Party invitation

"By the way, "A Few Good Men" has a release date." Joseph received the news last night, but he was busy all day today and kept forgetting to tell Hugo. "The premiere will be held on December 9th, and the official release will be on December 11th, across 1,900 theaters."

"Wow, that's impressive." Hugo raised an eyebrow and exclaimed. Although he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous about the large-scale release across 1,900 theaters, it was definitely not on the same level as "Scent of a Woman". However, Hugo had already experienced several such occasions in the past few weeks, so his emotions weren't as sensitive anymore. "But it hasn't been long since the release of "Scent of a Woman". Is that not a problem?"

Joseph shook his head. "There's a two-month gap between them, so there's nothing to worry about. It's just that the press will probably be excited." There was a hint of pride in Joseph's words.

Just a month ago, Hugo was an ignored recipient of the Golden Raspberry Award, and no one had high expectations for his future movies or his career as an actor. But now, with two consecutive film releases, achieving such results was not something just anyone could do. Even Hugo himself had only experienced having two films released simultaneously back in 1990.

For any actor, this wasn't simply avoiding being labeled as "washed-up", but a clear sign of a thriving career. Especially with the huge success of "Scent of a Woman" and the anticipation surrounding "A Few Good Men", the reaction from the press was indeed something to look forward to.

"Perhaps you can try giving interviews to the press at the premiere," Charlize said, weighing a tomato in her hand, wearing a playful smile on her face.

Joseph raised his eyebrows slightly. "I believe Hugo has the ability for that." Although Hugo wasn't the type to be assertive and forceful, his eloquence was worth anticipating. Seeing the embarrassed and helpless smile on Hugo's face, both Joseph and Charlize laughed. "Oh, Rob mentioned that it would be even better if you had a female companion with you on the red carpet."

"A female companion?" Hugo hadn't thought of that and couldn't help but ask. And upon hearing the question, his first reaction was to look at Charlize. Charlize noticed the gaze projected onto her face and instinctively looked back, resulting in their eyes meeting briefly before Charlize subtly shifted her gaze away.

Joseph noticed this small detail but didn't see anything significant. "Because Demi refused to walk the red carpet with you."

"Uh..." Hugo's attention was diverted by this statement, and his gaze no longer lingered on Charlize's face. "Not surprising, is it?"

Demi had always been indifferent towards Hugo on set, even though the attitude of the crew had warmed up over time, and many people had become close to Hugo. But the relationship between Demi and Hugo remained cold. Fortunately, "A Few Good Men" was not a romance film, otherwise, the lack of any spark between Hugo and Demi would have been even worse.

Joseph nodded in agreement. "But at least she hasn't said anything bad about you in the media." That was considered lucky. "Demi said she will walk the red carpet with Bruce. As for Jack, you know he never lacks female companions." Jack's personal life was as colorful as his acting career. He had recently gained another son, and the identity of the mother had yet to be revealed by the media.

Hugo understood the unspoken words that followed. The other two lead actors already had companions, so if Hugo attended the premiere alone, the journalists would surely make a big deal out of it. "A Few Good Men" was a serious and righteous courtroom drama, and it shouldn't have any tabloid or negative news. That would be detrimental to the film's promotion.

Hugo was reminiscing about "Hudson Hawk" and who his predecessor had invited as his female companion to attend the premiere. His subconscious mind glanced at Charlize again, and their eyes met briefly before Charlize quickly looked away and tossed the tomatoes in her hand. "I should start preparing dinner. Can someone help wash these vegetables?" She then walked into the kitchen.

In fact, Hugo's initial reaction was to invite Charlize. Why not? Charlize was a beautiful woman who was currently seeking her first breakthrough in her acting career. If Hugo could provide some assistance, why not do it? However, Hugo quickly let out a sigh, expressing his inner conflict.

On one hand, a female companion implied a date. As long as the female companion wasn't a co-star or a close relative, it would generally be seen as a romantic involvement. Hugo and Charlize were clearly not in that kind of relationship; they were just friends. If they blurred that line, their harmonious interaction over the past few months would likely be ruined. Additionally, Charlize was currently Hugo's roommate, and if the media discovered their connection, it would never end.

On the other hand, Charlize was just starting her career as an actress. Although she hadn't said it, Hugo knew she didn't want to be seen as a mere pretty face. Her dedication and seriousness were evident in her acting practice. If she appeared as Hugo's companion on the red carpet, she would be labeled as a mere accessory. Charlize didn't want that.

Presumably, that was the reason Charlize used cooking as an excuse to refuse. But Hugo knew all these reasons, yet he didn't have a suitable alternative in mind. No matter how he looked at it, he felt that Charlize was a great choice. But before Hugo could directly ask Charlize for her thoughts, Alex excitedly burst out again, "Party, party, party! Hugo, Joseph, Charlize, let's go to the party together!"

"Halloween! Party! Halloween! Party!" Alex, wearing a tight red Spider-Man costume, continuously made web-shooting gestures, showing some excitement. In the United States, the influence of comic book heroes was undeniable, and for Alex, the Spider-Man from a humble background was clearly his idol.

"What party, Alex!" Hugo shouted a couple of times, but unfortunately, he couldn't bring back the excited Alex to reality. Helpless, he turned to Joseph, who rolled his eyes and shouted, "Alexander Lorraine!"

"What's up?" Alex finally heard and stopped his actions, smiling and looking at Hugo and Joseph. Without needing to ask, like a floodgate being opened, he explained, "Last time, I went for an audition for a TV show and made friends with a group of people. This time, their production team is throwing a Halloween party, and they invited me to join. Parties are always better with more people, and I promised them that I would definitely bring a group of people along. So, how about it? Let's go together, all together!"

It seems that Alex made a few phone calls when he went back to his room earlier, aside from changing costumes, and he had some success.

"But we don't have costumes," Joseph said with apparent disinterest and helplessness.

"We can go buy them now," Alex still had a beaming smile, completely displaying an expression of "where there's a will, there's a way." "Let's go out now. Maybe you guys can still snatch Batman costumes. They're $80, not cheap, but I can guarantee that if we wait any longer, they'll be sold out."

"What kind of party is this for a production crew? Isn't it inappropriate for us to go without being invited?" Hugo was actually quite interested in the party. He had been in Los Angeles for almost a year, and his circle of friends remained small. If there was an opportunity, he didn't mind getting to know more people, whether they were in the industry or not. It was always good to make new friends.

"It's "Growing Pains" production crew. It's a big crew, and everyone has invited their friends. Many strangers will be there," Alex explained excitedly. "Besides, I'm not a member of the crew, but I was invited. The more people go, the more lively it will be. That's what a party is all about."

""Growing Pains" production crew?" Hugo didn't anticipate that. Although Hugo wasn't born during the peak of "Growing Pains", it didn't affect his positive impression of the show.

"Hurry up, Batman, Batman!" Alex called urgently, seemingly not caring that Charlize had already started preparing dinner. Buying Halloween costumes was the top priority. It was clear how much he looked forward to Halloween.

"I prefer Iron Man to Batman," Karl's voice came from the living room. He had been actively looking for work for Charlize recently, and his determination was admirable. Although one could say that he was on the verge of starving if he didn't work hard, he was truly doing his best as Charlize's agent. Even with limited funds, he continued to support Charlize's acting lessons, going out early in the morning and returning late at night, all to find job opportunities for her.

Although Karl was in a tough situation, his personality was generally positive, and most of the time, he kept his worries to himself, so his laughter could always be heard when he came back.

"Do you also like Halloween parties? Let's go together, together!" Alex immediately jumped up and then heard Karl exclaim, "Oh, Jesus Christ, what are you... Spider-Man?" Then, one could see Alex excitedly jumping around on the sofa and coffee table, but he didn't really resemble Spider-Man, more like a chimpanzee.

"Do chimpanzees have red fur?" Hugo furrowed his brows and asked Joseph seriously.

Joseph thought for a moment and then nodded seriously. "I think they do."

The expression on Alex's face instantly stiffened, as if one could see the massive "chimpanzee" constantly swirling in his head, viciously striking his confidence. This comical expression made the other three guys in the living room struggle to hold back their laughter.