Chapter #1100 - Clever Cut

Sandra Bullock's portrayal of Ryan elevates the narrative, successfully creating a bond between the female character and the themes of nurturing life, especially through the poignant memoirs of a daughter's unexpected death.

In contrast, the Renly-Hall version of Ryan must now strip away the complexities introduced by gender differences and return to the fundamental essence of life. The challenge lies in expanding the already grand theme to even greater heights.

This task is no easy feat for Renly, who is required to distill the sprawling 139-minute narrative of The Tree of Life into the scattered visual fragments of Gravity, all while delivering a performance that transcends and adds new layers of reflection. The difficulty of this endeavor is so immense that merely contemplating it can be overwhelming.

Renly, however, has constructed the character's intricate veins, origins, transitions, returns, and sublimations through repeated reflection. The question remains: how to refine and streamline this complexity? How can he perform it with precision?

Themes of birth, family, self-discovery, and the pursuit of dreams emerge prominently. As Ryan chases and fulfills his aspirations, he becomes disconnected from his family, cutting ties and gradually fading away. His journey involves numbness, loss, abandonment, and death, but ultimately leads to a return to the source, a re-explosion, reincarnation, and the rediscovery of life's meaning.

At the core, family is the starting point.

Family, throughout Renly's works, has always been fundamental because, within the societal structure, family is the origin of life. However, the thread of this story's core dynamics and origins is different from past depictions.

As Ryan enters the second phase, memories of his parents and younger brother resurface. What Ryan reflects upon, however, is not the affection or care of his family but rather their expectations, concerns, and his own initial motivations.

In his pursuit of self and life's meaning, his family never questioned or doubted him. They ran alongside him, not as sources of power, but as his closest companions. In his brother's eyes, Ryan became the ultimate life goal, a figure to be followed and emulated.

Once, Ryan set his goal and ran tirelessly towards it, gradually leaving his family behind, until he disappeared completely from their lives. For a time, he blamed them for not understanding his world, feeling disconnected due to a lack of common ground. Yet, upon reflection, Ryan realized they had always understood and supported him—what he didn't understand was that he had distanced himself from them.

Their companionship and support constantly reminded him of his goals, dreams, and perseverance. But once his dream of becoming an astronaut came true, his life settled into a routine, and the voices that once reminded him of his purpose slowly faded into silence. He didn't notice the change, or rather, he noticed but dismissed it.

Now, in the vast emptiness of space, the first image that resurfaces in his mind is of his younger brother at birth. Standing shyly outside the nursery, gazing at the small, pink, crying baby with tiny, pea-sized toes, an image filled with joy and curiosity.

Then, another pair of pea-sized toes flashes before him—not his younger brother's, but his nephew's. While preparing for his next spaceflight in Houston, Ryan missed his brother's wedding and the birth of his child. There were no calls, no presence, only a brief email saying, "Hi."

"My brother is an astronaut. He's a genius, and his way of thinking is so different. If you talk to him about quantum mechanics, he's completely in his element," his brother had said with pride. Even during his first date with his current wife, Ryan's achievements were a topic of conversation. But now, all of that feels like a distant past.

Frustration and nostalgia flood Ryan's mind. His original dream resurfaces: researching the universe, understanding life, exploring the unknown—this is his pursuit. Black holes, space exploration, the meaning of existence, and the origins of the universe were his steadfast goals.

Yet now, as a dedicated astronaut on the space station, he's lost that drive. His existence has become mundane, his purpose forgotten.

To reclaim that lost sense of purpose, Ryan must return to his family—to his younger brother, to his never-before-seen niece or nephew, to experience the joy and curiosity that come with the beginning of life. More importantly, he needs to leave NASA behind and return to the study of the universe, re-engage with the mysteries of life, and reignite his quest for the meaning of existence.

It won't be easy, but Ryan won't give up.

He needs to cut through the obstacles, break through the chaos, much like the first explosion that marked the origin of the universe. He must find his gravitational center and feel the pull of life, of gravity itself, as he falls back to Earth.

The second stage transitions into the third.

In fact, all of this takes place within Ryan's mind, and by extension, within Renly's performance. In the actual film, the imagery may only be represented through a few scattered scenes, maintaining the simplified narrative style, yet conveying the profound core of the story. This isn't a film that integrates such content into the narrative as Interstellar does.

Everything will be conveyed through Renly's performance.

How much of this will be shown? How much will the audience truly understand? How effectively will the performance elevate and transform the theme? The delicacy, depth, and lasting impact all depend on Renly's interpretation. This highlights just how difficult it is to perform in Gravity—it's a much more complex task than in Buried Alive, or any of Renly's previous works.

From constructing the character to understanding its core meaning, to refining the character's fragmented pieces and connecting them with memories, to creating a coherent and engaging performance—this entire process is long and arduous. Even now, Renly's vision remains incomplete and further discussions with Alfonso are required.

Nevertheless, this journey excites Renly. After all these years of experience, from film trials to the rigorous demands of London's West End and Broadway, he still feels the thrill of blood pumping through his veins. The joy of immersing oneself in a role and bringing it to life is undeniable.

For Renly, the joy of acting lies not just in "interpretation," but in "reimagining" and "extending" the character. It's also about "study and refinement." Through a performance, an actor brings a character and a real-life experience to life.

Art and life are inseparable. This connection is the essence and beauty of art.

"The script itself provides limited space for actors to think. True creative freedom comes from the director. Therefore, it is essential that the creative team communicates thoroughly before filming begins. What are your thoughts on the role?"

Standing before Renly, Rooney shared the same philosophy.

In contrast to Ryan Stone, the character of Alex-Koalski is more understated, though her significance is not trivial.

In a life-or-death scenario, Alex must make a selfless decision: either they both die, or Alex sacrifices herself to save Ryan. Survival instinct and the will to live are powerful forces, but Alex makes the choice without hesitation, cutting her own rope to give Ryan a chance to survive.

Later, in a desperate moment, Ryan almost loses his will to live, but the memory of Alex returns, rekindling his spirit and giving him the strength to continue fighting.

The characters in Gravity—Ryan and Alex—are the only significant ones, and their importance cannot be overstated.

After much thought, Alfonso chose the name "Alix" for the female character. The name is now becoming increasingly common for women, blurring gender lines and allowing the audience to focus more on the essence of life itself.

Once the roles were redefined, Alfonso made adjustments to the script.

While Alex's role may not be as prominent as Ryan's, Rooney still thoroughly studied the script, carefully contemplating her character. Her preparations before filming reflected the importance of this role.

"I believe the connection between Alex and Ryan should transcend hormonal attraction; it must be a meeting of minds and spirits," Rooney explained. "For Alex, to awaken Ryan's will to survive, the bond between them must be more profound than love. It should fit the theme of the film."

Renly's eyes lit up in agreement. They had reached a shared understanding.