List of Band of brothers nominations and awards you can see on this link – https://www.emmys.com/shows/band-brothers

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