The Greatest Showman #1278 - Like a Spring Breeze

Luke Treadaway and Harry Treadaway. These twin brothers have both become actors and carved out a space for themselves in the British independent film scene. Although their faces are nearly identical, their acting styles, career paths, and personal lives are distinctly different. What's more intriguing is that Luke is heterosexual and has been in a stable long-term relationship, while Harry is openly gay. Despite these differences, their twin bond is undeniable, and to the casual observer, they can still be difficult to tell apart—especially at first glance.

Yet Renly immediately recognized Luke as soon as he saw him, not Harry.

Luke, curious about how Renly knew, was met with a light chuckle. Instead of answering directly, Renly flashed a mischievous smile and teased, "If I told you it was just luck, would you believe me?"

In truth, the twins' temperaments, mannerisms, and eyes are distinct. Luke is primarily a stage actor, with a refined, polished style; Harry, a TV actor, exudes a different energy. For someone who's been immersed in acting for a long time, these subtle differences are easy to spot.

But Renly's witty response had Luke laughing. "That makes sense. Honestly, after meeting you in person, I still can't believe you were Jean Valjean. The difference in presence was incredible."

Renly smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the compliment!"

Luke paused, then laughed aloud, clapping his hands.

Their conversation was light and easy, the atmosphere relaxed—like the gentle embrace of a spring breeze, offering warmth and comfort. Although Luke wanted to stay longer, he decided to step aside, allowing the eager reporters to turn their attention to Ned and the rest of the team. After a polite nod, Luke walked off.

Ned didn't immediately ask the typical gossip questions. Instead, he followed the momentum of their conversation and asked, "Renly, who will you choose for Best Actor in a Play tonight?"

This kind of interview felt smooth and natural, with Renly responding without hesitation. "Luke. I'll choose Luke."

The reporters were caught off guard. "What about James?" they asked, referring to James McAvoy.

In comparison to Luke, James has been making waves in Hollywood, garnering widespread attention. Many had assumed Renly and James were close friends, if not best friends.

Renly merely shrugged, his smile unchanging, signaling his response loud and clear: he still chose Luke.

Renly had always been professional in his judgment. Just as he preferred Jennifer Lawrence over Jessica Chastain, and Luke over James, his decisions were based on his own performance standards—not PR strategies or personal friendships.

Some reporters were eager to make a story of Renly and James' relationship, but they quickly realized that this wasn't the moment for gossip. Ned swiftly redirected the conversation, asking, "What about you, Renly? Are you looking forward to the awards tonight?"

"Keep your expectations grounded. Stay humble, and stay composed," Renly answered smoothly, his bright eyes twinkling with quiet confidence. "The awards are secondary. What matters is enjoying the moment. For example, I heard Dame Helen Mirren will be there, and I'm really looking forward to discussing 'The Queen's Summons' with her."

Renly's passion for the craft shone through, even as his words remained composed.

Ned could sense Renly was sincere. But one reporter, unable to resist, asked, "But this time is different. If you win the Olivier Award and the Tony Award, you'll achieve an EGOT—have you ever thought about that?"

Renly gave a playful smile before responding, "I don't quite understand. Is EGOT some sort of blue energy block from the Avengers? Can it destroy the Earth, or dominate interstellar space?"

His light-hearted response caught everyone off guard, but it made his point clear—he hadn't given much thought to the notion of EGOT.

"If that's all," Renly added, "we can discuss EGOT after the Tony Awards. For now, I'll focus on paying my respects to Sir Laurence Olivier." With that, he turned and walked away.

The reporters scrambled to catch up with him, throwing a barrage of questions in his direction, but Renly was already too far ahead. His exit, swift and unbothered, left a trail of frustrated journalists in his wake.

After the Oscars, Renly had retreated from the public eye, leaving no trace on social media and making very few appearances. His disappearance from the limelight had been almost complete, challenging the constant presence of celebrity culture.

Now, after two months, Renly had reappeared, but his brief interview left reporters with little to work with. They had hoped for more, but they received only a few succinct answers before Renly made his exit.

Some reporters continued to follow, but only a few stayed behind. Among them was Ned, who knew Renly was not the type to be manipulated by the media. His aloofness and pride were both frustrating for the press and admired by onlookers.

Ned had initially wanted to ask about Renly's future plans—whether he would continue his vacation, return to the West End, or take on "Boom Drummer"—but he realized that Renly's decisions were driven by his own rhythm, unaffected by outside attention.

Renly wasn't concerned with the spotlight or the predictions of others. He would continue to move at his own pace.

Ned couldn't help but wonder what the future held for Renly. Would he win the Olivier Award? Would an EGOT be within reach?

The film industry, both in the UK and worldwide, would be watching closely, as Renly's career trajectory could change the landscape of theater and film.

Ned felt a spark of anticipation.

Renly, for his part, was calm amidst the chaos. Not because he didn't care, but because he was grounded in a place of inner peace, untouched by the external noise. The vastness of nature, the simplicity of being, allowed him to stay focused on the present, on life itself, without concern for the trivialities of awards.

He didn't feel the need to chase accolades, not yet. His journey as an actor still had much room to grow. This year's winner should be Michael Ball, in Renly's eyes. The time for Renly to stand at the pinnacle of theater would come, but it wasn't this year.

And that was okay.