Chapter 35: First Meeting

Hugo took a careful look and then realized that he was standing in the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel, a five-star hotel located on Park Avenue near 49th Street in Manhattan, New York. It is one of the most luxurious and renowned hotels in the world.

The Waldorf Astoria became the first choice for heads of state and top aristocrats from around the world when they arrived in New York due to its highest standards of hotel service. Below the 28th floor are standard rooms, with prices ranging from $500 to $1,300 per night, suitable for ordinary people who want to enjoy top luxury service; from the 28th to the 42nd floor are luxury suites, where many political figures and billionaires reside, and some even set up "permanent residences" here, staying whenever they come to New York.

Hugo never expected that his first time acting would have him staying at the Waldorf Astoria. This was such a huge contrast to his previous wandering life. No wonder so many people dream of becoming stars—perhaps because everything seems so easy—at least it looks that way:

Signing on to a film nets $500,000, but ordinary people don't see the anxiety and pain of possibly not working for a whole year after filming; acting on the big screen portraying others' lives, but ordinary people don't know how hard it is to play a role well or shoot a good movie; standing under the spotlight receiving worldwide cheers and applause, but ordinary people forget the price of having one's private life exposed, not to mention the long road from obscurity to the spotlight.

Hugo didn't know how hard acting would be, didn't know how much pressure an actor's shoulders bear, nor the torment under the spotlight, but he knew very clearly how precious this opportunity was. Leaving aside the ten years before his time travel, the criticism after "Hudson Hawk" and the Golden Raspberry Award almost made the opportunity of "Scent of a Woman" slip from his hands. So Hugo would not let himself be dazzled by momentary joy. He knew everything was only just beginning.

"Wasn't the crew's budget tight? How can we stay at the Waldorf Astoria?" Hugo walked into the hotel lobby side by side with Joseph. Guided by a waiter, they approached the front desk.

"This is sponsorship," Joseph answered simply. Then he said to the front desk, "Joseph Gibbs, Hugo Lancaster." The receptionist smiled immediately and nodded, beginning to look up the reservation records. Joseph then turned to Hugo and said, "The Waldorf Astoria cooperates with the crew, providing filming locations and accommodation. The price is that the hotel's logo will appear in the movie and get positive promotion."

This was actually easy to understand—it was product placement. Hugo found it quite novel; he originally thought product placement was only common in Asian film circles, but apparently Hollywood was no exception. Thinking carefully, the consistent appearance of cars and cigars in the "007" series was also a kind of product placement. But Hollywood was more rational and skillful, with subtler advertising that influenced viewers imperceptibly. For example, now when people mention James Bond, they think of Aston Martin cars—that's the principle.

Hugo stood still, recalling the "Scent of a Woman" he had seen before time travel, which indeed had subtle yet deep promotion of the Waldorf Astoria. This reminded him of the Four Seasons Hotel he visited for an audition for "A River Runs Through It," which was also the filming location for "Pretty Woman," leaving a deep impression.

"Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Lancaster, your rooms are on the 23rd floor," the receptionist placed their licenses and room keys on the counter with a smile, "Mark will bring your luggage up. You have a message here; Mr. Martin Brest wants you to go directly to the luxury suite on the 30th floor after arrival."

Joseph collected the documents and keys, nodded casually. Hugo smiled and said "Thank you." The two then left the front desk.

"So we go straight to the 30th floor? No need to change clothes?" Hugo looked at his pants, soaked by the rain, and at the light sports shoes worn for the long flight, now stained. His clothes were not a formal suit, just a simple T-shirt and jeans, but otherwise nothing inappropriate.

Joseph thought for a moment, "Let's greet them on the 30th floor first, then go back to the room." Going back now would probably waste time.

They chatted while entering the elevator escorted by the waiter. Joseph handed the keys to the waiter, "Take the luggage to the room, then bring the keys to the 30th-floor luxury suite."

"No problem, sir," came the polite, elegant reply, like a spring breeze.

Watching the waiter leave the elevator at the 23rd floor, Hugo found it interesting. He had never stayed at a five-star hotel before—actually, he had never even stayed at a star-rated hotel, which was a luxury. So Hugo couldn't help but feel that star-rated hotels' services were truly exceptional, especially a world-renowned hotel like the Waldorf Astoria.

But soon Hugo refocused and straightened up because the 30th floor had arrived. Walking on the dark red carpet through a hallway full of classical atmosphere, they finally stopped at the door of the luxury suite. Joseph pressed the doorbell, and soon the door opened. Martin's smiling face appeared in front of them.

"Hugo, you're here. Welcome to New York City."

Martin gave Hugo a hug, which eased Hugo's tense mood a little. "I hope I'm not too late." This was just polite talk; the crew had told them to arrive today or tomorrow with no strict time limit.

But Hugo's polite remark unexpectedly drew a rebuke: "You are indeed late." The voice came from the living room sofa area. When Martin stepped aside, Hugo saw Al Pacino.

Al was already fifty-two years old. The wrinkles on his forehead, loose skin, and scruffy stubble all vividly showed the marks of time. When mentioning Al Pacino, most people's first image is probably Michael Corleone from "The Godfather." In the first and second films, the young and handsome Al, with his charm and elegance, had won over countless girls.

Both Al and Dustin Hoffman are famously short in the entertainment industry. Dustin is only five feet five inches (1.66 meters), and Al is just five feet seven inches (1.7 meters). During the filming of The Godfather, there was a dispute over Al's height; some thought he couldn't embody the imposing aura of a mafia boss. But Al ultimately proved the choice was right with his performance, making Michael Corleone one of the most iconic roles in film history. Now standing in front of Hugo, Al looked noticeably smaller, the contrast stark.

"You should have arrived this morning so we could have had more time to rehearse the script. You're late." Though Al's words carried a tone of reproach, his face held a warm smile—not distant, yet not overly familiar. Then he stepped forward and extended his right hand, gripping Hugo's palm firmly.

Though Al was much shorter than Hugo, his presence was in no way diminished. That calm yet sharp aura made people involuntarily take notice. Not to mention the calloused hand that sent strong, vigorous pressure, allowing Hugo to feel Al's robust vitality directly.

When Hugo first saw Al, he couldn't help but silently say, "Al Pacino," but compared to previous encounters with celebrities, he felt much calmer now. Plus, Al's overwhelming opening move definitely kept Hugo alert.

"Sorry, that's my fault." Hugo didn't try to argue and responded immediately, which relaxed the lines on Al's face a little. "I think from now on, I just need to work harder. Maybe starting now is a good idea."

Martin originally wanted to defend Hugo, but after hearing Hugo's words, he looked at him with even more approval. Then Bo Goldman, who had been sitting on the sofa, stood up. "What are we waiting for? Let's start rehearsing now. Hugo, did you bring your own script?"

Hugo was a bit stunned but heard Martin's voice nearby, "You two are in too much of a hurry. It's pouring rain outside. Hugo just arrived in town, and there isn't much time until dinner. Even if you're eager to rehearse, you don't need to rush for just an hour or two."

Hugo hadn't expected to jump straight into rehearsal right after arriving, so he was momentarily caught off guard. But once he realized what was happening, he quickly replied, "No, no, we can start now. Just reading the script, I already have some questions. Maybe during rehearsal, we can discuss and learn. I think this will help for the actual shooting."

Al and Bo both smiled and nodded in agreement, while Martin looked helpless. Hugo glanced at Joseph beside him. "Joseph, I remember the script is in that backpack I'm carrying. Could you please get it for me?" Hugo's own script had highlights and notes, which were very important for rehearsal. He knew he lacked experience and skill; only hard work could make up for his shortcomings. Talent alone wasn't enough.

Joseph didn't expect things to move so quickly. He nodded and greeted Martin, "I'll go get the script." Then he left the luxury suite, where he had just arrived less than two minutes ago.

Left in the suite, Hugo followed Al to the sofa and sat down. Looking around, Hugo didn't see any other actors and felt a bit puzzled. "So, it's just the two of us? No one else?"

...

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