Hugo followed closely behind Joseph as they returned to the grand hall. They weaved through the crowd of guests dancing the waltz, then ascended the staircase toward the second floor. Leaning slightly toward Hugo's ear, Joseph whispered, "I just saw Martin Bob." It was exactly as expected—Brad Pitt was clearly fighting hard for The Firm. "But I didn't see Brad himself. Not sure if they've talked yet, or how far things have gone."
The thought of his own lack of progress over the past month made Joseph want to hit himself. He knew he had been too passive. A competent agent would never allow a project to drag on for a month without any updates. Regardless of whether the deal could be made or not, he should have stayed in close contact with the producers to learn any new information as soon as possible. Now, he could only hope it wasn't too late to fix things.
Hugo could feel Joseph's anxiety—his stride was faster than usual, his expression tense. Clearly, Joseph was in a rush. Hugo didn't say much, only offered calmly, "No matter what others are doing, we need to focus on doing our best first. Otherwise, we'll fall behind on our own before the competition even starts."
Joseph paused for a second. He knew Hugo was right. There was no point dwelling on self-blame now—what mattered was tonight's audition. As he resumed walking, his pace remained brisk but less frantic. It was clear he was making an effort to steady himself.
The second floor seemed to be the residence area, lined on both sides with bedrooms. Hugo and Joseph stopped before a large door on the left. A tall, muscular Black man stood guard, arms folded across his chest, his expression solemn. When he saw the two approach, he barely reacted, merely glanced at Hugo from the corner of his eye before turning and knocking twice on the white wooden door behind him.
"Sir, Hugo Lancaster has arrived."
Two seconds later, he turned the doorknob and pushed the door open a third of the way, gesturing for them to enter.
For some reason, the sight made Hugo think of the opening scene of The Godfather—as if he and Joseph were ordinary citizens coming to seek an audience with Don Corleone. The thought made him smile inwardly. It was absurd, of course—Sydney Pollack had no mob ties whatsoever, nor any fascination with organized crime. That much was evident from the films he directed.
Sydney was an outstanding actor, but as a director, he was even more renowned for his ability to draw nuanced performances from others. Nearly every actor he worked with had received major acting nominations—Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Newman, and other legendary performers had all benefited from his guidance. Among them, however, Robert Redford stood out as the most special. Their friendship went back to 1962, when they acted together in War Hunt, and had lasted for three decades. When Redford later directed his debut film Ordinary People and won the Academy Award, he personally thanked Sydney in his acceptance speech.
So, it wasn't hard to imagine how much weight Redford's personal recommendation carried when he suggested Brad Pitt for The Firm.
Thoughts swirling in his mind, Hugo stepped into the room. It was a study, lined wall to wall with books, and a large globe on the desk immediately drew attention. Sydney wasn't seated behind the desk but on the sofa beside the coffee table in the center of the room. He rose to greet them, smiling warmly. "Good evening, gentlemen. How's the party? Are you enjoying yourselves?"
Sydney looked refined and scholarly—his hair slightly tousled, thick glasses perched on his nose, and wrinkles around his forehead and eyes marking the passage of time. He had the air of an intellectual, reminding Hugo of Woody Allen, though Sydney's sturdier frame gave him a more robust presence.
"I love a good party," Sydney joked as he shook their hands, "but as I get older, my ears can't handle the noise. I always need a bit of quiet." It was his way of explaining why he, as the host, hadn't been present earlier. He then gestured for them to sit.
"Parties are wonderful," Hugo replied with a polite smile, pushing aside his earlier thoughts. "It's that sense of liveliness everyone enjoys. But the silence afterward always feels a little lonely."
Sydney was momentarily surprised by the comment, his gaze lingering on Hugo for a moment. "True," he said with a faint grin. "But we should be grateful—it's New Year's Eve tonight. When the clock strikes midnight, I'm sure the mood will be even brighter."
As Sydney withdrew his gaze, he noticed the small sprig of mistletoe pinned to Hugo's lapel and smiled knowingly. "And there's always something to look forward to."
Sydney had imagined a few possible scenarios for their meeting tonight, but none had matched the real one. He had to admit—apart from their brief and formal encounter at the A Few Good Men premiere—his impression of Hugo had been shallow. Handsome actors were often dismissed as pretty faces in Hollywood, and even with his double Golden Globe nominations, Hugo hadn't fully escaped that stereotype.
Yet in just two sentences and one small detailid Sydney found himself reevaluating Hugo. "So," he asked, "have you read the script for The Firm?"
Hugo recalled Joseph's warning that the meeting would last only ten minutes. It made sense now—Joseph hadn't planned to speak at all, leaving Hugo to take the lead. Likewise, Sydney wasted no time on small talk.
"I haven't received the script yet, unfortunately," Hugo admitted honestly, though his tone was calm and his sincerity evident. "It's a real pity." Sydney chuckled softly at his frankness. "But I have read the original novel—twice now, in fact. I'm going through it again to better understand the characters and their relationships."
"A dedicated actor is a blessing for any director and production," Sydney said approvingly, his kindly smile giving Hugo a renewed sense of confidence.
Hugo wondered for a moment—perhaps the month-long delay in scheduling the audition had been meant to give him time to study the original novel in depth. But then Sydney spoke again, his tone soft yet unmistakably firm. "However, I must express my regret and apologies. This time, we won't be able to work together."
His words, though polite, carried no ambiguity—"won't be able to work together" was final, absolute. The sudden shift in mood caught both Hugo and Joseph off guard.
Hugo frowned slightly, thinking quickly, while Joseph, unable to contain himself, blurted, "But—" He didn't get far before Sydney raised a hand to stop him, continuing calmly,
"I truly am sorry. Hugo is a remarkable actor—of that I have no doubt. He's capable of handling any role with excellence. Unfortunately, this project just isn't one we'll be collaborating on." Sydney's tone was steady and sincere as he looked from Joseph to Hugo. "I hope we'll have the chance to work together another time."
Originally, Sydney had planned to let his assistant decline Joseph's request on his behalf. But both Hugo's persistence and Joseph's professionalism had impressed him. He felt that Hugo deserved at least the respect of hearing the decision directly from him. After all, Sydney had been the one who first noticed Hugo and wanted him for The Firm.
Hugo carefully analyzed Sydney's phrasing. The firm language regarding this project left no room for discussion; the softer, uncertain tone about "next time" was merely a polite gesture—professional courtesy rather than genuine expectation.
Relaxing his brow, Hugo smiled lightly. "I was actually thinking about how to impress you with my performance tonight," he said evenly. "But it seems I won't get that chance. So, I suppose we'll have to wait for the next one."
Joseph was caught off guard—he had expected Hugo to argue, to fight for the role but instead, Hugo's composure and quiet dignity silenced him. Seeing the calm confidence in Hugo's smile, Joseph swallowed the words that had been forming on his lips.
Sydney studied the young man before him. Despite being turned down, Hugo's eyes still held confidence—not anger, but regret; not despair, but determination. That quiet resilience made Sydney see him in a new light. For a moment, he even felt a flicker of doubt about his decision—Hugo could very well shine brilliantly in The Firm. But he had already made up his mind. Forcing those thoughts down, he smiled and said, "Yes, I'll be looking forward to that next opportunity."
Hugo stood first, followed by Sydney, then Joseph. The three men exchanged handshakes. Hugo smiled politely. "We won't keep you any longer. The party downstairs is still lively—you should come join everyone for the countdown. There isn't much of 1992 left."
Sydney chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to celebrate properly once 1993 arrives. Enjoy your evening, gentlemen."
After a few final courtesies, Hugo and Joseph turned and left the study.
Hugo knew the truth, they had fallen one step behind. And as Ron Meyer had once said, that single step could be fatal. No matter how hard Hugo worked or how much talent he showed, some chances simply couldn't be reversed once lost.
That was the reality of Hollywood: opportunities ruled everything. Some caught them; others missed them. That was the difference between top-tier stars and those still struggling to reach the front lines.
And in the case of The Firm, Hugo knew—he had missed his chance.
...
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