Two Special Appearances, Part 1
On the set.
"Did you know, Sion?" A man with a dark, graying beard turned to look at Sion. "Most of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park aren't actually from the Jurassic period. Velociraptors, Triceratops, Pteranodons, and even the Tyrannosaurus rex—they're all from the Cretaceous period."
Universal Studios. Stage 27. Sion felt a thrill run down his spine as he looked around the indoor set. Jurassic Park. He was making a cameo in that legendary film. It was absolutely surreal.
"But as long as it looks cool, does it really matter? Details and historical accuracy only exist to help the audience immerse themselves in the story. Besides, 'Cretaceous Park' doesn't exactly sound like a bestseller. And if we went with that, we wouldn't have been able to include the lovely Brachiosaurus, so I had to bend the rules of historical accuracy a bit."
The gray-bearded man placed a hand on the set's steel scaffolding, a boyish grin spreading across his face.
Steven Spielberg. The director of Jurassic Park, which was currently in the middle of filming, and the pioneer of the modern blockbuster. He was the mastermind behind legendary hits like Jaws, E.T., The Goonies, Back to the Future, and the Indiana Jones franchise. His fame, achievements, and influence would continue to shape the industry far into the future.
To think I'm appearing in Jurassic Park, one of Steven Spielberg's greatest masterpieces. Just the thought of it made his heart pound with excitement.
Yet, maintaining a perfectly composed exterior, Sion scanned the set, mentally mapping out the scene he was about to shoot.
Sion Lee's cameo was in the opening sequence—the transport of the raptor cage. The custom-built steel cage and the meticulously reconstructed section of Jurassic Park made it easy to visualize how the scene would play out on the silver screen.
Among the crew and the sea of extras gathered here, Sion understood the director's vision better than anyone. Because I've already seen the finished movie.
Sion looked down at the red hard hat in his hands with a sense of pride. A hard hat bearing the Jurassic Park logo, paired with matching overalls. Holding a cattle prod as he approached the cage, Sion felt a profound sense of immersion, as if he had stepped directly into the movie's universe.
To a regressor like him, this set was far more thrilling than any real-world Jurassic Park theme park that would open in the future.
"Wow. There isn't a real raptor in there, is there?"
"Haha, you never know. We poured a massive budget into this. More than it would cost to build a real Jurassic Park."
Steven looked at Sion's sparkling eyes and thought to himself: This kid is a lot like me.
Spielberg, of course, had no way of knowing that Sion had already seen the movie in a future life. He found it fascinating how quickly the young actor had immersed himself the moment he slipped into his overalls. Sion, who should have been thoroughly accustomed to Hollywood sets, was looking around the chaotic filming location with the wide-eyed wonder of a young boy visiting a theme park.
When the production company first negotiated the cameo, Spielberg hadn't thought much of it. But now, he felt a twinge of regret. An actor who could immerse himself so deeply in such a short span of time would have fit his directing style perfectly.
Contrary to his public image as a big-spending blockbuster director, Spielberg was a genius at utilizing every element of a shoot efficiently, keeping both the budget and the schedule tightly under control.
"Well, Sion! Are you ready to shake in your boots in front of the raptor?"
"I'm ready to wet my pants! I'd better drink plenty of water before we roll!"
As the two cinephiles chatted excitedly, the surrounding extras began to whisper among themselves.
"Sion Lee is surprisingly down-to-earth..."
"With his image, I thought he'd act like a big-shot lead even for a cameo."
"I guess that's what it takes to succeed in this industry."
And so, amid various misconceptions, the cameras began to roll. True to Spielberg's belief that horror is maximized when kept unseen, he had no intention of showing the raptor directly to the audience. However, within the tightly cropped frames of the camera, a real raptor existed—right inside that cage.
Playing one of the park handlers, Sion looked up at the cage being lowered by the crane. His red hard hat was pulled down low, obscuring half of his handsome face. Even so, Spielberg felt as if the camera was being magnetically drawn to him.
"...Camera, pan away from Sion Lee. His presence is too strong."
The cinematographer, agreeing with the assessment, immediately framed Sion out of the shot. Yet, the sheer gravity of his appearance and his absolute immersion in the role didn't fade.
As the cage drew near, Sion's performance—paralyzed with fear, unable to move properly—showcased the depth of a seasoned veteran, instantly elevating the quality of the scene. Spielberg realized then that Sion was far more than just a pretty face.
He definitely has an aura. It's like watching someone who's been acting for over thirty years.
The moment the cameras rolled, Sion cast aside his personal feelings and completely transformed into his character. It was deeply impressive. His presence gradually rippled outward, creating an illusion that not just he, but the entire space around him, was performing.
The steel raptor cage ground to a halt and slowly descended, tension thick in the air. The cage, equipped with hydraulic cylinders, shook violently and unpredictably, burning the image of an unseen, raging raptor into everyone's minds.
Under the dim, sparse lighting of the set, the actors trembled with fear. Soon, at the foreman's command, the push team, armed with cattle prods, rushed forward to herd the raptor into the paddock. Sion delivered his designated line.
"I hope nothing goes wrong."
Joffrey, one of the handlers, climbed to the top of the cage on the foreman's orders and lifted the heavy gate. In that instant, the raptor thrashed, its sheer force pushing the cage away from the paddock entrance. Joffrey lost his footing and fell into the gap between the cage and the gate.
"Argh! Wh-whoa, aaahhh!"
The wire pullback harness yanked him backward in an instant. The foreman and the other handlers rushed forward to save him from the raptor's clutches. Just then, Sion's face flashed across the camera. He lunged forward alongside the foreman to pull Joffrey back, but upon catching a glimpse of the raptor's face inside the cage, his face drained of color, and he collapsed in sheer terror.
Spielberg couldn't help but marvel at the seamless flow of his acting. Now, fade back naturally... Yes, perfect.
Like a true cameo, Sion drew the audience's attention for just a fleeting moment before stepping back, allowing the focus to return to the main action.
Through several retakes, Sion delivered a flawless performance every single time. The surrounding extras watched in awe at his sheer professionalism and precision.
Is this the power of a Hollywood A-lister?
Incredible. I'm nervous, but acting alongside him makes it so much easier.
So this is what real talent looks like. No wonder the media has been making such a fuss lately.
Once the shoot wrapped, the extras hesitantly approached Sion to offer their compliments.
"That was truly amazing, Mr. Lee."
"You were fantastic. Seriously, the best. Wow, your acting has so much weight to it."
"I'm not just saying this—I really thought you saw a real dinosaur."
Sion chuckled and responded with a lighthearted joke.
"Joffrey, the guy who got eaten by the raptor, is the real MVP today. Hey, Joffrey! If we ever get another chance, I'm going to be the raptor's lunch, so let's swap roles. Deal? You can't keep all the 'juicy' parts to yourself!"
The crowd of about twenty men burst into laughter. Joffrey gave a playful wink, and Sion responded with a good-natured grin, warming up the atmosphere.
Steven Spielberg, who had been quietly watching the actors wind down and shake off their tension, finally walked over to Sion and offered a warm handshake.
"Excellent work today. I think this is going to be a fantastic scene. Man, your acting was so chilling I couldn't take my eyes off you."
"Was it alright? Since it's just a cameo, I tried to make sure I didn't overdo it."
"Oh, come on. Since we managed to cast you, you had to leave an impression. Besides, our raptor isn't about to let itself be overshadowed, so with the right editing, I think this will be an iconic scene."
With a subtle wink, Steven glanced around before whispering,
"Next time, please, star as the lead in one of my films."
"Really? If the opportunity arises, I'd love nothing more than to work with you. And it doesn't even have to be the lead. If you ever need someone to die a horrific death in one of your movies, just call me. Dinosaurs, sharks, aliens—I don't care. As long as my schedule allows, I'll be there."
"...Oh, now that is interesting. Usually, young actors like you hate the idea of ruining their image like that."
"Hey, a true actor should know how to enjoy even that. We should be happy to deliver the exact shot needed, as efficiently as possible. Besides, even when I'm dying a horrific death, I'll still look handsome, won't I?"
Sion shot back a wink of his own. Seeing the young actor's deep respect for the craft of filmmaking, Spielberg was thoroughly impressed.
Young actors these days are so obsessed with becoming celebrities and making money that they only take roles that protect their image, but Sion is different! Wow! He's truly magnificent!
...That was exactly the image Sion had intended to project.
Every actor is, in a way, a salesman. And what they are selling is themselves. They have to showcase their abilities to leave a lasting impression on the producers holding the purse strings and the directors calling the shots.
Steven Spielberg was sometimes dismissed by critics due to the Hollywood studio system and the perceived superficiality of the blockbuster genre, but as far as Sion was concerned, he was a flawless, well-rounded genius of a director. He was a perfectionist who balanced artistic merit with commercial success down to the very last detail.
Sion knew that building a strong connection with such a director would be of immense help in the future.
Moreover, Sion had genuinely wanted to appear, even briefly, in a masterpiece like Jurassic Park that would go down in cinematic history, which was why he had opted for this cameo.
And while I'm at it, I get to butter up Steven Spielberg by playing to his tastes. Well, I'm not sure which motive came first.
Either way, Sion knew this was only possible because his current schedule was relatively light while starring in the sitcom.
Of course, that didn't mean he intended to slack off on his main gig.
His role in The College Player was just as crucial as his appearance in Jurassic Park. It was a golden opportunity to secure a powerful ally in Olga Asimov, while simultaneously introducing himself as the actor Sion Lee to the general public, who had previously only known him through tabloid headlines.
And the ratings are doing great.
He was just thinking that he simply needed to keep managing the four lead actors and ride the wave of success, when—
"Elena is going to appear in the season finale. As a cameo."
"...Excuse me? Elena is making a cameo?"
Sion asked, wondering if he had misheard Olga Asimov's sudden announcement. He had just returned from shooting his own cameo, only to be hit with news of another.
"Yes. Since you two have a history in real life, we want to use that as a marketing point. We're thinking of having her play a character who helps Ryan make his exit. The production team's goal is to heavily promote this and break the 30% rating threshold for the season finale."
"Hmm, that's a great idea. Did Elena agree to it?"
"Of course. We'll shoot it during Stanford's break, so it'll be fine."
...Did that actually mean she had agreed? It was a bit ambiguous, but Sion didn't press further and simply nodded. Even if Elena wanted to decline, she wouldn't be able to say no to her mother, Olga.
...But knowing Elena's personality, she'll definitely want to refuse when she hears about this.
The concept itself was sound. Sitcoms frequently used celebrity cameos to boost ratings. If the PR team distributed press releases announcing Elena Asimov's special appearance in the season finale, the ratings would undoubtedly see a bump.
The problem was that if they broke the 30% mark because of it, things could get a bit awkward.
There's a high chance all the credit will go to Elena.
For instance, it would go like this: the season finale featuring Elena surpasses a 30% rating. Olga contacts her journalist connections, and they scratch each other's backs to churn out articles.
"Hollywood Superstar Elena Asimov! A Major Contributor to Breaking the 30% Rating Barrier!"
"The Most Beautiful Flower Blooms in the Most Beautiful Bouquet!"
In the process, all the hard work The College Player team had poured into the show up to that point could easily be swept under the rug.
And it wouldn't be entirely false, either.
And the public would readily swallow the media's narrative.
How interesting.
Olga, whom he had considered an ally until now, was suddenly showing her greedy side. This was the early 1990s. A 30% rating wasn't an impossible dream. It wasn't like the distant future with hundreds of cable channels, fragmented audiences, and highly diversified tastes.
But the shift was already beginning. Cable channels were slowly on the rise. Therefore, if this teen-centric sitcom managed to break 30%, it would likely be hailed as one of the "last legends" of broadcast television.
As an actor, Sion didn't want to miss out on that milestone. He steeled his resolve, recalling the legendary shows that had taken America by storm.
Cheers, Seinfeld, Home Improvement. Compared to those giants, The College Player definitely had its weaknesses. Since it's closer to a teen sitcom.
But he wanted to achieve it. After all, Sion had returned to acting precisely because he wanted to accomplish the things that had been impossible for him in his past life.
"It's certainly an interesting idea. Though there is one problem."
Sion leaned back and crossed his legs. Despite the subtle shift in the atmosphere, Olga asked casually,
"What kind of problem?"
"Well, it's not so much a problem as... how should I put it? Elena's appearance might not have as big of an impact as you think. It's closer to that."
"Elena?"
"...I just think it would be much more fun if we broke 30% before Elena even makes her appearance."
"Pfft..."
Olga suddenly burst into laughter. Her expression made it clear she found the young actor's ambition adorable. Sion didn't particularly enjoy being patronized, but given the massive gap in their status as Hollywood figures, there wasn't much he could do about it.
"I'll look forward to it, Sion. I'll do my best to help you as well."
"Yes, ma'am. I'm counting on you."
Smiling confidently, Sion thought to himself:
It's time to collaborate with the kids I've spent all this time taming.
...Who was it that said there are no permanent allies or enemies in Hollywood?