The Greatest Showman #772 - Fall in Love

A lively group of men gathered together, their energy high, but Kaya, despite her boyish demeanor, found herself feeling a little awkward in their presence. As the crowd started to place bets, Kaya quietly stepped aside, opting not to participate.

However, Jennifer seemed unbothered, exuding a carefree attitude that suggested she was quite used to attention. She walked over with a smile and remarked, "You guys are so boring. What's the point of betting on such trivial gossip? If it were me, I'd wager on whether the scandal is true or false."

Her simple statement immediately deflated the previous bets, and eyes turned toward her, with even Paul Walker—who had never been one for gossip—pausing to glance over with curiosity. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, unable to suppress his amusement.

Donald clicked his tongue, his eyes darting between Jennifer and Renly, then playfully raised his chin. "So, is it true or false?" he teased.

Jennifer rolled her eyes, about to deny it, but Renly stepped in, "What are we betting on?" All eyes immediately turned to him, and Donald, sensing the shift, took a small step back, defensively retorting, "What bet?"

Having worked together on "Edge of Tomorrow," Donald knew all too well that anyone who underestimated Renly would end up regretting it. Renly, with his gentlemanly persona in the media, was anything but in reality—a fact Donald knew firsthand.

Renly calmly continued, "You opened the market, now it's my turn," referring to the bet about the scandal's truth or falsity.

But Donald, noticing the mischievous glint in Renly's eyes, immediately became wary. "You're the one involved, so you can't open it. It's all in your hands, whether it's true or not. We've got no chance of winning this bet!"

Jennifer saw her opportunity and raised her voice, playfully complaining, "You actually believe that ridiculous news? Renly's game is never going to start, the result is already decided!" She gestured around at the curious onlookers, exasperated. "We're on set every day, and you still suspect something? Ridiculous."

Donald shook his head seriously, "Hollywood doesn't want too many of these things—hiding away from the crew and sneaking off together. Paparazzi aren't omnipotent."

"Paparazzi?" Renly raised an eyebrow with a single word, and his subtle challenge was clear. Donald just compared himself to a paparazzo?

It took a moment for Donald to realize his mistake. Realizing the confusion he'd caused, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. He tried to explain, but Jennifer swiftly interrupted, "According to the logic of the news, Renly and Ryan Gosling should be getting ready for notarization by now."

The mention of Ryan took everyone by surprise. Initially, no one understood why he was suddenly brought up, but then they all laughed. Even Renly couldn't help but chuckle.

How did rumors about Renly and Jennifer even start? Earlier that year, at the Sundance Film Festival, their film Crazy in Love received a lot of praise. Both were nominated for Oscars, and naturally, the press began speculating. It was all based on hearsay, the proverbial wind catching a few feathers.

What about Renly and Ryan? They'd formed a friendship at the Toronto Film Festival the previous year, and this year, they both earned Golden Globe nominations in the same categories, further fueling the rumors. By the same logic, the scandal between Renly and Ryan was practically a certainty.

"Should we call this 'falling in love and killing each other'?" Paul asked curiously, his tone brimming with enthusiasm as he turned to Renly for confirmation.

At that, everyone burst into laughter. Jennifer and Donald exchanged looks and without needing to say a word, both shouted in unison, "Love each other and kill each other! Love each other and kill each other!" They chanted, clearly enjoying the chaos they were creating.

Renly glanced at Paul's innocent face, his lips curling into a half-smile. He didn't seem flustered by the chaos around him. Instead, he made a "shh" gesture, waiting for the noise to subside before speaking. "Just remember—don't leak this to the press. If the wind gets out, the value of the wedding gift doubles."

Unlike traditional Asian wedding customs, American weddings typically feature a gift list. The newlyweds create a list of items they need for their home, and friends and family choose gifts from that list. The list helps ensure that the gifts are both useful and appreciated.

Renly's joke about the wedding gifts sparked a brief moment of awkward silence, as everyone processed the absurdity of the situation. Then, Renly turned to Jennifer, who was still trying to avoid the conversation, smiling as he asked, "Miss Lawrence, is it our turn to create a scandal?"

Jennifer, suddenly feeling guilty for deflecting earlier, quickly pointed to the side. "I need to go try the props for the next scene. It's very important. I'll be right there!" With that, she hurried off towards the studio, nearly fleeing the scene.

"Renly? Aren't you going after her?" Donald, ever the instigator, saw an opportunity to tease and fanned the flames.

Renly shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't you know? The next scene is my big rivalry with Jennifer—the only kiss scene in the entire movie." He gave a sly smile, hinting that even if Jennifer had fled, their paths would cross again soon enough.

Donald froze, his grin faltering. As he nervously looked away, he noticed that everyone else had scattered, leaving him alone to face Renly's quiet menace. Feeling the tension rise, Donald muttered a stream of nonsense. "It's getting hot. I need some water... Yes, the bathroom! I'll just go... there."

But before he could escape, Renly's calm voice followed him. "Donald, you do know there are group scenes coming up this afternoon, right? Or maybe tomorrow morning at the latest?"

Donald stumbled, almost tripping, then bolted from the scene.

For Renly, the most exciting part of any prank wasn't the direct confrontation—it was the slow teasing, the gradual encirclement of the target. Watching them squirm as the pressure built, only for the hunter to casually walk away, leaving the prey feeling utterly lost. It was a thrilling game of psychological warfare. Perhaps it was a little cruel, and yes, a touch psychopathic... but he blamed it on the dreary British weather.

Shaking his head, Renly turned and walked toward the set. He wasn't joking when he agreed with Jennifer's earlier proposal—the next scene was crucial. Not because it was technically difficult, but because of the many complications involved in the filming process.

Today was the day they were shooting the big battle scene for Edge of Tomorrow. Cage and Rita were leading the J-team to the Louvre, where aliens hiding in time corridors threatened their mission. However, this time, Cage had lost the ability to rewind time—his last life was all that remained, and failure meant "game over."

The team encountered heavy fire suppression, with Cage and Rita in a helicopter racing into the Louvre's glass pyramid to launch a suicide mission. Meanwhile, the rest of the team fought in the rear.

To enhance realism, director Paul Greengrass had built a replica of the Louvre and battlefield in the studio, using props, steel cables, and rigs to simulate the helicopter's crash. Computer-generated special effects would complete the scene in post-production.

Green screen or blue screen performances played a key role in this kind of commercial blockbuster. Actors often wore green suits to simulate invisible environments, allowing post-production to create effects around them.

With that in mind, Renly knew the importance of nailing this scene—not just for the film, but for the intricate performance it required. The stakes were high.