The Greatest Showman

“Hey, buddy! Nicely done!”

“Congratulations, congratulations! I knew you could do it!”

“Go for it, man, go grab that Emmy and leave everyone in shock!”

“Oh my God, this is unbelievable! Who’s the one that made those b*tches bow down? Who?”

“Now that it’s the Emmys, is the next step the Grammys?”

…

As Renly entered Pioneer Village, everyone came up to greet him. Each person was eager to share in his joy. An Emmy nomination was certainly a reason to celebrate, and the entire bar was filled with a festive atmosphere.

“You can tell they’re a close-knit group,” Andy remarked, looking at Renly who was seated across from him. It was like this the first time they met, and today was no different. Earlier, Andy had asked for a private space to talk, but instead of choosing to go back to his apartment, Renly had brought him here. Andy was a bit puzzled, but now he started to understand.

Renly held two cups of coffee and placed them on the table. “Maybe this is one of the reasons Woody Allen loves New York so much.” Woody had only attended the Oscars once in his entire career because the ceremony conflicted with his weekly Monday saxophone performances at a bar. That one exception was after the 9/11 attacks when he stood on the Oscar stage to appeal for peace, all for the love of New York.

Andy found this reasoning amusing. “What, is Woody your favourite director?”

Renly thought about it seriously. “No, I only really like ‘Manhattan’ and ‘Match Point.’ His work is exclusive to me, and if you’re not part of a certain group, it’s hard to fully understand his sentiments. Unfortunately, I’m not one of New York’s intellectual middle-class elites.”

“Haha.” Andy laughed, amused by Renly’s subtle sarcasm. “Well, that’s a relief. Otherwise, trying to persuade you to attend award shows every year would double my ageing process.”

“Shouldn’t it be doubling your weight gain?” Renly’s witty retort made Andy laugh even more heartily.

Andy then seriously took a good look at Pioneer Village. His meaningful gaze carried a hint of curiosity, making Renly a little puzzled. But Andy simply smiled and didn’t explain. “Now, we need to discuss where you should move next. That’s our top priority…”

Renly looked surprised. “So you were serious earlier?” He had thought Andy was just joking.

“When it comes to work, I don’t joke around,” Andy said with a glint in his eyes, though his expression quickly softened with a smile. “Today was a perfect example. You met a fan on the plane, took a photo together, and then they posted it on Facebook. Soon, your updates were all over the internet.”

Renly nodded. “I know all that.” Not only had he been reborn, but in his previous life, he had majored in journalism and communication. He was all too familiar with how personal information spread in the digital age. By 2017, “personal news feeds” had become commonplace, making it nearly impossible for anyone to hide.

Andy crossed his hands over his belly and smiled in satisfaction. “That makes it easier to explain. Moving forward, more and more attention will surround you. Even if it’s not paparazzi, when regular citizens recognize you, their first instinct will be to pull out their phones and record. That means your home, your style, your Facebook… oh wait, I forgot, you don’t have Facebook. Well, then it’s your YouTube…”

“The YouTube account isn’t mine,” Renly clarified. That was something Neil was handling.

Andy paused for a moment. “Then we need to start now. Unless you’re Woody Allen, every artist today has to build a digital presence. Your frustrations, your opinions, your stance, your thoughts, your news… everything gets shared through the internet. This is a world that belongs to you, where you can freely express yourself and respond to the media, about your work, and current events…”

Andy stopped speaking because Renly raised his right hand, signalling him to stop. Although they had only interacted three times, Andy knew Renly was a smart person. If Renly said he understood, then he truly understood. He wasn’t the type to pretend to know when he didn’t.

“Back to the topic of your residence, what I mean is that now all aspects of your image need to be included in the plan. That includes Pioneer Village, which is part of it…” Andy explained once again. This was why he had been observing the bar earlier. Then he noticed the teasing smile in Renly’s eyes and paused. “What? Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share?” This was their first time working together, and both of their personalities, habits, and ways of handling things were still unfamiliar. Andy chose to communicate openly, believing this was the quickest way to get their partnership on track.

Renly chuckled and shook his head. “No, I was just thinking of my roommate. You know, his agent instructed him on everything, from his hairstyle to his clothing, from the times he goes out to his workout routine. I used to think it was like a novel, but now, it looks like it’s my turn.”

Andy laughed understandingly. “Don’t find it strange. This is the Vanity Fair—every move is scripted. Over 90% of the so-called street shots you see online are staged, or at the very least, arranged for the paparazzi. Do you know how long it takes a female celebrity to take out the trash? Over two hours, because they need to pick the right clothes, the right look, and even if they’re going for the ‘no-makeup’ look, it still has to be carefully done. Of course, it’s much simpler for men.”

Renly understood. The highly commercialized nature of Hollywood had already become a full-blown industry chain. Every artist was a commodity—a beautifully packaged one. Even someone as highbrow as Woody Allen couldn’t escape this because he, too, was a cog in the Hollywood machine. You either adapted or got kicked out.

Still, when these things actually started happening to him, Renly couldn’t help but feel a certain absurdity. He laughed softly, “Don’t worry, I’m familiar with all of this.”

Noble life wasn’t all that different. Wearing a mask, hiding your true self, then facing all of life’s storms with elegance and composure. It was because of this suffocating pressure that many young people of Renly’s generation began to rebel, trying to break free from their chains in their own way. However, most of them, after a certain stage of wild rebellion, would eventually return to the “normal” path, following their family’s plans. The price of freedom was something not everyone could afford.

Andy took a closer look at Renly. He was dressed in a white T-shirt paired with black ripped jeans, yellow work boots, and a red flannel shirt with thick black plaid. His blond-brown curly hair was a bit messy and untamed, and his unkempt stubble added to his rugged look. Yet, despite the simplicity of the outfit, there was a unique roughness and casualness about it. When combined with his restrained and calm demeanour, it easily caught people’s attention.

It was important to note that this was Renly’s outfit for a long-haul flight. He had just crossed the Atlantic and arrived in the city, without any deliberate grooming, yet Andy couldn’t find any fault with his appearance. “Even though I’m not a stylist— by the way you’ll need to hire one soon, and their weekly rates aren’t cheap, so it might be best to wait a little longer for now—honestly, your style is just fine. You can handle it yourself for now.”

“I suppose that’s good news. No need for a wardrobe change for the Barbie doll,” Renly joked lightly. Then, after a moment of thought, he added seriously, “I can’t remember if Ken dolls can change clothes.”

Andy couldn’t help but smile. “Back to the main topic. Who’s your roommate? Is he an actor too?”

“What? Do my roommates need to be selected too?” Renly pursed his lips in surprise.

“Of course.” Andy thought Renly had asked a silly question. “Are you living alone, or sharing? Is your roommate male or female, Asian or African, or part of a minority group? Are they an actor, an ordinary person, or someone else in the entertainment industry? These things matter.”

Renly realized he was still too young and clearly knew only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Hollywood. Andy was now opening up Pandora’s box to him, and Renly was feeling a mix of nervousness, excitement, and resistance.

“Oh, by the way, you’re not currently in a relationship, are you? Or do you lean more towards men?” Andy’s questions came rapidly, making Renly burst out laughing. Andy spread his hands helplessly, saying, “I’m just asking to keep all options open. What I mean is, it’s fine if you’re dating, but you need to let me know. That way, if anything unexpected happens, I can deal with it in time.”

“I once heard that you even have to report how many times per night. Is that required for us?” Renly joked with a straight face, with the sarcasm clearly evident.

The corners of Andy’s mouth curled up slightly. He didn’t flinch at all. “If you want to report it, I don’t mind. Though, a personal suggestion: if it’s fewer than three times a night, you don’t need to bother.”

Renly, just as calm, flashed an “OK” sign with his hand. “Make sure your phone is charged at night—it might get busy.”

Andy blinked, signalling he understood. “Now, about your roommate?”

“Oh, right, Chris Hemsworth. You’ve probably heard of him,” Renly said.

Andy suddenly understood. “The final choice for ‘Thor.’ His name has been making quite the buzz recently. And he’s also a Morgan Fischer’s actor. Didn’t you talk about that today?”

What an interesting coincidence. Renly couldn’t help but laugh. “No, I doubt they’re even aware of that.”

Andy nodded, indicating he understood, and didn’t pursue the topic further. “Alright, I’ll handle the housing situation. Now, let’s talk about the independent film you just finished shooting. I mean, in detail.”

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