Two Plans (3)
In front of a studio building in Hollywood.
"Heh."
A man stood there with a triumphant look on his face. His name was Frederic Patterson. Occupation: Actor. Age: 27.
A few years ago, a critic had dismissed him as "an actor who will vanish as soon as his fluke run on a hit sitcom ends," but he had stubbornly survived in the hyper-competitive jungle of Hollywood. He had carved out a niche as a so-called "premium supporting actor."
"Making it this far in Hollywood is plenty impressive on its own."
And this time was no exception. He had actually been cast in a supporting role in Echos of a Family, a film produced by none other than Tom Cruise. And he got the part directly, without even having to audition! Frederic felt a swell of pride, realizing his status in the industry had risen considerably.
I'll use this opportunity to catch Tom's eye and get cast in his future starring vehicles! I'll build my network, prove my talent, and eventually get cast as the next lead in Mission: Impossible...!
It was only natural for Frederic to indulge in such wild fantasies. Hollywood was currently standing at a crossroads of change. The year 2000, the turn of the millennium, was just around the corner. The generation of actors who had dominated the '80s and '90s were aging and gradually scaling back their activities. Mickey Rourke, an actor from that very era and Frederic's "friend," had told him so himself. He said a generational shift was slowly taking place, driven by the changing times and the actors' own choices.
With all those vacancies opening up, surely there's a spot for me, right?
Frederic had reaffirmed his dreams through his appearance on the show Sion Lee Takes You Out. Looking back, it was Olga Asimov, who was practically his mentor, who had made that happen. His life in Hollywood had been fraught with hardships. When he started making big money at a relatively young age, his parents bickered constantly over who would manage his finances, ultimately leading to their divorce. He had to fend off the hyenas who invited him to countless parties, eager to drag him down into corruption. He had even caused a minor scandal of his own for a brief period.
But in the end, he had to admit it.
Those words from Olga had reminded him of why he kept acting.
What I, Frederic Patterson, truly want is...
An expensive sports car, a sprawling mansion, and a passionate romance with a gorgeous blonde! A "troublesome" daily life where his every move is broadcast to the world!
...Wait, that's literally Sion Lee.
Frederic realized this with a sudden jolt.
He really is a monster.
He heard Sion had landed the lead role in this movie without even auditioning. On top of that, his co-star was the Hollywood legend, Jack Nicholson.
Rumor has it they're aiming for the Academy Awards with this film...
It was almost terrifying because it felt like they might actually win. But if they did, it meant he would be a supporting actor in an Oscar-winning film.
Let's do our best, Fred.
Recalling his real nickname, which no one ever called him, Frederic walked into the conference room where the table read was to take place. An assistant director near the door guided him to his assigned seat. Having done this countless times, he wasn't particularly nervous. As he sat down, he greeted the fellow actor who had arrived before him.
"How've you been?"
It was Susan Hopkins.
"...Ah, Frederic. You're in this too."
They say where you stand changes how you think. Along with Chelsea and Dominic, the four leads of The College Player had once promised eternal friendship, but as their respective careers progressed, they naturally drifted apart. Chelsea had developed an interest in writing and was studying at a university, and once she—the one who had always kept them connected—became busy, they stopped gathering as often.
"Yeah, well, I do know a thing or two about playing the guitar."
One of the key requirements for casting in this film was the ability to play an instrument. Frederic had practiced the guitar since childhood, and Susan knew how to play a bit of bass. Many actors often landed roles thanks to unexpected skills like these.
"We got lucky. Heh."
"Won't they just use body doubles for the actual playing anyway?"
"...Probably?"
Frederic smacked his lips, slightly disappointed. Meanwhile, the actress playing the nursing home nurse sat down across from Frederic and Susan. It was Kate Winslet, who had shot to superstardom as Rose in Titanic.
"Hello."
"Oh...!"
"Oh, hello! I absolutely loved Titanic!"
Facing the lead actress of a legendary film that had grossed over two billion dollars worldwide, Frederic and Susan couldn't help but stare wide-eyed. Feeling a bit self-conscious under their intense gaze, Kate offered a polite, awkward smile and a brief greeting.
"Thank you. I look forward to working with you on this shoot."
Since Titanic, she had deliberately chosen smaller roles to avoid being typecast. In this film, she was playing a single-mother nurse who acts as a bridge between the protagonist and his father, aiming to broaden her acting range as much as possible.
While the supporting actors were exchanging greetings, a sudden hush fell over the room. The three central figures of the film were entering together: Sion Lee, who played the lead role of Dan; Jack Nicholson, who played Bob; and finally, the producer, Tom Cruise.
Whoa...
Incredible.
The three of them seemed to embody the past, present, and future of Hollywood. Their sheer presence alone felt like it elevated the prestige of the film by several notches.
...And seeing Sion standing confidently between the two legendary figures, Frederic inexplicably felt the urge to run over and fetch him a drink.
"Hmph... I guess this is my spot."
Jack Nicholson, looking as grumpy as any old man who was annoyed simply by the fact of being alive, sat down first.
"Ah, hello."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Frederic Patterson! It's an honor to work with you!"
"Sure."
Jack replied gruffly, picking up his script. Everyone was walking on eggshells around the legendary actor, but the tension eased slightly when Sion Lee, after exchanging a few more words with Tom Cruise, took his seat.
"Why so grumpy, Jack?"
"What do you mean? I'm the same as always."
"Come on, when you scowl like that, you make everyone uncomfortable."
"Should I smile then? Bwahaha!"
...That was actually scarier. While everyone sat in tense silence, having heard various rumors about his temperament, Jack Nicholson casually pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it. Under a somewhat solemn atmosphere, the table read began.
Instantly, the atmosphere shifted.
"D-damn it..."
Jack Nicholson let out a groan, his tone completely different from a moment ago. Even without any music, everyone felt a solemn weight, as if they were listening to a melancholy classical piece. It was so vivid that they began to visualize the movie in their minds.
Bob, who has been laid off from the newspaper, struggles with household chores he used to take for granted.
"Ugh... why is this in here?"
He had poured bleach into the washing machine and was momentarily flustered. It was a crucial scene signaling the gradual deterioration of his brain, yet to others, it would merely look like the clumsy mistake of a man who had done nothing but work his entire life.
As that monologue-like moment passed, Sion, sitting next to him, narrowed his eyes.
"...Yes, ah. Like this?"
His speech pattern, breathing, and tone transformed in an instant. He slurred the ends of his sentences slightly, but placed precise emphasis on the key words to ensure clarity. Most impressive of all was his facial acting. He furrowed his brow slightly as if nearsighted, and even adjusted his glasses in response to his boss's feedback. Everything was flawless.
He really is insane.
Frederic, sitting in a spot with a direct view of him, couldn't help but marvel. To transform so stably into "another person" while jutting his neck forward slightly to mimic a slouch—Sion, delivering such a performance without any sets, costumes, or makeup, felt like some kind of acting machine.
There was absolutely nothing to criticize in his emotional delivery, and the chemistry that unfolded as he played off Jack Nicholson clearly showed the direction this film would take.
The father's first words upon seeing his son, who had returned home after several years, were as follows:
"...You're back."
"Yeah. How've you been?"
"Bored out of my mind. What about dinner?"
"I already ate."
"Must be making good money, eating out all the time."
"..."
The son doesn't answer. The stubborn, old-fashioned father finds that displeasing. But that wasn't all. Not just his father, but this entire small town reminded the son of a faded, exhausting past. Yet, that didn't mean he preferred the city. The son was an outsider who belonged nowhere, accustomed to keeping himself hidden. After all, if you don't expect anything, you can't be disappointed.
Dan, who seemed to embody the despair felt by the younger generation of modern times. And Bob, who had failed to understand his son and crushed his dreams, only to finally regret it. It was a story of the two slowly reconciling, leading Dan to eventually face his past.
As they neared the end of the script, the atmosphere in the room gradually softened. The stubborn father was only able to speak his true feelings after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and the son, while caring for his father, found the strength to sing of the dreams he had left behind when he fled his past.
"Man, we were awesome back then. You and me, talking about starting a band and leaving this town."
Meeting friends from the past.
"Things aren't so bad now. I'm working part-time at a gas station, but I've got the joy of having a baby. You'll never know what it's like—the sheer happiness of bringing a new version of yourself, who looks just like you, into this world."
Hearing stories from them that he had never known.
"What? Haha, that sounds like fun!"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's give it a shot!"
Forming a band with them.
"...What? Me?"
And the keyboardist spot, left vacant by a friend who had passed away from an overdose, was taken by the single-mother nurse. Music played by people who all once had dreams but failed to achieve them. The performance scenes, which began as a charity concert at the nursing home, were glossed over with simple descriptions for now.
Perhaps because the lead actors' performances were so overwhelming, the mere imagination of the scenes warmed the hearts of the cast, even before filming had begun. Reflecting on the messages of connection between past and present, healing, and reconciliation through a rehearsal composed entirely of acting and dialogue, the young actors smiled, eager to start filming as soon as possible.
And so, the table read came to an end.
"This is absolutely incredible. It's exactly the kind of story the Academy loves."
"Since it's a music film, as long as the soundtrack is good, it should have decent commercial appeal too."
"It has a bit of a Kramer vs. Kramer or Smoke vibe."
While the supporting actors shared their thoughts, Sion slowly eased himself out of the emotional depth of the epilogue. He turned to Jack, who was sitting right next to him, and smiled.
"I think I need to study this a bit more."
"...It does feel a bit subtle."
"Maybe it's because I don't have a father."
"Hmph. Well, I was never a good father myself."
Unlike the others, who felt they were completely ready to shoot, the two leads believed they still needed to delve deeper into their characters.
What exactly is a "father"? Sion had been pondering this throughout his reading of the script. In his memory, his father was nothing more than a very faint image. He was only slightly taller than his mother but had a sturdy build, reaching out with thick arms to lift a toddler-aged Sion onto his shoulders. He spoke in a deep, gentle, slow voice, occasionally mixing in Korean. He was a kind and good "man," but he always seemed exhausted. The days he spent doing nothing but sleeping grew more frequent... The clearest memory Sion had was of playing with his toys while casting anxious glances at his father, who lay slumped awkwardly on the sofa.
"..."
Inside his house. On the sofa. Sion felt himself struggling to properly process the emotions of that memory. Of course, he could mimic it. He was a person with ordinary human emotions, after all. He could simply act by channeling the "son" archetype he had seen in countless movies and media. As Jack Nicholson had said, acting was a job, and therefore, it could be covered by "technique." Having trained for decades across his past and present lives, Sion was now highly proficient at acting without becoming emotionally entangled. It didn't mean he used no emotion at all, but rather that he could cleanly separate his real self from the character on screen.
But for some reason, he didn't want to do that for this role.
And I don't think I even could.
Sion walked over to the photograph of his parents, which he kept displayed almost like a sacred symbol. Come to think of it, the setup was a bit strange. Only three trophies sat lonely around the picture frame. While he had placed them there to show off to his parents, he realized... perhaps he could display things that the "human" Sion Lee liked, rather than just the "actor" Sion Lee.
But then again...
It's hard to picture.
Who was the human Sion Lee outside of acting, and what did he like? At least recently, he had become a bit more in touch with his own feelings.
This is probably Elena's influence.
Sitting together with her to read books... and after finishing, pretending he had read it while spouting absolute nonsense. Elena, listening with a deadpan face, would eventually burst into laughter at Sion's passionately delivered lies.
Ah, right.
Sion chuckled softly and stepped into his room for a moment. He stood in front of the display cabinet showcasing the major milestones of his career, which Chloe likely organized during her occasional visits. He pulled out a magazine from the middle shelf and scurried back to his parents' photo like a child eager to show off.
It was a copy of Time magazine, featuring a photo of himself and Elena.
Sion placed it next to his parents' frame and spoke.
"Dad, how did you and Mom meet?"
There was no answer, but he continued the performance on his own.
"Really? You just showed up out of nowhere and acted pitiful? You said to appeal to a woman's maternal instincts if I want to win her over?!"
...No, that couldn't be it.
"Did you meet normally at church? No, that's weird. There's no way Mom would go to a Korean church... Well, she did say she grew up without a family, so maybe it's not entirely impossible. A Korean-American and a French-American suddenly meeting, falling in love, and getting married in LA thirty years ago? ...Seriously, how on earth did you two meet?"
Continuing his monologue, Sion slowly immersed himself in the emotions of an adult standing before his parents. Recalling his past in this way, he prepared to truly lose himself in the upcoming project.