**Chapter 257: You're Just Moved by Yourself**

"Honey, I'm serious, I really like you." 

"Michael, let go of me, no, stop!" 

"You can't do this, let go of me!" 

"No, I like you."

*Smack!* 

In a large theater in the DC district of New York, Luca sat in the middle row. When he saw Michael getting slapped in the movie, he felt a faint sting on his own face.

"Ross, what do you think of my performance?" 

He turned to look at his acting coach, Ross.

Back when he first entered the industry, Ross and Billy kept feeding him flattery, telling him that he had a natural talent for acting, a striking image, and great potential. They said he was sure to become a superstar.

He believed them.

Thinking he had decent qualifications and a unique edge, he figured becoming a big star like Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt wouldn't be too hard.

But reality hit hard. 

Again and again. Not only did outsiders criticize him, even his partners started to. He was on the verge of depression. 

Returning to New York this time, he specifically found Mr. Ross and invited him to watch his movie, hoping to get some honest feedback.

"Wait, let's talk after the movie." 

Mr. Ross waved his hand, his eyes glued to the screen, looking quite serious.

"Alright," Luca nodded quietly. Ross was paying close attention, truly professional—no wonder he was a seasoned Broadway veteran.

"Jessica's body is so hot," Ross suddenly muttered.

"What?" Luca frowned at Mr. Ross.

"Did I say something?" Ross shrugged nonchalantly.

Luca smirked. "Ross, is this your first time seeing this movie? I'm your student, my new movie is out, and you didn't even show up to support it. I had to pay for your ticket."

"I've been busy with rehearsals lately, no time to watch movies."

"Really?"

Luca shook his head. "Now that you've seen it, can you give me some feedback on my acting?"

"Emm, out of ten, I'd give you a six. Barely passing."

"Can you be more specific? A lot of the reviews in the papers are nonsense. Many criticisms are baseless. I'd like your professional opinion."

Luca said earnestly. He was completely lost in his acting career and was even considering giving up, so he needed some real advice.

Mr. Ross stroked his beard. "Luca, this is only your first film, so you don't need to worry too much. Just the fact that this movie got so much attention is already surprising. 

Most actors need to be in two or three movies before they even get noticed. 

In terms of influence, you've achieved your goal.

As for how you did? Well, there's no definitive answer to that. Some say you can gauge it by critics and box office performance, but as a Brazilian actor and a Hollywood playboy, if you're expecting praise from American critics, you'd have to pay for PR yourself. 

Now, about the box office..."

Mr. Ross shook his head. "In this movie, you're just a secondary, no, a tertiary male character. Does the box office success even have much to do with you?

The main reason for a poor box office is usually related to the director, script, leading actors, marketing, and competing films. 

As a minor supporting actor, your involvement might account for 5% at most. 

So there's no need to stress over it." 

Luca nodded slightly. That was exactly what he thought—without him, the box office would've been even worse.

"Let's talk about your acting then."

"My acting?"

Mr. Ross stared at the screen for a while. After watching Jessica finish her dance routine, he slowly said, "I gave you a passing score—do you know where the missing four points are?"

"Please, tell me."

"First, it's on the director. His directing skills are average, and he didn't manage to guide you well or bring out your strengths.

Second, it's your co-star. Acting requires a connection, and you and the lead actress didn't have good chemistry. You both acted, but couldn't create the atmosphere the script demanded. The emotions were off, like in the slap scene. The lead actress wasn't tense enough, and you weren't angry enough. 

It lacked emotional impact. 

The same issue appears elsewhere in the movie.

Third, it's your role choice and your acting itself." 

After the movie ended, the two left the theater and went into a café on the street. 

Mr. Ross ordered a black coffee and continued, "You said you spend a long time memorizing lines, blocking, and understanding your character before each scene, right?"

"Yes," Luca replied while stirring his coffee.

"But have you ever considered your co-star's role? Have you thought about what their performance would be like? Different actors bring different skills, personalities, and professionalism. Have you considered that?" 

Luca shook his head. "I thought about it during rehearsals but didn't focus much on it."

"That's your problem." 

Mr. Ross sipped his coffee, wrinkling his brow. "Whenever I get a role, I spend over 70% of my time and energy before filming thinking about my co-star—not just their character, but who they are as an actor. 

By doing this, you can trigger your co-star's emotions during the performance.

You pave the way for them, they pave the way for you, and the scene flows smoothly. Sparks fly, and the effect is greater than 1+1." 

Luca nodded thoughtfully. When filming this movie, he knew how his character should be played, so he didn't prepare much. Let alone think about his co-star's role. 

And at the time, Jessica was distant, so they didn't interact much off set.

"Let's take the slap scene as an example. I remember the promotion said it was a real slap, right?" 

Mr. Ross smirked.

"Yes," Luca shrugged.

"Then you got slapped for nothing," Mr. Ross laughed, adjusting his glasses. "A real slap is all about instinctive reaction. The moment you're hit, you should instantly show anger.

But your anger was clearly acted. 

You were ready to get slapped and then put on an angry expression. What's the point of this other than moving yourself?" 

"..." 

Luca felt awkward. During the shoot, he did feel a sense of self-sacrifice, thinking he was being professional and dedicated. Now it seemed like it didn't matter at all.

"Mr. Ross, how would you have done it?" 

"Me?" 

Mr. Ross thought for a moment. "I'd eat some garlic in advance and breathe on her as I got close."

"Ugh..." 

Just imagining the smell disgusted Luca.

"Disgusting, right? That's exactly the point." 

Mr. Ross laughed while stroking his beard. "In that moment, you're assaulting Jessica. To her, you're disgusting. She hates you, so she'd be eager to slap you and push you away. That's how you provoke your co-star and pave the way. Did you do that?

No, you didn't! 

You both treated it like a game. The emotions weren't there, and the director didn't push for it either. 

This is what happens when a mediocre actor meets a mediocre director.

It's a miracle this movie even did as well as it has!"

Mr. Ross lit a cigarette, waving the matchstick as the smell of phosphorus filled the air. "In my day, even an extra could act better than you guys. I can't understand the film industry anymore."

Luca chuckled. "Back in the '60s and '70s, it took two or three years to finish a movie. Now it's done in a few weeks. Can we really compare?"

"True. Today's film industry is heading towards mediocrity."

Ross blew a smoke ring, sighing. It was one of the reasons he no longer wanted to work in movies—the gap was just too wide.

(End of Chapter)