Actor in Hollywood

"*Roman Holiday*, Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck—"

It was as if they were on the same wavelength.

Scarlett paused for a moment, then looked up, her gaze meeting Anson's deep blue eyes. A smile quietly spread across her face.

"Oh, this is nice. I've just been promoted from Cinderella to a princess. So what about you? Does this mean you're getting a demotion?"

"Prince or journalist, they're all knights. In these stories, they're always the side characters," Anson replied, offering an unexpected yet perfectly fitting answer.

They exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

Then, Anson glanced across the street. "I think it's not just me who needs to clear up a misunderstanding…"

Scarlett immediately caught on and laughed heartily. "Don't worry. Adrian will understand… haha, he definitely will."

Anson and Scarlett crossed the street again, returning to where Adrian was still sitting, looking rather annoyed. Anson extended a hand to help him up, but Adrian wasn't having any of it. He gave Anson a sidelong glance, "Are you a journalist?"

Anson: … "Have you ever seen such a handsome journalist?"

Adrian ignored Anson's hand, stood up on his own, and rolled his eyes. "Gregory Peck was a journalist too."

That reference?

Anson and Scarlett exchanged a look and burst into laughter once more.

Adrian, not understanding why they were laughing, tried to explain his joke. "I was talking about the movie…"

But Scarlett stopped him. "Adrian, let's go back to work now."

Adrian immediately grew suspicious, thinking his sister was up to something again.

Scarlett didn't elaborate. "Didn't you say we were running out of time? I've already wasted so much of it; we should hurry now."

Adrian, still grumpy, grumbled, "Oh, so you do realize?"

Not wanting to continue his verbal sparring with Anson, Adrian started walking toward the parking lot.

But after taking just a couple of steps, he still felt annoyed, so he turned back.

Staring at Anson's calm and composed face, Adrian found himself at a loss for words. He wanted to say something but didn't know what. Saying nothing felt frustrating, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything either.

After going back and forth in his mind, Adrian finally muttered, "That was just an accident. I wasn't prepared, so you caught me off guard."

"An accident!"

He emphasized again before quickly turning and walking away, as if worried Anson might say something else.

Anson, deciding to be gracious, kept his mouth shut, though he couldn't help but find the whole situation amusing.

Scarlett winked at Anson, mouthing a silent "Thank you" before jogging after Adrian.

Watching the Johnson siblings' car drive away, Anson returned to his work, pushing the cart into the theater.

The Hayworth Theatre was a building sponsored by Hollywood's legendary Fonda family, housing an acting academy and a large theater, with performances staged daily.

The Hayworth Theatre, which seats only 180 people, was a bit special. It primarily catered to young actors, independent theater productions, and experimental plays.

Although the theater's attendance rates were abysmal year-round, the Fonda family never withdrew their sponsorship, using it as a way to encourage more artistic creation and give unknown creators and artists a chance.

The theater was essentially a small venue, with a low ceiling, deep red wooden seats arranged in three sections—left, center, and right—reminiscent of an old cinema.

The stage was only 40 centimeters high, almost at the same level as the audience, creating a close and intimate atmosphere.

This meant that for the actors, every expression, gaze, and movement of the audience was plainly visible.

For actors, the feedback was immediate, vivid, and brutal.

As Anson pushed open the door, he immediately saw the actors on stage, checking the set positions and working out their precise movements. James and Seth were both fully absorbed, gesturing and directing as if they were preparing for a Broadway production.

---

Chris walked over, casually slipping his phone into his pocket. "What took you so long? I thought you got lost."

Anson jokingly replied, half-seriously, "I ran into Princess Anne."

Chris didn't get it. "Shouldn't it have been Prince William?"

Chris then took the bottle of mineral water from Anson's hand. "The performance is about to start, but the audience hasn't shown up yet. Are you sure?"

"Patience, Chris. Even if you don't have faith in James and Seth, you should have faith in their agent," Anson reassured him.

Chris tugged at the corner of his mouth. "On the contrary, I have faith in James and Seth, but not in their agent. An agent with seventy or eighty clients probably won't be paying attention to James. They might not even remember there's a performance here."

He wasn't being pessimistic, just realistic.

The first lesson in Hollywood is to never have too high expectations. No one is indispensable.

However—

Anson was right.

Although "Freaks and Geeks" was canceled due to poor ratings, the series marked the beginning of the second generation of the Frat Pack, ushering in a new era in Hollywood.

What is the Frat Pack?

In simple terms, to counteract the dominance of Jim Carrey, a first-generation superstar, in the comedy film market of the 1990s, a group of actors, led by Ben Stiller, formed a loose comedy organization.

They used a cost-effective, ensemble strategy, supporting each other, making cameos, and sticking together. Although they never managed to shake Jim Carrey's status, they did produce a series of popular comedies, creating their own style.

Ben Stiller was the leader of the first generation of the Frat Pack, and the second generation began in 2005 with Judd Apatow's directorial debut, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." This led to an unstoppable wave, making the Frat Pack an indispensable force in the North American comedy market during the first two decades of the 21st century.

"Freaks and Geeks" was where the second generation of the Frat Pack started. Judd Apatow was the director, and James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and other main actors later became core members of the Frat Pack.

The Frat Pack's biggest characteristic is sticking together. Mutual support is fundamental.

With James and Seth's play, there was no reason for the second generation of the Frat Pack to be absent. Judd was the first to show up in support, followed by other cast members from "Freaks and Geeks."

Then, the agent's network started to show its power, and soon reporters, producers, casting directors, screenwriters, and others began to appear one after another.

Ten minutes before the performance started, the Hayworth Theatre's seating rate had already easily surpassed 60%, which is rare for such an independent play.

Chris, who was responsible for handing out commemorative souvenirs to the audience this afternoon, was so busy that he couldn't stop for a moment. He couldn't help but marvel, looking at Anson with surprise:

"Is this for real?"

The only question was—

How many of the audience members were actually ordinary people who came to enjoy the play? How many were regular spectators who were curious, interested, and had bought tickets out of their own pockets?

One? Or two?