A week after the Venice screening, Lucas's SUV pulled up to Granity Studios. His security team - Jack, Simon, and driver Shawn - could barely contain their excitement as they escorted Lucas and Jennifer inside. The building held both Kobe's production company and his podcast studio.
The podcast staff lit up at the sight of Hollywood's power couple. One young producer stepped forward nervously. "Mr. Knight, Ms. Lawrence - would it be okay if we got a quick photo?"
"Of course," Jennifer smiled warmly. "And please, it's Jennifer."
After several photos and brief conversations with the starstruck staff, Kobe emerged from the studio.
"Lucas! Man, great to see you," Kobe embraced him before turning to Jennifer with a respectful handshake. "Jennifer, thanks for joining us. Wasn't sure if we'd get both of you today."
"Kobe," Lucas gestured to his team, "meet some of your biggest fans - Jack, Simon, and Shawn. They've been with me since my struggling actor days."
The three men tried to maintain their professional composure, but their eyes gave away their excitement. Kobe grinned, pulling out his phone. "Come on, let's get a picture. My daughter won't believe I met Lucas Knight's legendary security team."
After the photos, Kobe led them toward the studio. "Seriously though, appreciate you both making time for this. Not many stars of your caliber doing podcasts yet."
"Been wanting to try this format," Lucas replied. "Different from the usual press junket answers."
"I've never done a podcast before," Jennifer leaned forward eagerly. "Usually it's just quick soundbites for press. This should be fun - getting to actually have a real conversation."
As they discussed potential topics, Kobe's expression grew serious. "Lucas, wanted to check with you - would family stuff be okay to touch on? Having some tension with family myself, I get how complicated that can be."
Lucas considered for a moment. "That's fine, just maybe avoid the more explosive scandals with my dad and stepmom. Everything else is fair game."
"By the way," Kobe shifted gears, "we're going live on Twitch once we start recording."
Jennifer's eyes widened. "Wait, live? Like, right-now live?"
"Not yet," Kobe grinned. "But once we start - yeah, live streaming. Actually was Lucas's suggestion. Smart move too - although I'm quite well-off now, the donations from viewers don't hurt. They help cover salaries for the staff and other expenses."
Jennifer turned to Lucas with an exaggerated look of awe. "Look at you, business genius."
Lucas shook his head, as they moved to the makeup station.
In the makeup chair, Lucas smiled as the artist worked. "You really don't need any makeup, Mr. Knight. Your skin is flawless."
"Trust me," Lucas replied warmly, "under those studio lights, everyone needs a little help."
***
Half an hour later, Kobe adjusted his mic and checked the monitor, confirming they were live. "What's up, Mamba Family? Welcome to another episode. Already seeing the chat moving fast - yeah, you read that title right."
The viewer count exploded within seconds. "The Black Mamba Podcast: Special Guests Lucas Knight & Jennifer Lawrence" had already drawn thousands of viewers - unprecedented for the show.
The chat raced by:
"No way Lucas AND Jennifer???"
"This has to be clickbait"
"Nah bro Kobe doesn't do clickbait"
"Lucas and Kobe are actually friends"
"PROVE IT KOBE"
A donation popped up, the robotic voice reading: "Ten dollars from MambaFan69 - Are Lucas and Jennifer really gonna be on?"
Kobe laughed, leaning into the mic. "Listen, I don't play games with my viewers. Lucas is definitely here - actually, he was only supposed to come solo, but somehow convinced Jennifer to join us. Bonus content, right? They'll be out in a minute."
A few minutes later, dramatic entrance music filled the studio.
The production team added suspenseful NBA-style sound effects as Kobe's voice boomed through the mic:
"Ladies and gentlemen, joining us on the Mamba Podcast… Standing at 5'9", the actress who lights up every red carpet and brings unforgettable energy to the screen – JENNIFER LAWRENCE! And alongside her, 6'1" of sheer charisma and undeniable talent, the actor who knows the value of picking the perfect role – LUCAS KNIGHT!"
Lucas and Jennifer stepped into frame, waving at the camera with matching grins. The chat immediately exploded:
"NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY"
"THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED UP"
"Lucas and Jennifer in the same podcast???"
The viewer count blasted past 40,000, climbing higher by the second. Donation alerts and subscription notifications started flooding the screen as Lucas and Jennifer took their seats.
Kobe waited for the entrance music to fade before leaning into his mic. "Welcome to the Mamba Podcast, where we're about to break every viewer record we've ever had. Hope you're all ready for this one."
"Thanks for having us," Lucas smiled. "First podcast I've ever done."
"Hoping to make it memorable then," Kobe grinned. "Set the bar high for your future podcast appearances."
The conversation shifted to a more relaxed tone as Kobe took a sip from his sponsored drink while Lucas and Jennifer nursed glasses of water. "Lucas, you know as a fellow Mamba that success doesn't come easy. Take us back to those early struggling days."
Lucas settled back, his arm resting casually behind Jennifer. His expression turned nostalgic. "Most viewers probably know about my early struggles from that leaked diary."
The room broke into knowing laughter.
"TMZ and that diary," Jennifer shook her head, laughing.
"That was huge news back then," Kobe recalled. "Really exposed all that family drama."
"Yeah, but the diary only scratched the surface," Lucas smiled wryly. "Maybe I should write the uncut version now."
Once the laughter settled, Lucas's expression grew more serious. "Those early days with Paul... man, we'd hit every audition in town, but nothing. Couldn't even afford proper meals some days. Paul saved my ass so many times with rent. He'd split his food with me when things got really tight."
"Look at you now though," Kobe gestured. "Must feel good seeing how far you've come."
"It does," Lucas nodded, his voice softening. "But sometimes I actually miss those days. That raw hunger to succeed, you know? Every tiny victory felt massive. Looking back now, those struggles made all this mean so much more."
"I hear that," Kobe leaned forward. "Like those 3 AM practice sessions when I was just starting. Nobody watching, just you and that drive to prove yourself. Can't recreate that feeling."
"I definitely relate to those struggles," Jennifer jumped in. "Started out in New York, doing tiny commercial auditions. My first real role was a promo for 'My Super Sweet 16' - playing a spoiled girl mascot for MTV." She laughed. "But there was something special about those days."
After sharing more stories about their early struggles, Kobe steered the conversation in a new direction. "You know what I've been wondering? How does your approach to acting compare to my Mamba Mentality?"
Lucas took a thoughtful sip of water. "Basketball and acting seem different on the surface, but there's overlap. Both need that laser focus, that ability to perform under pressure. Like you studying opponent footage, I'm studying human behavior. You practice shots thousands of times, I rehearse scenes until they're perfect. It's about mastering your craft, whatever it is."
"Speaking of mastery," Kobe leaned in, "you're known for method acting, right?"
"Been doing it since I started," Lucas nodded. "Especially with roles like Joker."
"That was intense to watch," Kobe remarked. "Must've been harder to live it."
"Method acting is dangerous territory," Lucas's expression grew serious. "It destroys your mental health if you're not careful. You're essentially living someone else's trauma for months."
He paused, gathering his thoughts. "That's why I've developed my own approach now. Taking what works from method acting but making it sustainable. Learning how to dive deep into a character without losing yourself in the process. It might not work for everyone, but after nearly burning out a few times, I've found my balance."
"A lot of actors would love to hear your advice," Kobe noted.
Lucas turned to face the camera directly. "Look, to any actors watching - protect your mental health first. No role is worth destroying yourself over. Find techniques that work for you, but make sure you can still recognize yourself in the mirror at the end of the day."
"No wonder they call you the White Mamba," Kobe grinned.
"Hey, I'll take that title," Lucas laughed. "Better than some of the other nicknames floating around."
Kobe turned to Jennifer. "What about your approach to acting?"
"I'm more instinctual," Jennifer explained. "But Lucas has actually taught me a lot. His techniques about finding character motivations helped me dig deeper into recent roles."
After exploring their acting philosophies, Kobe shifted gears. "Let's talk business. You know, Lucas has been instrumental in helping me navigate some ventures. Speaking of which - Vine, Uber, personal brands - want to break down how you approach the business side?"
"It's about treating companies like small governments," Lucas added. "You need clear rules, fair management. I'm not CEO, just an owner and investor, but I push my CEOs to prioritize employee welfare. Happy, healthy employees are productive employees."
"He helped me set up my business too," Jennifer added. "The man knows his stuff."
The chat's tone shifted as the conversation deepened. Viewers who'd tuned in expecting typical celebrity small talk found themselves drawn into Lucas and Jennifer's candid discussion with Kobe.
"Never knew Lucas was this smart behind the scenes"
"Jennifer and Lucas both so genuine. No PR answers here"
"Now I get why every company he touches turns to gold"
The audience was discovering the layers beneath their public personas.
Lucas especially captivated viewers - the way he articulated complex business concepts while maintaining his natural charm, how he balanced intense dedication to acting with sharp business acumen. His reputation as Hollywood's method actor prodigy suddenly seemed like just one facet of a much more fascinating person.
The viewer count had now crossed 100,000, with comments flooding in faster than anyone could read. The combination of Lucas's strategic mind, Jennifer's genuine warmth, and their natural rapport with Kobe was creating podcast gold.