First timing meeting Al

Looking up, Hugo carefully surveyed his surroundings and only then realized that he was standing in the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel, a five-star hotel located on Park Avenue in Manhattan, New York, close to 49th Street. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel was one of the world's most luxurious and famous hotels, renowned for its top-notch hotel services, making it the first choice for heads of state and top aristocrats from around the world when they arrive in New York.

The hotel's standard rooms were located below the 28th floor and prices ranged from $500 to $1,300 per night, suitable for ordinary people who want to enjoy top-level luxury service. The luxury suites were located on floors 28 to 42, and were not only where many politicians and billionaires stayed, but also where some people set up "permanent residences" and stayed here whenever they arrived in New York.

Hugo didn't expect that he would be staying at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for his first film shoot. This was a stark contrast to his previous turbulent life. It was no wonder that so many people dreamed of becoming a star, perhaps because everything seemed so easy- at least on the surface.

While receiving a paycheck of $500,000 for shooting a movie seems like an easy feat, ordinary people may not see the struggles and pains of not working for a year after shooting a movie. Acting out someone else's life on the big screen seems glamorous, but regular people do not know how difficult it is to play a character well and make a good movie. Standing under the spotlight and receiving cheers from around the world may seem exciting, but regular people may not remember that they also have to pay the price of having their private lives exposed, not to mention the long road from obscurity to fame.

Hugo didn't know how hard it was to make a movie or how much pressure actors carried on their shoulders, or the agony of being in the spotlight, but he was very clear about how difficult it was for him to get this opportunity. Putting aside the ten years before his time travel, just a slight criticism after winning the Razzies almost made him lose the chance to act in "Scent of a Woman". Therefore, Hugo would not let his momentary joy cloud his judgment. He knew that everything was just beginning.

"Wasn't the film crew's budget very tight? How can we afford to stay at the Waldorf Astoria?" Hugo and Joseph walked side by side into the hotel lobby and were led to the front desk by the waiter.

"This is a sponsorship," Joseph replied simply, then turned to the front desk and said, "Joseph Gibbs, Hugo Lancaster." The front desk immediately smiled and began to look through the reservation records. Joseph then turned to Hugo and said, "The Waldorf Astoria Hotel is collaborating with the film crew. They provide shooting locations and accommodations in exchange for the hotel's logo appearing in the movie and positive promotion of the hotel."

This was not difficult to understand. This was called product placement. Hugo found it quite interesting. He originally thought that product placement was only a common practice in the Asian film and television industry, but now it seemed that Hollywood was no exception. But when thinking about it carefully, the sports cars and cigars that always appeared on time in the "007" series of movies were also a kind of product placement, right? Hollywood was just more rational and clever than Asia. Their product placement was more subtle and influenced the audience subconsciously. For example, when people mentioned James Bond, they would think of Aston Martin sports cars. That's the idea.

Hugo stood in place and carefully recalled "Scent of a Woman", which he had seen before traveling through time. The promotion of the Waldorf Astoria hotel in the movie was indeed subtle and profound, which reminded Hugo of the Four Seasons Hotel he visited when he auditioned for "A River Runs Through It". That was also the filming location of "Pretty Woman", so the impression was very deep.

"Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Lancaster, your room is on the 23rd floor." The front desk put the two men's driver's licenses and room keys together on the counter and smiled. "Mark will bring your luggage to your room. Here is your password. Mr. Martin Brest asked you to go directly to the luxury suite on the 30th floor after you arrive."

Joseph took the documents and keys and nodded casually, while Hugo smiled and said, "Thank you." The two of them left the front desk. "Shall we go directly to the 30th floor? Do we need to change clothes?" Hugo looked at his wet pants and the light sports shoes he wore because of the long flight, which were also stained with some dirt. His clothes were not formal suits, just simple T-shirts and jeans, but other than that, he didn't see anything wrong.

Joseph thought for a moment, "Let's go to the 30th floor first to say hello, and then go back to the room." If they went back to the room, it would probably delay their time.

As they chatted, they entered the elevator under the escort of the waiter. Joseph handed the key to the waiter and said, "Take the luggage to the room and deliver the key to the luxury suite on the 30th floor."

"No problem, sir." The elegant and polite greeting was refreshing.

Watching the back of the waiter leaving the elevator on the 23rd floor, Hugo found all of this very interesting. He had never stayed in a five-star hotel before, or even a star-rated hotel was luxurious, so Hugo couldn't help but sigh that the service of star-rated hotels was really different, especially globally famous hotels like the Waldorf Astoria.

Soon, however, Hugo's attention was brought back as they reached the thirtieth floor. Stepping on the dark red carpet and walking through the corridors filled with classical vibes, they finally stopped at the door of a luxurious suite. Joseph rang the doorbell and the door opened quickly, revealing Martin's smiling face. "Hugo, you're here. Welcome to New York City."

Martin gave Hugo a hug, which made Hugo's nervousness ease a bit. "I hope I'm not too late," he said politely. It was just a formality, as the production team had only asked them to arrive today or tomorrow without any specific time restrictions.

However, Hugo's polite remark unexpectedly received criticism. "You are indeed late," came a voice from the direction of the living room sofa. As Martin stepped aside, Hugo saw Al Pacino in front of him.

Al Pacino was already fifty-two years old, with wrinkles on his forehead, loose skin, and scruffy stubble all showing the marks of time. When it came to Al Pacino, most people would probably first think of Michael Corleone in "The Godfather". In the first two parts of the film, Al was handsome and charming with an elegant demeanor, which fascinated countless girls.

Both Al and Dustin Hoffman were famous short actors in the entertainment industry. Dustin was only five feet and five inches tall (1.66 meters), while Al was only five feet and seven inches tall (1.7 meters). Initially, there was a dispute within the production team of "The Godfather" about Al's height, as they believed he could not embody the imposing aura of the mafia. However, Al ultimately proved the correctness of their choice with his actions, making Michael Corleone one of the classic characters in film history. Standing in front of Hugo at this moment, he appeared to have shrunk a lot in comparison, the difference in height very noticeable.

"You should have arrived in the morning so we could have more time to rehearse the script. You're late." Al's words had a tone of reproach, but his face was still warm and friendly. Then he stepped forward and shook Hugo's hand tightly with his right hand.

Although Al was much shorter than Hugo, his presence was not weakened in the slightest. The calm yet sharp aura made people take notice, not to mention the powerful grip of his calloused hand, which made Hugo feel Al's strength directly. Although Hugo couldn't help but almost call out "Al Pacino" when he first saw him, he was much better than when he met other celebrities before. Plus, Al's imposing demeanor did indeed keep Hugo alert.

"I'm sorry, it was my mistake." Hugo didn't try to defend himself and immediately agreed, which made Al's facial expression relax a bit. "I think besides working harder, I don't have any other way forward. Maybe starting now is a good idea."

Originally, Martin wanted to speak up for Hugo, but after hearing what he said, he looked more satisfied with Hugo. As a result, Bo Goldman, who was sitting on the couch, stood up and said, "What are we waiting for? Let's start practicing now. Hugo, did you bring your script?"

Hugo was taken aback and heard Martin's voice in his ear, "You two are too eager. It's raining outside, and Hugo just arrived in the city. There isn't much time left before dinner, even if you rush to rehearse, it won't matter for a couple of hours."

Hugo didn't expect that he would enter rehearsal mode as soon as he arrived, so he was a little stunned. But after reacting, he continued, "No, we can start now. During the script reading process, I still have some questions. Perhaps we can communicate and learn from each other during the rehearsal process. I think this will be helpful for the actual filming."

Al and Bo both smiled and nodded in agreement. Martin, standing next to them, looked helpless. Hugo looked at Joseph next to him and said, "Joseph, I remember the script is in the bag you're carrying, can you please bring it up for me?" Hugo's own script had highlights and notes, which were important information for the rehearsal. Hugo knew that he lacked experience and strength, and only through diligence could he make up for his deficiencies, otherwise talent alone would not be enough.

Joseph didn't expect things to develop like this. He nodded and greeted Martin before leaving the luxurious suite, where he had just arrived less than two minutes ago.

Hugo stayed in the suite and followed Al to sit on the couch. He looked around but didn't see any other actors, feeling a little puzzled. "So, it's just us, no one else?"