The Greatest Showman #991 – Tech Nerd

Alfonso Cuaron shook his head, then nodded again. His restraint and embarrassment were impossible to hide. He rubbed his hands awkwardly, clearly flustered, and explained, "I have a project, and I'd like to invite you to be a part of it."

It was an unexpected response, and Renly chuckled lightly. "Thank you. That's the greatest compliment any actor could receive—an invitation from a director they admire. I can understand your excitement after tonight's performance. You really enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"Absolutely, of course," Alfonso responded, his hands gesturing wildly in the typical Spanish—or perhaps Italian—style. But then again, Alfonso was Mexican, so was it the same?

He continued, "Before, my friend—maybe you know him, Guillermo del Toro—watched your show and told me to come see it. I was skeptical, but tonight, you really blew me away. Wait, did you just say I'm your favorite director?"

Alfonso's English carried a heavy accent, and his speech rhythm was a bit unsteady, occasionally punctuated by grammatical errors. Yet, his words spilled out rapidly, reminiscent of a machine gun, as if his brain was struggling to keep up with the speed of his speech. The contrast between his enthusiasm and his delivery made it all the more charming.

"Yes," Renly replied with a warm smile. "Personally, I've always admired your long takes in Children of Men. It's not just the visual style, but the atmosphere and perspective—the coldness and recklessness behind the protagonist. The things happening around him, outside of his control, are incredibly impactful. Also, I really respect your courage in Prisoner of Azkaban."

Alfonso's shyness was evident, and his embarrassed smile only made him seem more endearing. Though he was now over fifty years old, he still held onto a youthful passion for filmmaking.

In 2004, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was hailed by critics as the best film in the series, with an 82-point media review. However, it was met with a less enthusiastic reception from fans and a disappointing box office performance. In fact, its North American and global scores were the lowest in the entire Harry Potter series—a blow to Alfonso. Despite this, he remained undeterred, devoting himself fully to his craft.

Among the three celebrated Mexican directors—Alfonso, Guillermo del Toro, and Alejandro González Iñárritu—only Alejandro was more socially conscious. Alfonso and Guillermo, both shy and introverted, were more reclusive, often deeply focused on their art rather than making waves in Hollywood.

Renly, noticing the shift in Alfonso's expression, continued, "However, I'm afraid I have to decline your offer."

Alfonso's face fell, clearly disappointed. Renly couldn't help but feel bad, as though he was unfairly rejecting an earnest invitation. He explained, "As you know, I'm currently performing in the West End, and for the next two and a half months, I won't have any time to take on a new project."

Renly paused, giving Alfonso a moment to speak, but then added, "Also, our crew is considering a Broadway tour, but the schedule isn't finalized yet. However, I can confirm that, in the short term, I won't have any free time."

Les Misérables had only been playing for two weeks in London, yet it had sold out every performance and become the talk of the town. On the other side of the Atlantic, New York had caught the same fever, with Broadway already in talks to bring the show to the stage.

Renly continued, "It's still in the negotiation phase, but at least six theaters have expressed interest. If everything goes as planned, a Broadway tour is inevitable. The only question is: how long will it last, and how often will I need to perform?"

For Broadway, Renly was the star that mattered most. His name alone brought more value to the show than any other actor combined, which meant that his presence was essential for the tour's success.

"Mr. Cuaron, I truly apologize," Renly said, his tone sincere. "It's not that I don't want to collaborate, but the timing simply doesn't work out."

"But…" Alfonso looked genuinely stunned. He hadn't even had a chance to properly present his offer before it was declined. He felt a bit discouraged, and the thought of asking through an agent suddenly seemed like a more logical approach.

But the excitement of seeing Renly's performance had taken over, and Alfonso couldn't contain it. He had rushed backstage without thinking, relying on his connections and his "face-brushing" strategy to gain entry to the waiting room. His singular goal was to meet Renly, unaware of one crucial fact: top actors like Renly were inundated with offers. Especially after the Oscars, Renly had been bombarded with requests, yet he had chosen to stay away from Hollywood, focusing on his performances in London instead.

"No, no need," Alfonso waved it off, trying to maintain his composure, but his disappointment was still evident. "I was too hasty. You don't need to apologize. I… I wasn't thorough enough." He hesitated, then added, "But I have to say, today's performance was absolutely incredible. I had planned to come back tomorrow, but it seems there are no tickets left."

Alfonso had been seated in a reserved spot at the Almeida Theatre, thanks to the influence of David Heyman, a top producer known for his work on Harry Potter and I Am Legend. It had taken many attempts to secure his entry.

"Really? If you'd like, I can ask a friend to find two seats for you in the box," Renly offered cheerfully. "There should be vacancies. Chad shouldn't mind, and I'm sure Matthew can help, too."

Alfonso's eyes widened. "Really? God, do you know how much those tickets are going for outside?" Then, realizing the awkwardness of discussing scalper prices in front of an actor, he quickly stopped himself.

Renly chuckled. "I'll have to check my bank account first. Who knows, maybe I can make some extra money on the side." His playful remark made Alfonso laugh despite himself.

Renly raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to sit in the waiting room with me?" he offered again. But Alfonso politely declined, mentioning that his companions were still waiting outside.

Renly spread his hands in mock apology. "Well, if that's the case, I'll have to get some rest. I've got a full day of work tomorrow. As for the box seats, I'll have my assistant Nathan coordinate with you."

After a few more brief exchanges, Renly made his way out.

Inside the waiting room, most of the actors had already left, exhausted from the show. There were no after-parties, no celebrations—just quiet, restful moments to recharge for the next day's performance. But laughter still echoed from the room, especially Paul Walker's signature sunny laugh.

"Renly!" Meadows-Ryan jumped up excitedly, his face full of enthusiasm. He rushed over and gave Renly a big hug. "You're a genius! Seriously! Your acting was incredible! I was shaking the whole time, goosebumps all over, I wanted to scream but couldn't! God, you were amazing!"

Meadows bounced up and down, her excitement radiating from every muscle.

Renly couldn't help but laugh, the tension of the evening melting away. "Careful, girl, your dad's watching. He's going to get jealous."

Paul, hearing the joke, burst into laughter, walked over, and gave Renly a warm hug. "Jesus, man, I never realized it before. You're perfect for this role. Heather was right. You belong on that stage."

"I'm already feeling pretty proud, no need to add to my ego," Renly grinned. "But seriously, six hours. Are you sure that's not too long? I thought you guys might've been ready to bail by now."

Paul and Meadows had arrived in London the day before, specifically to cheer on Les Misérables. Renly hadn't had time to entertain them, so Matthew had spent time with them instead. Tonight, they had watched the performance from the second floor, not a box, but the view was still excellent.

Paul had considered buying tickets himself, but the frenzy of ticket sales had made it impossible to secure one. He had given up, knowing he wouldn't get in.