Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 13: Cohabiting Roommate

From the Pioneer Village, riding a skateboard back home, was only fifteen minutes away, far from the bustling restaurants, bars, and cinemas. Once in the residential area, the surrounding noise gradually subsided. The cafes or grocery stores on the roadside had closed, leaving only the convenience store nearby still brightly lit, operating 24 hours.

The streetlights on both sides of the road were very dim, barely supporting, seemingly on the verge of being engulfed by the impending darkness.

When Renly first came to New York, he hesitated between living in the convenient but expensive Manhattan or the distant Brooklyn with cheaper rent. Ultimately, job opportunity in the Pioneer Village allowed him to settle in Manhattan.

Although it was already half past two in the morning, many rooms in the building still had lights on. The thin walls couldn't block the noise, not to mention the roaring engines on the street; even the private whispers of neighbors next door were audible. Walking in the hallway, occasional noises lurked in the thick night.

Putting the skateboard under his feet, Renly listened to the sounds in the house. It was silent. Then he took out the keys from his pocket, trying to avoid making more noise, and quietly unlocked the door. He thought his roommate would be asleep, but upon opening the door, he was startled to see a robust figure standing nonchalantly in the middle of the hallway.

At that moment, the figure was only wearing a white pair of briefs, facing the full-length mirror on the wall, scrutinizing his physique. His well-proportioned muscles shone conspicuously under the light, as he flexed his arms to inspect different muscle lines. His golden long hair was tied up in a bun, juxtaposing strength and softness in an incongruent manner.

Upon hearing the door open, the figure didn't turn around but kept examining his abdominal muscles, murmuring, "Do you think my abs are a bit uneven?" His thick regional accent made his words somewhat unclear.

Renly couldn't help but chuckle, closing the door behind him. "Coming home to such a scene... Remind me again, why did I choose you as a roommate?"

"Because you couldn't find acting jobs and needed someone to share the rent," the figure finally put down his hands, turning around confidently, his azure eyes sparkling like the Hawaiian ocean, intoxicatingly clear.

Renly furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment before earnestly asking, "Then why, having found a job, are you scrutinizing your muscles in the middle of the night?"

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With this counterattack, the figure was at a loss, hands on hips, roaring, "Renly Hall!"

Renly rubbed his earlobe with his index finger. "Keep it down, Johnson on the third floor can hear you," his teasing tone disarmed the figure, who slumped his shoulders, laughing in resignation. But seeing Renly's relaxed yet slightly triumphant smile, he couldn't help but grit his teeth, leaping over the sofa, taking two large steps towards Renly, and using his chest to bump into Renly's.

Compared to the figure's chest, Renly was no match. His chest felt compressed as if bones were being pressed down. "Foul! When a woman invades a man like this, it's clearly to make us surrender!" This implied the figure was "a woman," a deadly blow that left the figure helpless, grinding his teeth.

"You know you're a cunning guy," the figure ground his teeth, but was powerless.

Renly shrugged. "I know." His nonchalant demeanor made both of them smile.

The figure standing before Renly was Chris Hemsworth, Renly's current roommate. This Australian actor later rose to global fame as Thor, but at this moment, he was still a newcomer to the United States, with a strong Aussie accent, simple and rustic.

Although Renly lived in the downtown area of Manhattan, specifically the much cheaper Greenwich Village, the rent of $1600 per month was still quite burdensome, not to mention it didn't include utilities.

When Renly first moved in, there was another roommate, but they quickly moved to Los Angeles, apparently finding the fast track to fame more tempting there than in New York. To share the rent, Renly had to continue renting out, unexpectedly finding "Thor."

Before coming to the United States, Chris was already a somewhat famous TV actor in Australia, so his path to success was relatively smooth. He first landed a role in "Star Trek," followed by acting alongside Milla Jovovich in "A Perfect Getaway." Everything seemed to be going well for him.

When Chris came to inquire about the room, Renly was somewhat surprised. Having appeared in two productions, Chris was fully capable of living in a better location or a better house, there was no need to settle in Greenwich Village.

During the time they spent together, although Renly didn't directly ask, he could infer from Chris's snippets of conversation. So far, Chris had appeared in two productions, but only in supporting roles with not too high pay. Most of his income was reinvested, such as purchasing clothes, hiring a personal trainer, all investments for the future, unable to save.

Recently, Chris's agent was negotiating his next role, likely to upgrade to a leading role.

Comparatively, living in a less luxurious place wasn't a big deal. So, Chris temporarily stayed at home, working out with his fitness coach, always ready. However, the wait was longer than expected. Two months had passed, and there was still no news, which led to the conversation they just had.

After the jokes, Chris called out to Renly, who was preparing to go back to his room to freshen up. "How did the audition go today?" Without waiting for Renly's response, Chris jumped onto the sofa, sitting cross-legged, "Just like I said, only the casting director was there, right? And all the staff were strangers? It's nothing like what we see in the movies, where you show up and meet big-name directors and producers."

Chris had more experience with auditions, so he had shared a lot of his own experiences before.

"Tom and Steven were there today." Standing at the bedroom door, Renly didn't intend to conceal anything, telling the truth. "When I saw them there, my first reaction was surprise. Maybe because they care a lot about this series, so they personally participated in the actor selection process." After all, with the success of "Band of Brothers" before, the preparation for "The Pacific" was under immense pressure.

Listening to Renly's words, Chris's jaw dropped gradually, a storm of astonishment brewing in his eyes, "That must be it!" Chris's tone was extremely affirmative, but then he realized he was too eager and laughed, explaining, "I mean, they're so busy, they must have a lot on their plate. The producers can't possibly handle everything themselves."

After a pause, Chris felt somewhat regretful, "I wish I had gone to audition too." He had asked his agent, but the agent didn't see any value in attending. Firstly, Tom and Steven wouldn't show up for sure, and secondly, it was just a TV show. Chris's current goal was movies, and even leading roles. Participating in such auditions had almost no benefits for him. Unexpectedly, he missed the opportunity to meet top-notch directors face-to-face.

"What about the audition results? When will they be out?" Chris asked again, showing concern.

Renly flashed a brilliant smile, not hiding his joy. With such a simple expression, everything was self-explanatory, leaving Chris stunned at first, but he didn't understand. After pondering for a few circles, he tentatively asked, "So... did you get the role?"

With an uncertain tone, Renly affirmed, "Impossible," the words just slipped out, making Chris look at him incredulously. His heart couldn't help but feel a hint of jealousy. He had been at home for nearly two months, almost growing mushrooms, and now he not only missed the opportunity to meet Steven Spielberg but also had no clear idea when the next job opportunity would come. What's more, he had failed in his first TV show audition in Australia, while Renly's audition seemed to go so smoothly.

"Are you envying me?" Renly sensed Chris's mixed emotions, piercing through, making Chris a bit embarrassed. Renly chuckled, "You're a movie star, about to become a leading actor; I just got my first acting opportunity, a TV actor. You can do the math, can't you?"

The teasing tone made Chris itch, looking at Renly's back as he left, Chris remembered something else and sat up straight, raising his voice, "What about the pay? What role, how much pay? Have you discussed these details?"

"I don't decide those," Renly replied as casually as a shopkeeper, leaving Chris slumping on the sofa, somewhat lost in thought.

Now that Renly had found a job after the audition, what about him? When would his next job come? No, he had to speed up, or he'd be left behind.