Chapter 492: A Small Favor

Chapter 492: Chapter 492: A Small Favor

As the words fell, Henry stopped, raised his gaze with a hint of confusion, and the atmosphere in the lounge quietly shifted.

Henry nodded slightly, standing firm with a polite perplexity between his brows: "I do not have any other plans tonight. If it is something within my capacity, I am very happy to help."

Seeing this, Robert stopped beating around the bush, looked at him directly with a smile, and stated his proposal outright:

"Here is the deal, our crew for The Devil Wears Prada has run into a temporary issue; the male actor playing Steve was accidentally injured and cannot join the crew on schedule, and we are urgently in need of a good-looking male actor with an inherent elite vibe to fill the vacancy."

His eyes sized up Henry before him, and the more he looked, the more he felt they matched, saying in a resolute tone:

"To be honest, temporarily screening people from talent agencies now is rushed, the quality is uneven, and it is hard to find a suitable candidate who fits the character setting. But standing right here, I instantly feel that no one is more suitable for this role than you."

Henry was completely stunned, utter shock filling his eyes as he completely never expected that a casual stroll past would lead to a sudden film cameo offer.

He subconsciously asked in return: "Steve? The Devil Wears Prada? Is this your new movie, Irene? It seems to be a modern drama?"

Prior to this, all of his film and television roles were either period styles like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Count of Monte Cristo, or serious drama roles encountered while refining stage plays.

He had never tried modern urban or light workplace supporting roles, and for a moment he inevitably felt a bit dazed and unconfident.

"That is right, it is just a modern fashion urban drama." Robert readily nodded, then turned to look at Irene beside him, patiently explaining his considerations in an attempt to persuade her to also approve of this choice:

"Irene, think about it carefully. Steve’s character setting itself is an elite publishing house editor who graduated from a prestigious school and has outstanding connections that get him everywhere. He is one of the temptations facing the female lead Andy after entering the workplace. He might not need explosive acting skills, but the suave elite persona cannot be lost."

"Henry’s external conditions are impeccable; his facial features are upright and handsome, his physique is tall and sharp, and the natural gentlemanly vibe on him completely fits the suave and unrestrained nature required by the role."

"More crucially, he is completely open right now with totally free scheduling. No need for integration or trial training, he can join the crew at any time and seamlessly connect with our filming schedule, saving the crew a massive amount of time cost in re-screening, interviewing, and integration."

Hearing this, Irene did not respond immediately.

Her eyes were calm, and her gaze fell on Henry, carefully and meticulously sizing up and weighing this suitability, while her brain rapidly reviewed Steve’s complete character setting and scene arrangements.

In the script she re-edited, Steve was not entirely a tool-like supporting character.

He was Andy’s senior from her university days, and also a confidant when she felt lost and distressed upon stepping into the new environment of the workplace.

Gentle, clear-sighted, and upright, he could see through the superficial vanity of the fashion circle and understand Andy’s struggles and reluctance in pursuing her ideals.

He was one of the few gentle, healing-toned characters in the entire movie, forming a conflict and contrast with the boyfriend.

The biggest taboo for this role was a greasy temperament; once an actor was too stern and domineering, it would completely shatter the gentle balance of the character, making it totally incompatible with the overall light urban fashion tone.

Irene quietly looked at Henry before her, and a clear answer gradually formed in the depths of her heart.

Having experienced a year of precipitation in stage plays and British dramas, the current Henry had shed the green and reckless nature of his early days entering Hollywood.

His figure was robust yet not coarse, his contours sharp yet carrying an inherent gentle and warm gentlemanly undertone, with a temperament that was just right.

There was neither the impetuosity of traffic actors nor the sharpness of tough-guy actors on him.

The steady, clean, polite, and gentle qualities he had precipitated happened to fit the character core of Steve.

The only minor concern was that Henry’s physique was too superior and upright, and his aura leaned somewhat mature, lacking a trace of everyday relaxation.

However, this deficiency could be neutralized through makeup styling, outfits, and performance details.

Simple casual shirts, a gentle tone in lines, and a relaxed physical state could dissolve the elite sense of distance that naturally came with him.

Seeing that Irene still had not made a statement, Henry on the side grew increasingly apprehensive, but deep down he wanted to collaborate with Irene again, so he took the initiative to voice his concerns:

"Irene, I am not sure if I can handle this. I have always played period, fantasy, and orthodox-leaning roles, and have rarely touched upon the style of modern urban light comedies. I am afraid my acting style is too heavy to support this kind of relaxed and delicate workplace daily feel, thereby ruining the character."

He had always been humble and would not blindly rejoice just because he received a temporary invitation; instead, he examined his own shortcomings in adaptability at the first instance.

This rigorous professional attitude made Irene appreciate Robert’s proposal even more in her heart.

Irene finally slowly opened her mouth: "Do not worry, for the role of Steve, the biggest issue is not complex acting skills, but a sincere, clean, and relaxed atmosphere."

"Your temperament is warm, clear, and amiable, and you naturally carry a sense of sincerity, which is a trait many traffic actors and professionally trained actors do not have. As for the rhythm of modern urban dramas, it is not hard to adapt. I can personally guide you to adjust your state, weaken the heaviness from your stage plays, and fit the daily relaxed performance rhythm."

Robert struck while the iron was hot and added with a smile: "Besides, this is just a cameo supporting role with concentrated scenes and a short filming cycle. It completely will not delay your time preparing for the 007 audition. Consider it a light little attempt in the cracks of your busy preparation, and it can also broaden your modern acting path audience base, killing two birds with one stone."

Mentioning the 007 audition caused a slight ripple in Henry’s eyes.

During this period, he had been polishing his posture, precipitating his mindset, and adjusting his aura according to Irene’s suggestions, wholeheartedly preparing for Sony’s selection for Bond, immersing himself in high-intensity training and self-polishing all day long, keeping his nerves tightly strung.

Indeed, occasionally taking on a modern urban drama with a relaxed style and a healing atmosphere could not only regulate his state but also try a new acting path and accumulate performance experience in different styles, which might not be a bad thing for himself.

More importantly, this was Irene’s crew.

In Hollywood, countless actors broke their heads trying to enter Irene’s projects; even if it was just a small supporting role or a small cameo, it was a rare resume gilding.

Being able to film under her lens and receive her personal guidance was in itself the most precious learning opportunity.

This temporarily delivered invitation seemed accidental, but in reality, it was an opportunity that others could only wish for.

However, what Henry wanted in his heart was more than just these.

He pondered for a few seconds and looked solemnly at Irene: "If you think I am suitable, I am willing to try. I will fully cooperate with the crew’s rhythm, carefully polish the role, will never drag down the crew’s progress, and will not let down your trust."

Seeing his correct attitude and steady mindset, the last trace of concern in Irene’s heart completely dissipated, and she immediately made the final decision: "Alright, then this role is set for you."

Her speech was extremely fast as she instantly switched to the production work mode, making arrangements with clear logic:

"Robert, you immediately update the actor list, coordinate with the crew coordinator, enter Henry’s schedule into the shooting schedule table, and replace all scene arrangements of the previously injured actor. At the same time, have the costume and makeup department prepare casual commuter-style shirts and suit trousers in advance to weaken Henry’s stern aura and fit the urban editor persona."

"Received, I will implement it immediately." Robert acknowledged and took out his phone, communicating with the crew backend at the first moment to synchronize information and efficiently handle the sudden casting change matter.