Chapter 156 – Life is like a play
A “contract relationship,” serving as a cover for a real romance—anyone could guess with their toes that there must be some trickery behind it. What’s more, Natalie Portman isn’t just intelligent; with her agent team backing her up, the fact that they would propose such a deal only made things more complicated.
Of course, Renly believed that Natalie’s team would put enough weight on the table to make the deal worthwhile, and Andy certainly wouldn’t walk away with a loss. In fact, Renly himself might even benefit.
But even so, Renly could smell something unusual. At the end of the day, he was nothing more than a tool.
Even without knowing the full story or all the ins and outs, the mere phrase “Oscar campaign” gave away plenty. Natalie won her Oscar for Best Actress with Black Swan the following year—so did this mean Renly was just a stepping stone in her PR war? If so, what kind of payoff should he demand from Natalie to avoid being shortchanged?
Renly had no interest in such deals. Instead of wasting time on scheming, he’d rather hone his craft or at least devote himself earnestly to promoting his film.
Besides, Natalie and Benjamin were in the throes of romance. First, he had no interest in playing third wheel; second, he had no interest in being used; third, he had no interest in Natalie herself.
“Even if the deal was that Fox Searchlight would push Buried into the Best Actor race this awards season—you wouldn’t be tempted?” Andy’s voice lifted, lively and teasing.
“You have that much confidence in Buried?” Renly didn’t answer directly but shot back with a question.
Andy shrugged, feigning indifference. “I have confidence in you.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about, do you?” Renly was in good spirits. He enjoyed this kind of conversation.
As a manager, Andy didn’t bark orders but opened a dialogue instead. More importantly, his words carried the suggestion that he and Renly were moving in the same direction. It reassured Renly that choosing Andy as his agent had been the right decision.
Andy raised his brows, puzzled by the meaning behind Renly’s words. “Why’s that?”
“Getting nominated depends on skill; winning depends on luck.” It was the unspoken rule of awards season, the element beyond any PR firm’s control. “They can’t guarantee we’ll secure a nomination—it’s a straight contest of ability. Once we do land a nomination, their job is done, and their focus will shift elsewhere. In the end, we’re still left relying on luck.” Renly’s casual tone carried a hint of irony, which drew a chuckle from Andy.
“No matter how much talent you’ve got, you still need a hard-hitting PR campaign. These days, you can’t just sit and wait for opportunities. If you don’t know how to make noise, you won’t survive in Hollywood.” Andy shook his head with a grin. “But if Fox Searchlight were to buy distribution rights for Buried, then that would change things.”
Fox Searchlight, under 20th Century Fox, and Focus Features, under Universal, were the leading indie divisions in Hollywood—both major players in awards season year after year.
“You think Fox Searchlight would go all out promoting two actors from different films for the two heaviest awards of the season—Best Actor and Best Actress?” Renly’s counter-question made Andy laugh inwardly. This kid really was sharp.
Fox Searchlight certainly had the resources to push both races at once. But their PR energy would inevitably tilt in one direction. And if it came down to sacrificing one film to protect the other, there’d be little doubt about where their loyalty would fall.
“Andy, there’s no need to dance around this. If we want to justify saying yes, we could come up with a thousand reasons. The real question is this: as my agent, do you think I should agree to this contract romance—play along with a top-tier performance?” Renly cut straight through the layers of calculation, striking at the heart of it.
Andy, unruffled, folded his hands over his slight beer belly, looking perfectly at ease. “Then let me put the same question to you, Renly—are you willing to play along with this performance?” If they were going to speak frankly, both sides had to be honest.
“No, I’m not interested.” Renly didn’t beat around the bush; he gave his answer crisply and decisively.
Andy chuckled, nodding lightly before teasing, “I’m not surprised.” Then he shrugged. “But I also agree with your point of view.”
Indeed, if Buried could earn Renly an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, regardless of whether he actually won, that alone would be a dream come true. Fox Searchlight would certainly welcome it as well.
But with rumours about Renly’s family background running wild online recently, if a scandal linking him to Natalie broke out at such a sensitive moment, the negative impact would far outweigh the positive. People would inevitably assume that all of Renly’s success was due to Natalie’s influence, which would be a serious loss.
What’s more, Andy had only just taken over as Renly’s agent. Even though they were still in the adjustment phase, Andy already understood Renly’s personality and ambitions—there was no way Renly would agree. There was simply no need to take such a high risk for such an uncertain return. Andy had done the math on this exchange of interests very clearly.
“Leave the rest to me,” Andy said decisively, choosing not to press the matter further. “But later, at the premiere, reporters will almost certainly bring it up. You’d better be prepared in advance.”
Renly lowered his head again, flipping open his book as if the short conversation just now wasn’t even worth remembering. Andy couldn’t help but find it amusing, but he said nothing more. He turned, stepped out, pulled out his phone, and once again dove back into his busy routine.
Time flew, and the premiere of Buried drew ever closer. Rodrigo Cortés had arrived at Renly’s hotel room, rubbing his hands together anxiously as he paced back and forth. His nerves were getting the better of him. “Renly, what if no media show up at the premiere? What do we do then?”
Renly was nervous too, though by comparison, he appeared calm and composed. Truthfully, he was still feeling it—after all, a film premiere was very different from a TV show, and this was the Toronto International Film Festival, a stage under the global spotlight. Mixed emotions were only natural. That was exactly why he’d chosen to read: partly to distract himself, partly to settle his thoughts.
Watching Rodrigo’s restless pacing, Renly teased, “Regretting not choosing Ryan Reynolds now?” If it had been Ryan, there’d be no need to worry about media turnout today. On top of that, this was his home turf—his premiere would’ve been packed and lively.
Rodrigo froze, speechless. He wanted to explain, to push back, but his nerves were so taut that he couldn’t even think of how to respond. That only amused Renly further. “Relax. The reason we chose a film festival is that every entry is guaranteed media presence. That’s a hard requirement.”
Whether it’s one of Europe’s three major film festivals or the Toronto International Film Festival, the principle is the same: every film that screens inevitably stands under the spotlight, subject to scrutiny from both media and audiences. In terms of exposure, that’s a guarantee—something crucial for art films and independent productions. What’s more, the main purpose of the Toronto festival is to sell distribution rights, so every film will have dedicated journalists reporting on it, presenting it to both viewers and distributors.
Even a film like Buried—with no backing, no investors, no connections, and no gimmicks was no exception.
As for what happens after the premiere—how much attention the film draws, how much discussion it sparks—that all depends on the quality of the work itself.
“Yes, yes,” Rodrigo nodded repeatedly, clenching his fists in an effort to boost his confidence, though it lasted less than a second. “But what if, once the reporters arrive, no one shows up on the red carpet? Then what?”
For the Buried crew, only two people were attending the red carpet, and both of them were sitting right here in this room. In Hollywood, their connections were close to nonexistent, so the chance of having friends show up in support was slim. Such a sparse red carpet would be embarrassingly bleak. Even if the press wanted to cover it, they’d hardly have much material to work with.
“So what, you’re regretting it now?” Renly raised his eyebrows slightly, looking at Rodrigo with mock reproach. Rodrigo stared at him, momentarily speechless—until he noticed the faint smile tugging at Renly’s lips. Realisation struck: Renly was teasing him. Unable to hold it in, Rodrigo burst out laughing.
He really was overthinking it. Things had already come this far—there was no turning back. In that case, he might as well relax, enjoy the atmosphere of the festival, and wait to see how audiences reacted to Buried.
Clack, clack, clack. Heavy, resounding footsteps echoed as Andy stepped into the living room. His usual smile was still fixed on his face, though his eyes carried a strange look. “We need to head to the main venue. The red carpet is ready, the press is in place—it’s time to step out.”
Renly rose to his feet, buttoning his suit jacket. But his gaze lingered on Andy, probing. His instincts told him Andy hadn’t said everything yet.
Sure enough, a trace of amusement played at the corner of Andy’s mouth. “I just got word—Natalie Portman is on her way to one of the satellite venues. Of course, it’s possible she’s going to watch another film, but…”
What he left unsaid was that Natalie was dressed to the nines, and at that particular venue, at the awkward hour of four in the afternoon, only one film was scheduled to premiere.
Renly arched his brow slightly. So, the performance wasn’t over yet.
Rodrigo, unaware of the inside story, was wide-eyed with excitement. “Natalie Portman?”
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