Bad Boys on Set (2)
Slam!
Suddenly, someone kicked the door open and stormed into the office.
The startled employees looked up, but upon seeing the fuming young man, they immediately went back to work. It was a clear sign that this kind of thing had been happening quite frequently lately.
The young man marched straight to the CEO's office, threw the door open, and barged in.
"What the hell is going on?!"
A loud shout followed.
The CEO, who was in the middle of working, slowly raised his head, looked at Frederic Patterson, and let out a heavy sigh.
"What is it this time?"
"Do you have any idea what I just went through?! I got drenched on set! Drenched!"
"I heard. Didn't you get caught smoking on set again?"
"They didn't even start shooting even though everyone was gathered!"
"You're not a child. You could have just waited a bit."
"I didn't come here to talk about that! I'm telling you, water was suddenly dumped all over my face! Your actor was completely humiliated on set, and you don't feel anything?!"
"...Right. It is a serious issue."
Frowning, the CEO pointed toward the sofa, gesturing for him to sit.
"What happened? I heard Sion Lee did it."
"That motherfucker..."
Frederic grimaced as he recalled the memory.
John Logan, the head of the agency dealing with him, thought to himself: Babying these brats is no easy task.
But right now, that brat was bringing in a massive amount of money. Therefore, humoring him to some extent was the correct 'business' move.
Frederic recalled the memory of the set, his face turning red and blue with rage as he began venting to John.
"It was a complete case of an interloper pushing out the established star. You know? That piece of shit... just because he had a couple of successful movies, he thinks he owns the place. I barely held back from grabbing him by the collar and beating the crap out of him."
Hearing this, John thought it was the exact opposite of what he had heard from the on-site agent.
According to the agent who had gone to assist Frederic, Frederic had indeed stood up in a rage to attack, but the moment he realized the person who threw the water was Sion Lee, he had frozen in sheer terror.
"D-damn it! You could have just said so!"
"If you were the type of guy who listened to words, I would have."
Frederic hadn't replied. He had only let out a dumbfounded laugh and sat down. Sion had muttered "Dumbass" loud enough for everyone to hear, but Frederic couldn't even meet his eyes and remained silent.
And seeing the other three actors holding back their laughter made Frederic feel utterly humiliated. As soon as the shoot was over, he had rushed here to vent his anger on his blameless agency head.
"Can't we do something about that bastard?"
"What do you want to do?"
"File a formal complaint! How can he throw water in the lead actor's face?! The atmosphere was absolute shit!"
John didn't answer immediately and remained silent. He had heard about that part from the agent as well.
After the drenched Frederic left to get restyled, the promotional photoshoot began in a slightly chaotic atmosphere.
The unharmed lead actors shot first, then Olga Asimov took her photos, and then Sion, wearing glasses and styled slightly nerdy, took his...
Around that time, Frederic, who had finished restyling, came out and saw Sion taking photos as if nothing had happened. Furious, he looked around and approached the PD.
The agent on site tried to stop him, but Frederic was already throwing a tantrum, demanding a resolution to what he had experienced.
And the PD, who silently listened to the entire tantrum, avoided his gaze and replied:
"...Let's talk after the shoot is over. Just bear with it for now."
Sion Lee had completely seized control of the situation with a single shoot. That was the agent's summary.
Just hearing it from the agent made the atmosphere on set clear in John's mind.
Everyone must have been giggling, delighted by the 'discipline' Frederic received. His standing as an actor—already shaky due to his poor attitude and the trouble he caused in Season 2—must have shrunk to nothing in an instant.
And that wasn't all. The main audience of the sitcom was also solely focused on how Sion Lee would look, eagerly anticipating the third season of The College Player.
In the end, there was only one thing he could say to summarize.
"I'll try talking to them. Though it won't do any good."
"...What?"
"Too big of a giant has entered. Sion Lee is a movie star. A lead actor of a 100-million-dollar box office hit. He's on a different level."
"Doing something about that is your job...!"
"Frederic, you're not stupid. You know who you can pick a fight with. Just like how you keep quiet in front of Olga Asimov. Understand that Sion Lee is a similar opponent."
"He-he's still just a brat! Does his pedigree change just because he got lucky with a couple of movies?!"
"True. He only started hitting it big recently. But that's the reality. Besides, even as a 'brat', you can't beat him."
"...!"
"Haven't you heard the rumors in the industry? The tantrums he threw and the things he smashed in his younger days are nothing. Even 'Scissorhands' Harvey Weinstein was walking on eggshells around Sion when they worked on a movie together. How do you expect to go up against a guy like that? Who do you think you are? So don't mess around and just work quietly. You just need to get through this season."
"Fuck...!"
Unable to contain his rage, Frederic twisted his back in his seat and spat out harsh curses.
Frederic, a 21-year-old rising star who had flashed into fame with a single sitcom.
Sion, who, despite being called a brat, had been working in the film industry since childhood as a teenage movie star and was now recognized as an adult actor.
The gap in their status within Hollywood was actually astronomical.
Since they were of similar age and given Sion Lee's past image, Frederic seemed to be under a massive delusion.
But John coolly thought that he could actually use this to handle this idiot.
"There is exactly one thing you can beat him at."
"...What is it?"
"Your familiarity with television sitcoms."
"Why does that matter?"
"Multi-cam live shooting is something Sion has only done when he was a child actor. It's basically stage acting. On the other hand, Sion has only been shooting in front of quiet movie cameras lately. If you want to show him up and teach him a lesson, use that. Aren't you a professional? Show off your skills in the area you excel at."
Hearing John's serious advice, Frederic nodded as if he had made up his mind.
"Fine, I'll show him what's what...!"
After all, he was someone who survived as an actor in this broadcasting world. Frederic grew confident, planning to personally teach Sion Lee the harsh reality of 'live sitcom shooting'.
June 21, 1992.
A meeting of the production team of The College Player.
It was a gathering with a massive turnout, including Olga Asimov, who was the practical leader due to her influence, as well as creative, directing, design, casting, producing, and finally, PR staff.
In the bustling atmosphere just before the meeting started, Ethan Simons, the head writer, spoke to Olga, who was sitting right next to him.
"I think you cast the right actor."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Sion Lee. I didn't expect this much interest even before the season's promotion. The atmosphere at the end of last season was a bit iffy."
Just as he said, The College Player was drawing immense attention even before any proper material for Season 3 was released.
To put it in perspective, people were focusing on what role Sion Lee, who had hit consecutive home runs as an actor, would play, and what kind of chemistry he would show with the existing cast.
Thanks to this, the anxiety about the series left at the end of Season 2 had long since vanished.
"I was secretly anxious, but I'm just grateful to Sion. No, should I be grateful to you, Olga? It's truly a great casting."
"Well, I consider it strictly business."
Olga dismissed it with a light smile.
First of all, they paid him properly.
Sion Lee wasn't appearing in all 22 episodes of the season, nor was he the lead.
Nevertheless, they secured a package deal for his Season 3 appearance, and the final amount he was to receive was 1 million dollars.
This was about two to three times the average salary an A-list sitcom actor would receive for appearing in all 22 episodes.
After hearing during negotiations with CK Agency that his basic contract fee for his previous work, Fragments of You, was 750,000 dollars excluding incentives, Olga had personally stepped in to negotiate with the production company.
However, Sion was already contributing so much to the work that the massive investment didn't feel like a waste at all.
"And that young man has a lot to gain from appearing in this project as well, doesn't he?"
"What would that be? Perhaps receiving the love of the great actress Olga Asimov?"
"Our show is fun. It's funny. It's a classic mainstream comedy. Is it because the writer is so good?"
"I-I'm honored, Olga."
Sitcoms, which mainly used situational absurdity, satire, wordplay, and directing derived from modern observation, were highly loved in America.
In particular, since The College Player presented realistic events that college students might actually face and lightly unraveled love and breakups within them, it was appropriate for Sion, who had played relatively heavy roles in his previous two works, to participate.
"An actor must guard against their image becoming stagnant. Why do you think Sion Lee suddenly gained weight in Swing in Chicago? It must have been to escape the 'teen heartthrob' image that limits a character's spectrum."
"Ah, that's certainly true. Though he is still incredibly handsome."
"But now it's a man's handsomeness, not a boy's. I suppose he decided to star in Fragments of You with that intention."
"And his acting was superb too. I felt a sense of seasoned maturity from him."
"Yes. His acting has gained strength. I didn't cast Sion just for the viral buzz. I expected his addition itself to be a great stimulus to those kids who have become lax."
Indeed, regardless of his past actions, the current Sion was a promising young actor who had entered a battlefield swarming with 'real' talents and survived to the end.
If I had my way, I'd just kick out those idiots drunk on their petty popularity, but the problem is that this is a sitcom entering its third season.
A TV sitcom series was different from a typical movie production, which was a one-off project.
If the main actors were suddenly written off without proper buildup, it would cause confusion among the on-site staff and inevitably lead to problems in the production process.
Moreover, if such a disaster occurred in the third season of a sitcom that had achieved a final rating of 12.2%, even the most favorable viewers would likely feel puzzled and drop off.
I'll use Sion to cover this season, and if they keep acting stupid, I'll weed them out.
Olga Asimov was the type to silently bury opponents or pressure them by controlling public opinion if she didn't like them; directly threatening, advising, or coaxing them was not her style.
In fact, for her, the success of The College Player so far was more than enough to prove her continued relevance to the network and the industry, but since it was a project she was successfully leading, she considered resolving the situation with the optimal casting she had spotted.
The situation unfolded exactly as Olga had anticipated.
As Sion Lee's participation became a huge topic of conversation in the world, the four troublemaking lead actors seemed to feel a sense of crisis. They began to show somewhat calmer behavior in their daily lives and on set, such as analyzing the script like they did in Season 1.
That was how much stress they were feeling from the current situation.
Rehearsals started two months before the season began.
The lead actors, who gathered at a cafe near the set an hour early at Frederic's suggestion, all had grim expressions.
"Damn that Sion Lee. What a mess we're in because of that bastard."
"...What is it?"
At the sigh-filled words of Dominic Cobbs, who played 'Max', Chelsea Cartwright, who played 'Nancy', asked in a cautious voice.
Compared to the other three immature actors, Chelsea was the one who caused relatively less trouble.
So to speak, she was the last conscience of this lead actor party.
She secretly liked the current environment where everyone was working hard on season preparation without causing trouble, but she couldn't bring herself to show it.
The other three found Sion so uncomfortable, and it wasn't exactly great for Chelsea herself to be in a situation where she wasn't receiving any attention at all.
"I couldn't go to a club at all this week."
"Dominic, aren't you still too young to go to clubs?"
"Haha, once you reach my level, you get a free pass anywhere, even if it's not a regular club."
"Oh, did you make some actor friends? Or producers?"
"It's just the beginning. I'm actively reaching out. I step up whenever there's a dance competition or something. I need to build some connections and move into movies. So you guys should definitely come when we hang out."
"...Right, of course."
Frederic, who had been silent while listening to Dominic and Chelsea's conversation, spoke up.
"That's why we have to show them this time. How good we really are."
"Oh~ serious for once?"
"Shut up, Dominic. Honestly, this is not a bad kind of attention. In any case, the ratings for next season are guaranteed. Since people are watching, industry insiders will be watching too. If we show a killer performance this time, everything will work out. Let's leave this shitty place as soon as possible and go to movies. Honestly, don't you hate how they treat us, the ones who have sustained this show, like extras just because one star arrived?"
"Oh really~? Is that why you clung to Elena Asimov so much when she came to see her mother last time~?"
"..."
Frederic flared up at Susan Hopkins's sarcasm.
"Haha, your scheme to seduce her and boost your career was so obvious. Well, any guy dating Elena would definitely get attention in Hollywood. Too bad the Ice Princess completely ignored you, making it a total bust~."
"...Shut up. Anyway, let's do this right."
Despite his constant grumbling, when Frederic made a serious proposal, everyone quietly agreed.
No matter what, the four of them were a kind of 'friends' who shared a common bond.
They had all risen to fame together through the work The College Player, and they had also gone through many hardships as they received unexpected public attention.
That was why they tended to turn a blind eye to each other's trashy behavior on set.
"Let's not let some interloper take our place."
"Oh, I agree~. What does that guy have going for him other than getting lucky with two projects and being handsome? Honestly, his acting was so moronic before, and even now, I don't get the feeling that he's particularly good."
"Right~ Chelsea is much better~."
"N-No, I'm not! And didn't you guys watch Fragments of You? Sion Lee's acting in that movie was so good! Honestly, I teared up a bit while watching it...!"
While their conversation continued, a skinny young man wearing sunglasses and a man in an Aloha shirt entered the cafe.
Since the four of them were laughing and talking about advancing to the film industry using this season as a springboard, they weren't in a position to pay attention to the two.
In the midst of this, the young man in sunglasses spoke.
"What do you want to drink?"
"Beer."
"Have coffee. The doctor told you to cut down on alcohol."
"Kid, caffeine is worse for the body. I went through a lot of trouble to bring you here, so I'm going to drink what I want. A glass of beer here!"
"E-Excuse me, sir. We don't serve beer in our shop."
"Ah, right, this was a cafe. No alcohol at all?"
"Coincidentally... yes."
The cafe employee, who was responding with an awkward smile, couldn't hold back and said in an excited voice:
"I-If you don't mind, I'll go buy some beer from the shop next door and bring it to you... so could I please get an autograph? It's truly an honor to meet you. I'm a fan, Jack Nicholson."
Those words caught Chelsea Cartwright's ear, and she turned around in surprise.
Jack Nicholson.
The legendary actor of Hollywood.
The man who symbolized 'the dream' itself to the four rookie stars gathered there.
Reacting to the news that such a presence had arrived, the other three also turned around, hovering.
Could they perhaps greet him here and leave an impression on the great actor?
Or maybe Jack Nicholson had enjoyed watching The College Player, which they starred in, and came all the way here?
They sent glances filled with such vague expectations.
But that expectation was shattered to pieces when they saw the skinny man next to him.
"Don't act so petty, it's embarrassing to watch."
"You brat! Are you my wife?!"
"Hey, just give him an autograph~."
"Giving it is one thing, but still!"
Sion Lee was chatting familiarly, bickering with Jack.
He had lost about 5kg of weight to play this role.
"..."
Seeing him looking much sharper, a look of despair crossed Frederic's face.
The lead of a 100-million-dollar box office hit.
On top of that, his friendship with the legendary actor Jack Nicholson.
His insane looks, status as an actor, and even his network—just how massive was the difference?
The actual shooting hadn't even begun yet, but his determination to 'compete with acting' began to feel utterly meaningless.