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Chapter 150: Star's Sidekick
🕑 Added 2024-11-06 19:25:15 +0000 UTCFeeling two sharp gazes directed at him, even Leonardo DiCaprio, usually slow to react, understood he had gotten into trouble. He shot a fierce glare at the person next to him, not laughing at the scene being filmed but recalling his companion's poor performance when they went to a bar a few days ago to pick up girls.
"Is it that funny, Mr. DiCaprio?"
Hearing this emotionless remark, those around Leonardo instinctively distanced themselves from him. Duke coldly regarded Leonardo's handsome face and walked over slowly, adopting an accusatory tone. "Is the Normandy landing really that amusing? Is it funny that the Allies were slaughtered by the Nazi forces?"
Not just Leonardo, Duke's eyes swept over the other actors, and everyone wisely kept silent. None of them had the power to confront the director; the only actor in the entire crew who could speak to him on equal footing was Tom Hanks.
"Sorry, Duke…" Although young and impulsive, Leonardo wasn't a fool. He quickly stepped forward to apologize, "I'm very sorry, Director Rosenberg."
Duke nodded. "If there's a next time, Leo…"
"I promise!" Leonardo swore.
As Duke turned and returned to where he came from, Leonardo and the others let out simultaneous sighs of relief.
Especially Leonardo; this young director, only a few years older than him, brought immense pressure he had never experienced while filming before. It wasn't surprising, considering that even his collaborations with the most renowned directors, like Lasse Hallström, couldn't compare to Duke Rosenberg's status in Hollywood.
After resolving the small trouble caused by Leonardo, filming resumed. Completing the previous scene, Duke exchanged views with the amphibious warfare experts from the Pentagon. He then gathered the crew to prepare for filming the grandest scenes. Aside from controlling the overall situation and John Schwartzman keeping a close eye on Tom Hanks, Duke sent out all the assistant directors and photography assistants to hide in pre-prepared concealed positions, ready to capture battlefield details.
Soldiers searching for doctors after losing an arm, wounded men wailing with guts spilling out, soldiers who just celebrated dodging a fatal shot only to be shot down again…
Gunfire, cries of anguish, explosions—on the beach, these formed a symphony of death.
With such a vast movement of personnel, it was impossible for the pyrotechnics team to use military-grade explosives. Joss Williams had modified several tests and, with Duke's input, packed soft explosives in cardboard containing dust. The explosion's power was minimal, but it looked impressive.
As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, the day's filming finally came to an end. The ravaged beach gradually fell silent. Due to its distance from the city, aside from those who finished their scenes and left, most of the crew stayed in nearby towns or trailers brought by the production.
This little town, called Settin, only had a few thousand residents. The two inns and several restaurants had closed their doors since the day the Omaha beach set was established, only serving those associated with *Saving Private Ryan*.
Once John Schwartzman duplicated the day's footage into two copies for the safety directors to keep, Duke and the core members of the crew returned to the town and entered the quietest restaurant.
Like all Hollywood productions, the *Saving Private Ryan* crew seemed equal, but invisible differences were everywhere. For example, typically only core members of the crew and a few main actors dined here. Aside from Duke discussing work while eating, others mostly kept to themselves.
Tom Hanks, although famous for being friendly in Hollywood, wouldn't lower himself to dine with actors or staff of lesser status. The idea of mingling with others was even more ridiculous; not only did it concern the image of a superstar, but who could guarantee that certain people wouldn't turn around and sell some private matters to the media?
Just consider the crew of Spielberg's past films—who would believe Tom Hanks could get along with Vin Diesel?
Let's be serious; in this fiercely competitive industry, making friends is a cautious matter. In reality, true friendships rarely exist between actors. Star actors prefer the sidekicks who hang around them, trusting them more than other actors in the circle.
In Hollywood, there's a unique presence: sidekicks who mingle with big-name stars. They earn the stars' trust, can freely enjoy life with them, and even share romantic partners. These individuals receive many benefits from the stars and often rely on them for survival, keeping tight-lipped. They are the stars' sidekicks.
The peculiar environment of Hollywood shapes the unusual status and lifestyle of star actors. They cannot form friendships like normal people, leading to a unique relationship between sidekicks and stars that's hard for outsiders to comprehend.
Take Charlize Theron, for example; she has many sidekicks, and her luxurious, expensive wardrobe is always open to them. She even once dubbed her wardrobe "Narnia," implying it's a place of endless giving, making her a "best girlfriend" in the eyes of many.
In short, Hollywood stars cannot be measured by the standards of ordinary people.
"We're short on time; our filming cannot be delayed."
A few people sat around the same table for dinner, and the topic never strayed from work. Duke was dissatisfied with the progress. "We're in the adjustment phase; we can maintain this pace for now, but starting next week, I must speed up."
"Christmas is coming soon," Robin Grant reminded. "We need at least three days off for the holiday."
Usually, overtime is acceptable, but Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the West, and even Duke cannot enforce overtime during this period.
However, the headaches didn't stop there. Charles Rowan put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said, "I received a call from Tom Hanks' agent; the awards season is starting. He wants the crew to coordinate Tom's schedule since he needs to return to Los Angeles often for award season publicity."
"Hmm…"
Nodding, Duke signaled that he understood. This was unavoidable; compared to future years, publicity for the Academy Awards was still somewhat restrained during this era. Tom Hanks wouldn't need to stay long in Los Angeles. If we pushed this back a few years, even with a role like Forrest Gump to back him up, not starting publicity months before the awards season and staying in Los Angeles for a long time would make it very difficult to win Best Actor.
Many actors and directors often spend over half a year or even an entire year on time and energy just for that little golden statue.
This is one of the reasons Duke is relatively indifferent to Academy Awards; he doesn't have much time to waste.
After finishing dinner, the group left the restaurant and strolled toward the nearby inn at a leisurely pace, a rare opportunity for relaxation after a busy day.
Duke walked at the back, and Sofia Coppola slowed her pace, seemingly wanting to talk about something.
"A few public relations companies have contacted me," she said as she walked alongside Duke. "They're willing to send out the best public relations managers to serve you. There are also a few independent PR people interested in taking on your publicity."
"Not urgent," Duke replied, hands in his pockets, looking down at the checkered sidewalk. "What about a personal assistant? Have you found a suitable candidate?"
"Not yet," Sofia complained. "I've been in Ireland with the crew since last October; when do I have time to help you find an assistant?"
She rolled her eyes. "Why not let Nancy handle it?"
"Because I trust you more," Duke replied blandly.
Sofia opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She knew Duke could be very guarded sometimes, especially regarding people in the industry. She was one of the few friends he had.
Coming from a family of filmmakers, she understood the true nature of the industry and recognized that being cautious wasn't a bad thing; otherwise, you might be sold out without realizing it.
As for the assistant and publicity matters, they could only wait until filming concluded and they returned to Los Angeles. For Duke, completing the landing scene with quality and efficiency was the top priority.
"Tom, you're the supreme commander of the Allied forces on the beach now."
Standing in front of the barbed wire, Duke was directing Tom Hanks, "I need you to show determination and decisiveness, leading your brothers forward—not just for the military mission or to complete the task, but because that's how you can strive for survival."
After instructing Tom Hanks, Duke turned to the other actors and reminded them, "Listen to Tom's orders. Even if he tells you to jump into the sea, you must comply."
An explosion scene was about to be completed at a distance close to these actors, and they were understandably a bit nervous. Duke's rare joke helped alleviate the tension, and many people started laughing.
Seeing Joss Williams and others setting up explosives behind a sandbank, Duke finally said, "Be careful! I don't want to see anyone get hurt!"
Although they were using soft explosives, getting hit by flying sand wouldn't feel pleasant.
After personally checking the arrangement of cameras and light shields and testing the on-site recording equipment, Duke returned to his director's chair, quietly waiting for the pyrotechnics team to finish their work before starting the explosion scene.
After waiting for about half an hour, Joss Williams personally came over to notify that everything was ready.
