This Year's Winners (3)

April 3, 1998. Venice was a city where you felt the vibrations before anything else. Here, the ripples of trembling water, the low rumble of boat engines, and the chatter of people became so faint that they felt less like sounds registered by the ear and more like physical reverberations absorbed directly by the body.

Sounds bouncing between the narrow alleyways shattered into tiny fragments like breaking waves. Sitting at an outdoor café with a cup of coffee, those fragmented noises echoed faintly in the ears of tourists, sounding like a miniature fairy orchestra.

Along with this peculiar auditory sensation, the visual atmosphere was equally extraordinary. The historic buildings, familiar to so many through various media, wore the city's history on their sleeves. It felt as though simply capturing them beautifully on camera would be a license to print money.

In this very place, where one might expect a plump, mustachioed café owner to step out and cheerily call out, "Buongiorno!" a group of incredibly "Bad" guys had just disembarked. They were Americans. And among them, the most notorious breed of all: a Hollywood film crew.

Film crews tasked with hauling heavy equipment naturally had to be built like brick outhouses. In the not-too-distant past, this trend was absolute. Though things had changed slightly nowadays, bringing in gentler, more academic filmmakers like Daniel Summit, they were no less dangerous in their own right.

After all, these were the kind of eccentrics who would mumble to themselves while walking, suddenly stare at a wall, and mutter, "Heh, this is the alley from Don't Look Now. Hehehe," shuddering as if marking their territory.

While Venice was thus placed in "danger," a tall, strikingly handsome young man arrived at his destination in style aboard a water taxi.

"Ah! Money really is the best!"

In truth, this man was the most dangerous of them all. Hollywood's "Broken Prince," Sion Lee. Following his Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, the media had slowly begun crowning him the new king of Hollywood. However, the remarkably "humble" actor himself was currently arguing that he didn't want to be lumped in with "those old geezers," claiming it was far cooler to remain a prince who was simply more badass than any king.

As the cocky young man stepped off the boat wearing sunglasses and a long coat, a few men came forward to greet him.

"You're here."

"Hey, Director. I'm in your hands for this one too."

Beside the director, a man in a padded jacket offered a warm smile and extended his hand.

"Well, look at this... You really look like an Italian prince."

Sion looked at him, feeling a slight swell of excitement in his chest.

"I won't let you regret casting me."

"And confident, too! Haha! That's a rare attitude among kids these days. Don't you think, Tony?"

"Absolutely. He's a great kid."

Joe Pesci. A veteran actor who had played numerous gritty, macho criminal characters in Hollywood from the 1980s onward. To put it accurately, he was several hundred levels above the past-life Sion Lee, whose ruined face had restricted him to playing third-rate thugs.

...Of course, because of his role in the Christmas blockbuster Home Alone, quite a few people still remembered him as "Ah, that short thief!"

His casting was a direct testament to the massive success of the first film, which had unlocked a far larger budget for this European-set sequel.

Plus, Jodie is going to be an active partner in the field this time.

Sion felt a deep sense of anticipation for the shoot ahead.

The film was scheduled to open with a powerful introduction of Joe Pesci, a master of character acting, before immediately diving into a flashback.

It was a classic sequel trope. To maximize the opening shock value as the director intended, Sion entered the set with his entire body wrapped in bandages.

The studio was located on Giudecca Island, about a five-minute ride by water bus from Venice proper. The two actors sat inside a "weapons dealer's hideout" built within a converted abandoned factory.

"Alright. Let's relax and take it easy."

While the success of the first film had generated immense hype, it also brought heavy pressure. Yet, looking at the man sitting in the center of the set, everyone quickly forgot their anxieties.

"This is a lot harder to move in than I thought."

"It's for your character's injuries. Just do what you can. Don't overdo it."

Just before the cameras rolled, Joe Pesci felt a strange energy radiating from Sion.

So, what they say is true.

Like the distinct scent of the sea breeze wafting through Venice, this "young king" possessed it too. A true actor's "aura."

Having spent decades in this industry, Joe had eventually come to believe in such intangible things. And the moment the cameras started rolling, that aura began to creep across the entire set.

"Sigh..."

Alex forced his battered body onto a worn-out sofa with exposed springs. Esposito, the weapons dealer, took a drag from his cigarette, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"I'm pretty sure I told you I'd kill you if you ever showed your face here again."

"You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠did. But if I hadn't come here, I'd be dead anyway. Argh... God, that hurts. Seriously."

As the meticulous details of the character and setting bled into the performance, Joe, a seasoned veteran of the noir genre, didn't miss a beat.

"A bullet or two won't kill you. For now, try sitting at an angle."

"Huh? Oh... That actually helps. You get shot a lot?"

"Just like a chef eats food and a soccer player kicks a ball, a weapons dealer's gotta take a few bullets."

"Heh, literally putting your life on the line for the job."

"You're no different, mercenary. ...So, how did you end up like this?"

"I've got the Russian mob on my tail. Those bastards are relentlessly persistent."

The actors built up the scene through spontaneous banter. It wasn't exactly what was written in the script, but combined with their vocal delivery and physical acting, it felt infinitely more natural.

As the entire crew watched, utterly spellbound by the exchange, Tony smirked.

As expected, Sion shines brightest when he's given complete freedom.

His direction during rehearsals had been simple: "Use as much film as you need. Say whatever you want. I'll handle the timing." In other words, he wanted them to act with absolute freedom.

Giving a thumbs-up to those words, the moment the cameras rolled, Sion and the legendary veteran opposite him began crafting what felt like a standalone noir masterpiece.

Infusing the established action with deep themes of brotherhood and betrayal, Bad Contract 2 set sail to take the world by storm once again.

"..."

Elena Asimov was feeling slightly anxious. Currently filming Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, she was staying at a hotel near Pinewood Studios in England rather than in the United States.

Because of this, staying in touch with the person she wanted to talk to was no easy task. They had to coordinate their schedules and agree on an exact time to call.

Since both of them were incredibly busy, they would usually just let it slide if their schedules clashed. Today, however, she found herself waiting with bated breath...

"Miss Asimov, you have a call."

"Ah, yes."

Fortunately, the call had just come through. Elena picked up the receiver, and a welcome voice echoed in her ear.

Elena's voice was dripping with worry. Since they were separated by their respective shoots and couldn't see each other's faces, her anxiety was amplified. A small newspaper article claiming he had fallen from a car had given her a massive shock.

On the other end of the line in Italy, Sion chuckled. He was about to reassure her, but then he decided to tease her instead.

Elena had gotten much faster at catching on to Sion's jokes.

Sion was realizing anew on this sequel's set that an actor didn't just use words and facial expressions; they had to twist and utilize their entire body to express a scene. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠In the first film, which felt like laying the groundwork for an action blockbuster, he had focused more on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠highlighting his image, so he hadn't fully grasped that aspect.

When she first joined the project, Elena had only watched the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV, V, and VI). Since then, following recommendations from Sion and Lucasfilm staff, she had devoured numerous other sci-fi films and novels that had inspired the universe. Thanks to that, her understanding of her role and the project had deepened significantly.

Sion chuckled at Elena, who had completely immersed herself in the Star Wars universe. Elena tilted her head in confusion at his cryptic response, then remembered something and continued.

Swallowing her final, unspoken thought—I miss you—Elena hung up the phone.

Two weeks later, photos of the two actors enjoying a date in Hollywood made headlines.

Many gasped upon seeing the photos of the two holding hands as they boarded a boat. Although sensationalized articles claiming they were "dating," "maybe dating," or "definitely dating" had circulated whenever a photo of them together surfaced, this was the first time they had been caught on such an intimate date since the days of Fragment of You.

In an instant, the public's lingering question marks were replaced with exclamation points.

"I told you! I knew they were dating!"

"Wow, they really do look perfect together."

"Sion...! If it's Elena, I'm willing to let you go!"

As reactions poured in from all corners, MTV, which was busy preparing the broadcast program Sion would host upon his return, did not miss this cultural wave. They immediately proposed an additional format:

When Sion received this proposal through Charlie, his reaction was highly favorable.

This could be fun.

This setup opened the door to some incredibly fascinating combinations. He could invite Elena and her mother, Olga, together. Or pair Leonardo DiCaprio with Jack Nicholson.

The possibilities are endless.

Moving away from a standard, guest-centric talk show, they could ask intriguing questions about each other's works. This would naturally allow the audience to see different, multifaceted sides of the actors.

Furthermore, if someone like "Paprika" (Frederic Patterson) were to appear alone, his star power might feel a bit lacking, but this format would easily compensate for that.

"It sounds interesting, but is the budget okay?"

"They told me not to worry about that. MTV said they want to stick with you for life."

"Then I'll have to make sure I don't disappoint."

Chuckle, Sion continued his shoot while narrowing down potential candidates in his head.

Returning to the United States via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after two months, Sion took a night to rest at home. The very next day, he headed to the MTV studios to attend a production meeting for the show, which was wrapping up its pre-production phase.

"We're leaning toward naming the program Sion Lee Takes You Out."

"Whoa, that sounds a bit grand. A show with my name right in the title?"

"Your name carries enough weight to balance the dynamic between rising stars and established legends, Sion. Plus, you're incredibly well-spoken, so we have high expectations."

The producer, responding knowingly to Sion's playful modesty, went on to explain the format once more.

"Basically, we want to start by having the two guests present a scenario. They won't pitch anything completely out of left field; we'll coordinate beforehand to design a talk-variety show that highlights their careers and public images. At this point, we'd love to hear your thoughts..."

The producer slid a piece of paper with several names written on it toward Sion.

"This is the list of actors who have tentatively agreed to film. If it were up to you, what kind of combinations would you like to bring to life?"

"Hmm, let's see."

The younger lineup included Elena Asimov, Susan Hopkins, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, and Frederic Patterson, who had barely squeaked onto the list. The name of Tom Cruise, currently at the absolute peak of his stardom, was absent... but he saw names like Olga Asimov, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jack Nicholson.

Searching for the perfect chemistry among them in his mind, Sion reached a conclusion. Instead of blurting it out, he laid out his reasoning step-by-step.

"Producer, you want this show to have a real pop, right?"

"...That's what we're aiming for. Especially since we have your 'Broken Prince' image to work with."

"Let's start with this. First, we'll bring in Elena. Having her as the first guest will capitalize on the viral buzz surrounding the two of us right now, which should guarantee great ratings for the premiere... though I suspect Elena might curse me out for this."

The next card Sion laid on the table was none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Uh..."

The producer blinked.

"...What?"

He couldn't yet grasp the sheer ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠brilliance of pairing an 80s muscle action icon with a Russian cold princess.