Hugo had once seen those high-investment, big-production movie premieres on TV, where every celebrity's appearance on the red carpet would trigger deafening cheers. The scene looked truly spectacular. But today, as Hugo walked on the red carpet himself, there wasn't a single cheer around only low murmurs, more like the atmosphere of an end-of-year university gala. Hugo couldn't help feeling both disappointed and amused.
However, since it wasn't his own movie's premiere today, Hugo quickly let go of the disappointment and felt much more at ease.
With no one persistently stopping him, and due to his lack of experience, Hugo walked the red carpet and was close to the end in no time. He was still puzzled how did others take ten minutes to walk the red carpet, which was considered fast, yet he finished it in a minute? What was going on?
"Hugo, Hugo." A voice came from the side. Hugo turned his head and saw a middle-aged man holding a microphone with a camera hanging around his neck clearly a reporter.
Seeing Hugo turn his head, the reporter immediately stepped forward, gently guiding Hugo to the side for an interview and clearing the red carpet space. "Hugo, I'm James, a reporter for American Weekly. Why did you come to the premiere of Final Analysis today?"
"I once worked with Paul on Dead Poets Society. This time, he's the producer of this film. I thought it would be my honor to show up in support," Hugo answered honestly, knowing the reporter could look up this information anyway.
James nodded subtly, then complimented, "You look fantastic tonight. I bet the entire venue will remember this moment clearly."
"Haha, I doubt Richard Gere would be happy to hear that." Hugo wasn't that easy to flatter these reporters just made empty compliments; after all, praise was free.
"I'm serious. I bet tomorrow's premiere coverage will definitely feature you." James explained. Although male actors' fashion coverage was much less than female actors', those who knew how to display their charm often had even greater influence. But Hugo, unfamiliar with Hollywood's media rules, couldn't quite judge how true James's words were.
"This is your first public appearance since the Razzies, right?" James continued without waiting for Hugo's reply. "How does it feel?"
Hugo looked around and shrugged lightly. "Uh, better than I expected. At least I didn't anticipate such a big scene this is way more grand than the Razzies." His self-deprecating joke made James burst into laughter.
"So what do you think about tonight's film?" James ended with a routine question.
Looking around at the still-bustling scene, Hugo smiled and replied, "I trust Paul's vision. I did before, and I still do now."
There was a hidden message in Hugo's words. By saying he trusted Paul's vision, he was subtly implying that Paul had given him a chance in Dead Poets Society, which was a wise decision. Silently and cleverly, Hugo found a way to brag about himself. James didn't catch it at first. When he realized it later, all he saw was Hugo's retreating back, and he smiled helplessly.
That was pretty much the end of Hugo's task at the premiere. As for how much exposure he would get only time would tell. Who knew how much attention that Givenchy outfit would attract, or whether it was worth it?
After leaving the red carpet, Hugo entered the Fox Theatre. He took the invitation out from the inner pocket of his coat, showed it to the security guard at the door, and was granted access to the main hall. Inside, a decent crowd had already gathered, scattered across the seats. Many were journalists whose main job was to write reviews. Of course, photography and interviews were also their responsibilities.
Hugo stood at the entrance for a while, scanning the room without immediately taking a seat. He had a small scheme in mind: he barely knew anyone here. If he bumped into someone the former Hugo had known and didn't recognize them, things would get awkward. So he decided to stay at the door, letting others come to him if they wanted to say hello. That way, he could manage the situation as best as he could.
But obviously, Hugo wasn't the star of today's event, so no one came for him. After a few moments with no one approaching, Hugo silently let out a breath of relief and found a seat on the side of the fourth row.
Once seated, the theater gradually filled up. Soon, Hugo spotted Paul arriving. He got up and greeted him, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then returned to his seat. As the main cast began to enter, Hugo started examining each person carefully, trying to jog his memory. But the crowd was too large it wasn't easy to recognize everyone one by one.
While Hugo's eyes were scanning the scene, he suddenly noticed a charming figure entering the theater. With a tall figure and a unique aura, she easily drew everyone's attention. It was Uma Thurman, who also appeared in Final Analysis.
Uma was only twenty-two at the time. Her youthful energy overflowed in every gesture, yet her tender strength and alluring elegance radiated just as vividly. Even with a touch of inexperience, she was a lethal weapon. The seductive smile at the corner of her mouth added even more to her overall allure.
Hugo couldn't help but admire her Uma was indeed a beauty. Her graceful steps resembled the serpent walking toward Eve, full of danger yet impossible to resist. The only pity was that she had her hair entirely pulled up today, revealing a smooth, clean forehead. If her long hair had been left down, the messy beauty would have been even more breathtaking.
While Hugo was still marveling at her, he suddenly realized Uma's gaze had met his, and she was walking straight toward him. This confused Hugo. He instinctively glanced to both sides, but saw no other celebrities nearby. Could Uma be greeting him? But Hugo had no memory of how to deal with her.
Sure enough, in that brief moment of thought, Uma had already reached him. A playful smile spread across her face. "Long time no see!"
Hugo was certain she was speaking to him. He had just been pondering whether anyone here might know the former Hugo, but no one had shown up until now. And Uma had walked right up to him. Hugo couldn't figure it out. In his memory, he had never worked with Uma. But then… Hugo suddenly recalled how Joseph had mentioned Uma but stopped himself mid-sentence. Could there be some forgotten secret between Uma and the old Hugo?
But now that Uma was already standing in front of him, there was no time to think more. Hugo stood up, looked at Uma, and gave a smile. "Long time no see. How have you been lately?"
"Everything's great." Uma stepped half a pace closer, standing right in front of Hugo. "And you? Seems like your life's been pretty exciting lately."
While Uma and Hugo were chatting casually, the nearby reporters keenly sensed something unusual. Their attention shifted toward the pair, and some couldn't resist recording the moment with their cameras. This was something Hugo hadn't anticipated at all.
"Work, just work. Other than that, there's nothing much going on," Hugo said honestly. But just as the words left his mouth, he instinctively tried to step back because Uma suddenly leaned in close to his ear, as if she was about to whisper something. The action startled Hugo, but with the chair right behind him, there was no room to retreat. Uma's rapidly approaching face allowed Hugo to clearly see the mysterious aura between her brows.
"Why did you suddenly stop calling me? That's not like you. Are you trying to play hard to get? That old-fashioned way of chasing girls is seriously outdated." Uma's words kicked Hugo's brain into overdrive. Had they been in contact before? It sounded like his predecessor had once pursued Uma?
But Hugo's mind couldn't function properly Uma's warm breath brushing against his ear, the intense fragrance of her perfume washing over him, and the slightly warm air inside the theater made Hugo feel dizzy. His heart started racing instantly, and his thoughts began to lag.
"Heh, I'll never admit that I've recently been a little curious about what's going on with you." Though Uma was still whispering by Hugo's ear, he could clearly feel the corners of her lips curl slightly to the side, and a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes. "Even though you've been showing up in the media more and more often…" The unspoken ending seemed to be: "your messages have been getting less and less frequent."
Then Uma stepped back just a little, moving away from Hugo's ear, but her eyes sent a blazing gaze directly at him. Her deep blue eyes rippled slightly, and Hugo found himself dazed for a moment.
In that brief daze, Hugo felt Uma's presence quickly closing in. Though he instinctively leaned back still unsure of what kind of relationship his predecessor had with Uma his reaction was a step too slow. Uma swiftly moved forward, and Hugo felt a warm, soft touch on his lips: they were Uma Thurman's lips.
The two of them had actually kissed, just like that. In an instant, the theater buzzed with excitement. Reporters all raised their cameras to capture this iconic moment. As for Hugo?
All he could feel were those soft yet piercing lips exploring his own. He hadn't even had time to react, but the rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing instantly heated up the already ambiguous atmosphere. The two of them were now openly kissing in front of everyone.
.....
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