One step behind

Hugo followed behind Joseph and returned to the hall, weaving through the crowd of people dancing the waltz and heading upstairs along the staircase. Joseph leaned in close to Hugo's ear and said, "I just saw Martin Baum. It seems that Brad Pitt is also striving for "The Firm". But I didn't see Brad, so I don't know if they had a discussion or how far it has progressed."

Every time Joseph thought about the little progress he had made in the past month, he felt like pounding his chest and stomping his feet. He lacked experience after all. A competent agent wouldn't let a project drag on for a month without any updates. Regardless of whether the project could be finalized, he should've proactively stayed in touch with the production team to know the news as soon as possible. But he had been too passive. He just hoped there was still time to salvage the situation.

Hugo sensed Joseph's nervousness. His steps were faster than usual, indicating Joseph's urgency. Hugo didn't say much, only offering reassurance, "No matter what others do, we need to focus on ourselves first. Otherwise, there's no need for competition; we'll be left behind on our own."

Joseph paused his steps slightly. He knew Hugo was speaking the truth. At this point, self-blame wouldn't change anything. It was best to concentrate on tonight's audition. When Joseph resumed walking, although he still moved quickly, he seemed less frantic. It was evident that he was making an effort to calm himself down.

The second floor was clearly a living room, with bedrooms lining both sides of the corridor. Hugo and Joseph stopped in front of a large door on the left. A muscular black man stood at the entrance, his arms crossed in front of him, maintaining a serious expression. Upon seeing Hugo and Joseph, he didn't show much change, only glanced at Hugo out of the corner of his eye, then raised his left hand and knocked on the white wooden door behind him. "Mr. Hugo Lancaster has arrived."

About two seconds later, the black man turned the doorknob with his left hand, pushing the door open a third of the way, gesturing for Hugo and Joseph to enter.

Observing the scene, Hugo couldn't help but be reminded of the opening scene of "The Godfather", where he and Joseph seemed like ordinary residents going to pay respects to the Godfather. This thought seemed absurd to Hugo because Sydney Polack, the director they were about to meet, had no connections to the mafia and no knowledge about it, as evident from his works.

Sydney was an outstanding actor, and as a director, his guidance in acting was unparalleled. Almost every actor in his directed works received relevant nominations. Top acting veterans like Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, and Paul Newman benefited greatly from Sydney's direction. Of course, among the actors who collaborated with Sydney, Robert Redford was undoubtedly the most special. Their friendship began in 1962 when they acted together in "War Hunt", and it lasted for thirty years. When Robert later directed his debut film "Ordinary People" and won an Oscar, he personally expressed gratitude to Sydney in his acceptance speech.

So, one could imagine the strength of this network when Robert voluntarily recommended Brad Pitt to Sydney for the role in "The Firm".

Countless thoughts swirled in Hugo's mind as he entered the room. It turned out to be a study, filled with neatly arranged books that captured his gaze. The large globe on the desk attracted a lot of attention. Sydney wasn't seated behind the desk but rather on the central coffee table sofa. He stood up with a smile to welcome Hugo and Joseph. "Good evening, gentlemen. How is the party tonight? Are you enjoying it?"

Sydney appeared refined and scholarly, with messy curly hair, thick-lensed glasses, and wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes that bore the traces of time. He exuded an air of intellectualism, which reminded Hugo of another intellectual director, Woody Allen. However, compared to Woody, Sydney's robust physique was undoubtedly more impressive.

"I'm getting older, and although I enjoy the hustle and bustle, my ears can't handle it. I always need some quiet space," Sydney jokingly explained his absence as the host. He shook hands with Hugo and Joseph and gestured for them to sit down.

"The so-called party is all about the excitement, isn't it?" Hugo temporarily suppressed his thoughts and smiled at Sydney. "But compared to the liveliness, it's the emptiness after the party that makes one reluctant to leave." Hugo's words surprised Sydney, and his gaze lingered on Hugo's face for a while. "Of course, we must celebrate that today is New Year's Day, so we'll be even happier after the midnight bell rings."

When Sydney shifted his gaze, he noticed the mistletoe pinned to Hugo's left chest. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "And there's also anticipation." Sydney had anticipated various scenarios when meeting Hugo, but the reality was completely different. He had to admit that, apart from their brief and formal encounter at the premiere of "A Few Good Men", he didn't have a strong impression of Hugo. Besides his handsome face, which was almost synonymous with being a pretty face, this law seemed hard to change in Hollywood, even if Hugo had received dual Golden Globe nominations.

However, today, with just two sentences and one detail, Sydney's impression of Hugo became more concrete. "So, have you read the script for "The Firm"?"

Hugo remembered that Joseph had mentioned this meeting would only last ten minutes, so it was no wonder Joseph had no intention of speaking and instead handed the initiative over to him. It was also no wonder that after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Sydney went straight to the point. "No, I haven't received the script. It's a pity," Hugo stated the fact without any pretense, but his tone was relatively gentle, expressing genuine regret. This made Sydney laugh lightly. "But I have read the original novel and I'm currently on my second reading, trying to further understand the relationships between the characters."

"A dedicated actor is always a fortunate asset for directors and production teams, regardless of the circumstances." Sydney affirmed Hugo's enthusiasm, and his amiable smile boosted Hugo's confidence.

Hugo speculated that perhaps the month-long delay in the audition was to allow him ample time to read the original novel. However, Sydney continued, "But I must express my regrets and apologies. This time, we won't be able to collaborate." Sydney's words were gentle but resolute. "No way to collaborate." There was no ambiguous wording, just a decisive rejection, which was in stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere just moments ago, surprising both Hugo and Joseph.

Hugo furrowed his brows slightly, seemingly contemplating something, while Joseph couldn't contain his patience. The sudden turn of events left them puzzled. However, before Joseph could utter a sentence, Sydney raised his hand to stop him and proceeded to explain further.

"I'm truly sorry. Hugo is an excellent actor, and I'm certain he is capable of playing any role. Unfortunately, we don't have the opportunity to collaborate this time," Sydney said firmly, looking at Joseph. Then, he shifted his gaze to Hugo. "I hope we can have a chance to work together in the future."

Originally, Sydney had intended to reject Joseph simply through his assistant. However, Hugo's outstanding talent and Joseph's persistence touched Sydney. He decided that he should at least give Hugo the respect he deserved and tell him his decision face-to-face. After all, it was Sydney who had been immediately drawn to Hugo, hoping he would star in "The Firm".

Hugo carefully discerned the words Sidney used in his rejection, all of which were affirmative. However, when discussing future collaborations, Sydney used uncertain terms. This indicated that there was indeed no chance for collaboration, and the so-called future was just a polite remark, expressing Sydney's sincerity.

Hugo relaxed his brow and smiled. "Originally, I was thinking about what kind of performance would impress you, but I guess there's no chance this time. Let's look forward to the future." Surprisingly, Hugo didn't continue to fight for an opportunity, which caught Joseph off guard. Joseph had something to say, but when he saw the calm and composed smile on Hugo's face, the words on his lips swallowed back down.

Sydney looked at the young man in front of him. Despite being rejected, his gaze remained full of confidence, not anger but regret, not sadness but determination. This made Sydney take a closer look at Hugo once again, and he felt a hint of hesitation. He believed that Hugo could truly shine in "The Firm". However, recalling that he had already made a decision, Sydney suppressed all his thoughts and smiled. "Of course, I'll be looking forward to the future."

Hugo stood up first, followed by Sydney, and then Joseph. The three of them shook hands with each other. Hugo smiled and said, "I won't disturb your rest any longer. The party tonight is lively, and you should come down and join the celebration. There isn't much time left in 1992."

Sydney chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll fully enjoy the new year after 1993 arrives. Have a wonderful night!"

After the pleasantries, Hugo and Joseph turned and left the study.

Hugo knew that he and Joseph were one step behind, a step that, as Ron Meyer had said, was fatal. No matter how hard Hugo worked and fought, it was impossible to reverse it. This was what Hollywood called the supremacy of opportunity—opportunities were everywhere, some obtained them, and some didn't. This was what created the difference between A-list actors and leading actors. And in the opportunity of "The Firm", Hugo had missed out.