The Greatest Showman #1084 - 1 Heart

Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, and Rooney Mara were shortlisted for the final stage of the "Gravity" heroine competition. Renly, however, wore a small smile, his trust in Andy's words wavering.

Amy Adams, like Jessica Chastain, is a prime example of a late bloomer. Amy, now thirty-eight, and Jessica, thirty-four, both spent the early years of their careers in smaller roles, honing their craft. As they moved through their careers, their acting abilities began to shine in leading roles.

In 2005, Amy received widespread acclaim from the independent film community for her delicate and agile performance in The Beetle, which catapulted her to the final stage of the Oscars, where she received her first Best Supporting Actress nomination.

It wasn't until 2007 that Amy's career truly took off. At thirty-two, she played the oldest princess in Disney's history in Magic Romance, a role that became an instant hit.

From there, her career soared. Films like Child Abuse Suspect and The Fighter brought her to new heights, earning her two Oscar nominations within three years. Amy was a constant presence in the spotlight.

Today, Amy and Jessica are two of Hollywood's most prominent actresses, with thriving careers. Amy's portfolio includes recent and upcoming works like She, American Hustle, On the Road, and Master, while Superman: Man of Steel is also in preparation, with Amy shortlisted for the heroine role.

Jessica, after having worked on seven projects last year and being dubbed a "Model Worker," hasn't slowed down. After finishing the dubbing for Madagascar 3 and filming *Hunting ***", she joined the Lawless crew and has works like Salome and The Lonely Affair of Him and Her awaiting production.

In addition to Amy and Jessica, Rooney Mara is a rising star among the new generation of actresses. After her breakout roles in The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, she has emerged as one of Hollywood's most talented young actors, alongside Jennifer Lawrence.

Renly had recently exchanged emails with Rooney. She had just completed filming Her with Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix, and Scarlett Johansson, and was preparing to join Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects with Channing Tatum, Jude Law, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

These three actresses are the hottest names in Hollywood right now. They have proven their strength in art films, receiving unanimous praise for their solid acting skills. Their success and recognition are well deserved. But there's one thing they all share—they are incredibly busy, perhaps even more so than Renly.

Now, these three are being considered for the heroine role in Gravity?

Renly found it hard to believe.

According to Barry, Gravity was slated to begin production in November, and scheduling would be the biggest challenge. A film of that scale would require at least two months of filming, so how would these actresses juggle this with their other commitments?

What made it even more difficult to fathom was that neither Renly nor Alfonso Cuaron were exactly "high-priority collaborators" on the casting list—at least not in Renly's opinion.

Jessica and Rooney had a personal connection and had expressed interest in collaborating before. But Amy? Renly had never even met her. Her collaborators included legends like Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Thomas Anderson. In Renly's mind, there was no comparison.

"Haha." Renly chuckled, "Nice try, but I won't be fooled. Honestly, the heroine casting is still unclear, right?"

"I'm serious, Renly. I'm not joking," Andy said, his expression turning serious with a smile. "Why do you think I'm joking?"

Renly raised an eyebrow and replied, "Why would they want to appear in this project?" He then added, "I sent an email to Rooney last time. She didn't mention it at all."

Andy paused for a moment, then realization dawned on him. A smile broke out across his face. "Renly, so you're feeling insecure now?"

Andy had never known Renly to be anything but confident. To them, Renly was like Mount Tai—solid and unshakable. As an actor, Renly was always determined, focused, and never wavered. Yet today, his uncertain words revealed a side of him Andy had never seen.

After laughing, Andy grew serious again. "I told you before, actors are eager to work with you. That's not a joke. You've earned your place in the film industry. It's an honor for other actors to collaborate with you."

Renly's confusion and surprise faded, replaced by a wry smile. There was a depth to his expression, both complex and profound, before he laughed at himself. "I always thought of myself as a rookie actor."

Even though he had won Best Actor at Berlin and received an Oscar, the whirlwind of February had made those achievements feel distant. Returning to the West End in London, Renly continued to focus on refining his craft, believing that he was still a young rookie, constantly striving to improve.

"You're not a genius, and you never were," Renly added softly.

Andy sensed a tinge of bitterness in Renly's words. Before, he hadn't understood why, but now, with a little insight into Renly's aristocratic background, Andy began to understand.

In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, where vanity and pride often cloud judgment, it's easy to lose oneself. With the rise of social media and internet fame, stars can become consumed by their own image. But Renly was different. He remained solid as a rock, his integrity and dedication more luminous than any award or box office success.

For the first time, Andy understood the difference between a star and an actor. And he was fortunate to have met the latter.

"Renly, I hope you can continue to keep that sense of humility, that beginner's mindset. It's the only way you can keep succeeding. And as long as you continue to shine, I'll continue to succeed too." Andy chuckled. "But every once in a while, take a look beyond the actor's world. You're more important than you think."

Andy paused, his expression growing more serious. "Remember the 'Today Show'? I'm not talking about your singles, but about your work raising awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. And for God's sake, that's the first time I've ever said the name out loud."

"Did you know? In the past month, the discussion around ALS has increased by three hundred percent. From search engines to social media, traditional media to everyday conversations, people are really paying attention to this disease for the first time. You've changed the fate of a group of people."

Andy's voice faltered, the emotion evident in his words. He thought of Heather Cross, the girl whose life was tragically cut short before the age of seventeen.

"The Heather-Cross Foundation raised ten million in just one month. That's the first ten million in the foundation's history," Andy said. "And that doesn't even include your donation."

Ten million. For any charitable foundation, raising that kind of money was no small feat. But Renly had done it, and with his influence, he had truly made a difference.

It was no wonder that people said that public figures, whether they liked it or not, had a responsibility to use their platform for good. Without that responsibility, they would be forgotten by time.

Renly smiled, his humor returning. "Guess the hype worked after all. No wonder those reporters always stir things up."

Andy chuckled, but quickly grew serious again. "It's still not enough though, right? I don't know how difficult it is to research a disease or develop a new drug, but I do know that it can't continue without funding."

"Ten million? It's still not enough to fight a terminal illness. What do you think?" Andy asked.