"Hey, Richard, how come you're here for class today?"
In the morning, at the BAA company's performance classroom.
Richard was flipping through his notes when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw the chocolate beauty Jessica Alba, wearing a white T-shirt, a denim miniskirt, cartoon glasses, and a baseball cap—a playful, youthful look.
"Hey, Jessica."
Richard greeted her and said, "The filming for X-Men is done, so I had some free time today and decided to drop by for a class. When does your new movie start shooting?"
"We're still preparing for it, probably sometime after October. Do you think I should take on another role in the meantime?"
Jessica leaned on the desk beside him, tilting her head to look at him, her lips glossy with pink lip gloss.
"What does your agent say?" Richard asked after thinking for a moment.
"Brenda doesn't agree with me. She thinks that Cameron's TV series is going to be a big hit and that I'll become famous because of it. So, there's no need to take on other roles right now. But I think I could use the opportunity to practice my acting skills so that I'll be more prepared when I join the Dark Angel crew. Wouldn't that be great?"
Richard shook his head slightly. "Brenda's right. You can practice acting here at the company. Right now, you should focus all your time and energy on Dark Angel. I heard that Cameron is very strict with his actors. If he's not satisfied with your performance... Haha, Miss Jessica Alba, will you cry?"
Jessica blinked her eyes. "Alright, boss, I'll listen to you."
Richard chuckled. "Have you been attending classes recently? Let me see your notes."
"Yes, except for a few weekends when there were school events, I've been here."
Jessica handed him a blue notebook.
"Thanks!"
Richard took her notebook and started flipping through it. The handwriting was beautiful, with fancy lettering, but the content of the notes was a bit strange.
"April 18, sunny, he didn't come to the company today. I practiced fighting in the training room. So tired!"
"April 21, he didn't come again today. I asked Anthony, and he said he might come tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it."
"April 22, he didn't come again today. What an annoying guy! Why isn't he here yet? I miss you."
"April 24, I heard from Nicole that he came. I skipped two classes in the morning and went straight to the company. Sure enough, I saw him in the classroom. I was so excited. I sat next to him, talked a lot, and gave him some of the snacks my mom made. He said they were delicious. I lied and said I made them myself. He probably won't find out, right? In the acting class, he played Hamlet, and I played Ophelia. It felt great. After the class, we went to the training room to practice fighting. This is my favorite time of the day because I can be alone with him. To impress him, I practiced for a long time, and he was really satisfied with my performance. Haha, I'm so happy. I can't wait for the next fighting practice."
"April 25, I had a dream last night. I dreamed about him. His body is amazing. We kissed and made out in the dream. Too bad it was just a dream."
"Richard, that's my diary! Not that one."
As Richard was reading, Jessica suddenly shouted and snatched the notebook from him, blushing as she buried her face on the desk.
Richard shrugged. "Are you okay? I only read up to the 22nd. Who's that guy you're talking about? Is it James Franco?"
Jessica didn't respond at first. After a while, she slowly lifted her face, her ears and neck red, her eyelashes wet. She flipped through the notebook.
"You really didn't read the rest?"
"I didn't have time to before you grabbed it. Want to let me read more? I promise I won't say anything."
Richard smiled.
"No way! You're too sneaky. You should've given it back when you saw I picked the wrong one."
Jessica huffed and handed him another blue notebook, looking a bit annoyed.
"Sorry, I only planned to read one entry, but your writing is so good, I couldn't help but read a few more. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Promise?"
Jessica blinked her eyes as she asked.
"I promise. But can I read a few more entries? I'm really curious about who that guy is. I'm a little jealous of him."
Richard grinned.
"You're jealous of him?"
Jessica's eyes twinkled. "You don't need to be. That guy is just a jerk—busy, cold, and totally heartless. I don't like him at all."
"Cold? Heartless?"
Richard thought for a moment. "Who are you talking about?"
"Not telling you."
Jessica smiled slightly.
Richard smiled back, opened the notebook, and started reviewing some key points from the notes.
After a while, the other students arrived in the classroom: James Franco, the newly joined Lisa, and a few other newcomers.
"Hey, Richard, you're here for class too?"
Lisa asked.
"Yeah, I'm just another rookie actor."
Richard smiled.
"Haha, great! We're classmates now."
Lisa put down her backpack and sat to his left.
Click, click, click~
Suddenly, the sound of high heels echoed as a woman in a blue tube skirt walked up to the podium.
The woman was petite, with shoulder-length blonde hair and fair skin, looking like a girl in her early twenties.
While Richard was observing the new teacher, she noticed him too and paused for a moment. She brushed her hair back and smiled slightly.
"Do we have a new student today? Welcome!"
"Thank you, Ms. Watts!"
Richard smiled lightly and sat down again.
This new teacher was Naomi Watts, who had recently joined the company. Richard wasn't sure how she ended up as an acting class instructor.
Naomi Watts was teaching film acting, focusing on dialogue.
Scripts include dialogue, monologues, and narration, which are the foundation of a screenplay and a crucial part of modern cinema. Without dialogue, a film cannot fully convey the story to the audience.
Naomi selected several classic movie lines, explaining their subtleties while performing them herself or having students come up to practice.
"Richard, could you come up and perform this scene?"
After calling on a few students, Naomi called out his name.
"Sure!"
Richard walked to the front. The TV screen was playing a clip from Léon: The Professional. The lines were few, mainly focusing on the interaction between the hitman Léon and Mathilda.
Richard played Léon, while Naomi played Mathilda.
Facing Naomi, Richard sternly said, "Mathilda, don't do that again, or I'll blow your head off. Got it?"
"OK!"
Naomi replied casually. "It's not something I would do. That's unprofessional—there are rules in this business."
Richard glanced to the side.
"OK!"
"And stop saying 'OK' all the time, okay?!" Richard said angrily.
"OK!" Naomi blinked calmly, her lips curling into a playful smile, much like Mathilda in the movie—smart, lively, stubborn, and a bit willful, just like a young girl.
Richard stared at her in silence for four or five seconds before sighing helplessly and saying slowly, "Fine!"
Clap, clap, clap~ As the two finished their performance, the audience burst into applause.
Naomi raised her hand to quiet them. "Richard, your command of dialogue is solid, and your emotional control for the character is fine. But every actor is different, with distinct performance styles. What works for Jean Reno's portrayal might not suit you.
If you want to elevate your acting, you need to combine imitation with your own characteristics and create your own version of Léon the Professional, rather than just trying to mimic Jean Reno."
Richard nodded. "Ms. Watts, I'm a bit confused about this. Could I ask for your advice on what style might suit me?"
Naomi thought for a moment and smiled slightly. "Mr. Reno is a very down-to-earth actor—his looks are ordinary, his personality reserved, steady, and calm. After Léon: The Professional, this persona has been widely accepted.
In contrast, your image is more glamorous—handsome, tall, strong, with a somewhat cold face. You're a champion boxer, representing strength.
Your cold exterior and powerful real-life persona are your foundational traits, like the pillars of a building. Until they are fully established, don't try to change them. If you force yourself into playing a comedic or weak character, the results might be less than ideal.
You could look to someone like Tom Cruise or Arnold Schwarzenegger. They represent two different directions. The choice depends on what your goals are."
Richard pondered for a while, then smiled. "Ms. Watts, thank you for your guidance!"
"You're welcome!"
Naomi curved her lips slightly and then looked at the TV screen. "Do you want to try that scene again?"
"Sure!"
"Does anyone want to play Mathilda?"
Naomi looked at the female students. "Her lines are simple, but bringing out the character fully isn't easy. And as I said, we're professional actors now, so no more simple imitations. I want a reimagining of the role. Who wants to try?"
"I'll do it!"
All five female students raised their hands.
"Everyone will get a turn. Lisa, you go first."
Naomi gave the opportunity to someone she knew.
Once Lisa came up, Richard resumed the performance, trying to combine his own traits to portray a different version of the cold hitman.
From Lisa to Jessica, and then to the other three actresses, he performed five different styles of the cold hitman, but none managed to surpass the original, which meant failure.
After the class ended at noon, Richard walked into Anthony's office. As usual, the guy was busy.
"How was Naomi's class?" Anthony asked with a smile.
"Very good, very professional."
Richard sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. "How did she end up teaching acting classes?"
"Haha, last time you mentioned she was having financial difficulties. When we signed her, she asked for an advance—$20,000. I agreed and told her it was specifically on your recommendation. How about that? Am I good or what?" Anthony laughed.
Richard shook his head. "That was a bit unnecessary. Go on."
"Alright. While we were talking, old Stephen came in, saying some of the new actors were struggling with their lines and needed a dialogue coach.
Naomi overheard and volunteered to give it a try. We did a quick assessment, and both old Hall and Stephen said she was excellent. So she became your teacher."
Anthony spread his hands with a grin.
"Well, that's not bad. But don't forget, she's still an experienced actress and can start making money immediately. If there's a suitable role, consider her first."
"Of course."
Anthony smiled slightly and handed over a script. "Here's your new script. It's a pretty good action movie. Take a look."
"Am I the lead?"
"Naturally!"
Anthony grinned.
Richard opened the new script.