The Greatest Showman #724 - Innocent Face

Alexander was already laughing so hard that he felt like he might die, but Renly remained calm and innocent, as if he had no idea what was going on.

Clutching his stomach, Alexander turned his head, looking around at the confused faces surrounding him. It only deepened his sense of grievance, yet he couldn't figure out how to express it. In frustration, he rushed to the director. "Paul, did you see Renly's performance just now? He did it on purpose! He definitely did it on purpose!" Alexander was almost in tears. "Is that really okay? His performance was so strange; it's like the whole scene was off. This isn't a comic! If we keep going like this, we won't be able to film this scene at all!"

Paul, looking confused, stared at Alexander and then at the scene. He was taken aback by Alexander's dramatic reaction. "I think it's fine. Renly's performance keeps the subtle tone, preserving the light, witty atmosphere from before."

Alexander blinked, taken aback. "Director, are you sure?"

Paul, not being an actor himself, wasn't entirely sure, so he proposed, "How about we watch the replay?"

Alexander eagerly agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes, the replay! We need to see it." He hurriedly ushered Paul over to the monitor, desperate to prove his point.

The others nearby, including Donald, Jennifer, Rami, and the others, also gathered around, intrigued. Jennifer called out, "Renly, aren't you going to watch it with us? Come prove your innocence!"

Renly just shrugged lightly, indifferent, and everyone ignored him. Alexander quickly urged, "Replay, replay!"

The scene they were reviewing had been filmed in a medium shot. When Cage and Farrell entered the tent, the camera had pulled back slowly, capturing their body movements and the overall atmosphere—focusing more on the actors' presence rather than subtle eye movements. The lighting was dim, setting a somber and tense mood, preparing for the impending war. In such a shot, the actor's performance needed to be slightly amplified.

Though this was only Renly's second commercial film appearance, he had learned a lot, especially after his experience on Transcendence. He had become more flexible in his acting. For the scene in question, Renly wasn't concerned. He focused on subtly infusing humor into the quiet moments.

The rigidity and awkwardness Cage displayed—his stiff neck and hesitant gaze toward Farrell—expressed a mix of fear, insecurity, and denial of reality. This, combined with his desperate need for security and a glimmer of hope, created a perfect, understated humorous effect. The performance was not too exaggerated but rather just right for the scene.

Renly intentionally included small, almost imperceptible details in his eyes. While the camera couldn't capture them, his body language exuded an aura that completed the performance. Of course, part of the fun was teasing Alexander, who had just fallen for his prank. Renly wasn't seeking revenge; he was simply returning the favor.

If Renly had been in Fast & Furious 5, he would have taken a more dramatic approach to the beginning scenes. But in Edge of Tomorrow, the role called for wit, humor, and absurdity, and Renly's sense of timing was spot-on. His confidence in his ability to balance the scale of the performance was unwavering.

As the replay ended, the room fell silent, but their expressions were a mixture of restrained amusement. It was clear that the scene had had the desired effect—subtle, yet impactful. The humor was clever, and the scene fit seamlessly into the story, providing a deeper insight into Cage's character while remaining lighthearted.

Everyone watched intently, but no one wanted to break the silence. Alexander was the first to speak. "Did you see that? Did you see it?" he pointed to Renly's eyes on the screen, his excitement building. "This look, this look right here!"

Jennifer turned to the others. "No, I didn't see anything unusual."

Donald nodded. "Yeah, it looked fine to me. Renly added a surreal humor to his serious performance. I love it."

Rami, noticing Alexander's exaggerated reaction, asked, "Alex, what's going on? Why do you look so… worked up?"

Alexander covered his face in frustration. "Don't you see it? Renly's eyes… it's like he's admiring me or something. It's a weird feeling!"

Jennifer, with a teasing grin, immediately responded, "Oh, so Renly and Alex, huh? Is that it? Are we witnessing a secret confession?"

"Jennifer Lawrence!" Alexander interjected, clearly embarrassed. "I didn't mean that, I meant…," but before he could finish, the group burst into laughter. Alexander turned to Renly in exasperation. "Come on, man, what's going on? Explain yourself!"

Renly, ever the picture of innocence, shrugged nonchalantly. "I think my performance was fine. Is there something wrong? Paul, what do you think?"

Paul, sensing Alexander's glare, stood his ground. "Alex, trust me, I believe in my professional judgment. I want this work to be excellent, just like you. And I think Renly's performance was spot-on."

Alexander, on the verge of losing his composure, mumbled a curse in Swedish, unable to hold back his frustration. But seeing the others' reactions, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. He turned back to Renly, shaking his head in disbelief. "You'll regret this," he muttered, knowing full well that Renly would pull the same tricks on others in the future.

"Let's continue shooting," Alexander said, trying to regain his composure.

Paul, however, had other plans. "Actually, we need to start from scratch. We need to redo this scene."

"What?" Alexander was taken aback. "Why? Didn't you say everything was fine?"

Paul explained, "There was a laugh at the end. Everything else was great, but that last bit…"

Alexander groaned. "Okay, let's just shoot the last part." He knew he'd be facing Lan Li's attack in the next take, and he wasn't sure he'd make it through without laughing.

"No, we need to redo the whole shot," Paul said, grinning sheepishly. "To be honest, I think we can do it in one continuous take. Let's try it again."

Alexander stood speechless, then turned to see Renly standing there with a grin, waving at him as if to say, "I'm ready. Let's go." He bit his lip and trudged over, wondering how much more of this he could take.

In the back, Jennifer, Donald, Rami, and the others were barely containing their laughter. It was clear: Renly had made this a moment to remember.