I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor - Chapter 418: Appearance (1)
Translator: Dreamscribe
May 17th was the script reading day for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’. Holding his phone to his ear, Kang Woojin silently calculated the date.
‘Today is the 8th, right?’
It was May 8th. That meant May 17th was next week, and there were less than ten days left. It might seem a bit tight, but it wasn’t a big problem for Kang Woojin. He had already been informed in advance that the script reading for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ would take place between the second and third weeks of May.
Thus, Kang Woojin was scheduled to depart for LA around the 12th.
The plan was to arrive early, take care of some scheduled activities in LA, and then participate in the script reading. Even though he was in the middle of filming ‘Beneficial Evil’, his scenes were already in the mid-to-late phase, and PD Song Man-woo, who was well aware of Woojin’s insane schedule, would surely understand.
Anyway, Woojin responded to Director Ahn Ga-bok over the phone.
“17th, understood, director.”
Soon, the laughter of Director Ahn Ga-bok came through the phone.
“Columbia Studios will also contact bw Entertainment separately. One way or another, we’ve made it to the script reading. At first, it seemed so far away.”
“Time flies fast.”
“We’ve both been swamped, haven’t we? Though, of course, you must be going through it much worse than I am. Anyway, there’s nothing specific you need to prepare for the script reading. We’ll distribute the scripts there. But if you prefer your own copy, feel free to bring it.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll send the exact location and time within a few days.”
Sensing that the call was wrapping up, Woojin bid farewell.
“Thank you, director-nim. See you then.”
Unexpectedly, Director Ahn Ga-bok responded with an offhand remark.
“I’m sure you’ve already guessed, but your influence in Hollywood is quite something right now. Things were loud even when ‘Universal Movies’ was involved, but now that the ‘Emmy Awards’ have happened, the staff can’t stop talking about you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, and if the staff are like that, what do you think the actors will be like? I guarantee that at the script reading, every single one of them will be focused on you.”
Director Ahn Ga-bok chuckled.
“Curiosity, envy, scrutiny, jealousy, there will be all kinds of mixed feelings. Should be interesting, right? This is your first script reading in Hollywood, isn’t it?”
After chatting for a while longer, Kang Woojin slowly lowered his phone. The call had ended. Still, he muttered internally.
‘Ah, right. This is my first script reading in Hollywood.’
Aside from Chris Hartnett, he was meeting all the Hollywood actors cast in ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ for the first time. Of course, they were also encountering Kang Woojin for the first time.
‘Come to think of it, it’s quite a memorable day.’
For Woojin, for ‘Columbia Studios’, and for the Hollywood actors in the cast, it was a day of many firsts. In a way, this could be considered Woojin’s official Hollywood debut. At this point, he should have felt at least a little nervous. If it were the old him, he certainly would have.
However.
‘Well- what’s so different about it?’
Surprisingly, Kang Woojin remained calm. It wasn’t that he wasn’t nervous at all, but it wasn’t anything overwhelming. Was it thanks to maintaining his persona for so long that he had developed a thicker skin? Or had he simply adapted to Hollywood? Maybe he had grown? Whatever the reason, the fact was that he wasn’t feeling anxious.
On the contrary, right now, Kang Woojin.
‘I feel kind of fired up, actually.’
Even his attitude was aggressive. Like a general marching into battle, proudly representing Korea. Whether it was the staff or the actors involved in ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’, no matter how they viewed him, Woojin would move forward without hesitation.
‘Fuck it, full-speed ahead.’
Just as Woojin’s no-holds-barred attitude was intensifying, Choi Sung-gun spoke up.
“Was that Director Ahn Ga-bok? What did he say?”
At this point, Woojin’s persona was a few times stronger than usual.
“The script reading is confirmed for May 17th.”
Choi Sung-gun smirked and grabbed Woojin’s shoulder.
“Okay, let’s crush it.”
Later.
The day came to an end. Then, the next day began.
Kang Woojin’s first schedule of the day was a commercial shoot. It was for a newly added sports brand advertisement. Even at that moment, all of Korea was abuzz with talk about ‘Beneficial Evil’ and Kang Woojin.
It was several times more intense than the day before.
『’Beneficial Evil’ nominated in 10 categories for the Primetime Emmy Awards, International media coverage in full swing』
『Kang Woojin, nominee for Best Actor at the Emmy Awards, expresses gratitude: “Thank you to ‘Beneficial Evil’ fans around the world”』
『[Issue Pick] ‘Beneficial Evil’ nominated in 10 Emmy categories… Director Ahn Ga-bok in Hollywood says, “We will overcome language and cultural barriers”』
『Will ‘Beneficial Evil’ sweep the Emmy Awards? The shifting public opinion in Korea is already predicting: “At least one award is guaranteed”』
What had been intense for two days escalated to a level of frenzy. Not only the domestic media but also the excited public were typing away non-stop. As a result, talk of ‘Beneficial Evil’ and Kang Woojin was everywhere, not just on the internet but also in real life. The atmosphere in Korea, a boiling furnace, was mirrored in Japan.
『Japanese public reacts to Beneficial Evil’s Emmy nomination: “Jealous”, “Cheering for them”』
『With ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ and ‘Leech’ taking Japan by storm, Japanese media is talking all about Kang Woojin right now / Photo』
To be precise, it wasn’t just Japan or LA, it had spread rapidly across the entire world beyond France, where Cannes had taken place.
『[Global Topic] Major international communities, including ‘Reddit’, are currently buzzing about ‘Beneficial Evil’ and Kang Woojin / Photo』
At this point, Hollywood’s ‘Columbia Studios’ posted a new message on their official SNS.
– [Hello, this is ‘Columbia Studios’. Recently, something incredible has happened to actor Kang Woojin and his work. First, we extend our congratulations. Additionally, the official script reading date for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ has been set…]
Along with congratulating Kang Woojin and ‘Beneficial Evil’, they announced the script reading date for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’. Given that Woojin was already causing a worldwide sensation, this news spread quickly, not just in Hollywood but also in Korea.
Then, on the early morning of the 12th.
While the entire world was losing its mind, Kang Woojin continued filming ‘Beneficial Evil’ quietly.
『“Asia’s first Emmy nominee for Best Actor” Kang Woojin departs for LA for the script reading of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ / Photo』
『Kang Woojin gives a calm wave to hundreds of fans gathered at the airport, an aura befitting an Emmy nominee… He is now heading to LA / Photo』
He temporarily paused filming ‘Beneficial Evil’ and set off for LA. More than 200 reporters had gathered at the airport, and with the addition of fans and onlookers, the entire airport lobby was packed.
After much difficulty, Woojin finally boarded his private jet.
‘Phew- for now…’
He decided to rest in the void space later and first opened the script for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’. His plan was to read it thoroughly once again before practicing his lines. The more he repeated this process, the more he could embody ‘Henry Gordon’, unleashing his ‘Joker’-like energy.
A few dozen minutes later.
‘Here we go.’
Woojin’s private jet took off.
A few days later, May 17th. LA.
Hollywood’s massive ‘Columbia Studios’, a site that continuously saw a steady stream of tourists. However, today, the entrance was packed with foreign reporters and paparazzi. They were busy snapping photos of large vans and SUVs passing through the ‘Columbia Studios’ gate.
Inside the main building of ‘Columbia Studios’.
The space was bustling with film company staff and industry professionals constantly moving about. Among them, the conference hall, usually used for meetings, was now filled with foreigners busily working. A closer look revealed that all the frantic individuals were part of the ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ production team.
The reason they were frantically setting up in the conference hall was simple.
In about two hours, the official script reading for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ was set to take place. Thus, the foreign staff were transforming the conference hall into a proper script reading venue. The setup looked no different from script reading rooms in Korea.
“Water! Where’s the water?!”
“It’s stacked in the back over there!”
“Where?? Oh! Found it!”
In the vast script reading room, the director, key staff members, and actors’ tables were arranged in a square ㅁ-shape at the center. Black cloth was draped over them, and each seat was meticulously set with a script, a water bottle, a table microphone, and a character nameplate. Surrounding the ㅁ-shaped table, multiple cameras were installed, while dozens of chairs were arranged behind it.
These seats were designated for invited journalists, ‘Columbia Studios’ executives and staff, as well as the actors’ team members.
The only clear difference from a Korean script reading was that everyone here was a foreigner. Additionally, the scale of the script reading was nearly twice as large compared to those in Korea. This was ‘Columbia Studios’, one of Hollywood’s “Big Five”, and ‘Pierrot’ was the project marking the grand beginning of their cinematic universe, so it was only natural.
Not to mention, the sheer number of participating actors contributed to its size.
About an hour had passed. Soon, figures other than the production crew began to arrive at the expansive reading room. The first to enter were ‘Columbia Studios’ executives. Following them were the foreign journalists invited to the script reading. Gradually, the once-empty room filled with a growing murmur of English chatter.
“Finally. But did we come too early? Not a single actor is here yet.”
“There’s still an hour left. Hmm- anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing Kang Woojin, who’ll be sitting as the lead actor in this huge project.”
“Same here. I’ve heard endless news about this project, ‘Beast and the Beauty’, ‘John Persona’, and the ‘Emmy Awards’, but this will be my first time seeing him in person.”
“Haha, I bet that’s true for most of the reporters here. Hardly anyone has seen his acting live.”
“What do you think of Kang Woojin? I watched ‘Beneficial Evil’, but honestly, I wouldn’t say it had the kind of intensity to shake up Hollywood like this.”
“Hmm. I find it curious too, but- there must be a reason why the ‘Big Five’ studios were so taken with him.”
From dozens of foreign journalists to studio executives, everyone was engaged in their own conversations. Interestingly, while there was talk of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ and Chris Hartnett, the majority of the discussions revolved around Kang Woojin.
Then.
“Hello-“
“Oh! Robert! Welcome.”
The Hollywood actors cast in ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ began to arrive one after another. Every actor, including those in minor roles, was attending today’s reading. As time passed, supporting actors, extras, and co-leads, regardless of role, poured in randomly.
“Haha! Bill, long time no see.”
“Yeah, man. You lost some weight, huh? Have you been working out? You look better.”
“Director Ahn Ga-bok asked me to. He said I needed to be in shape.”
The empty seats at the central ㅁ-shaped table gradually filled up. More and more Hollywood actors, some quite famous and others not as popular but regarded as top-tier performers, took their seats. At the same time, the chairs behind them were becoming so crowded that it was difficult to find an empty spot. The number of attendees had easily surpassed a hundred.
Before anyone realized it, only 30 minutes remained until the script reading began.
More than half of the ㅁ-shaped table was now occupied, and the once-murmuring reading room had grown outright noisy. Particularly, the actors in ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ couldn’t seem to stop talking.
“Mark, how much have you practiced your lines?”
“Don’t even ask. I can recite them in my sleep. What about you?”
“Hahaha, same here. Still, I should be reviewing the script before the reading, but I can’t focus.”
“Because of Kang Woojin, right?”
“Yeah, I’m going crazy with curiosity.”
“Hmm… Honestly, I can understand why Columbia cast him, but the fact that he’s also secured deals with Disney and Universal is baffling.”
“Right? That’s never happened in Hollywood before. And on top of that, he got nominated for Best Actor at the ‘Emmy Awards’ this year too.”
“This is beyond just a sensation. What kind of guy is he, really-“
A common trend among the more than 20 Hollywood actors present: all of them kept glancing at the empty seat next to where the director would sit. The nameplate placed there had English lettering engraved on it.
-[Henry Gordon / Kang Woojin]
In this vast script reading room, his was the only Korean name. That alone sparked curiosity among the actors, whether they were leads, supporting actors, or even those sitting in the back as minor roles.
“I became a fan of Kang Woojin after watching ‘Beneficial Evil’.”
“Really? Hmm- that’s surprising. I actually found ‘Beneficial Evil’ a bit underwhelming. Honestly, I don’t get how Kang Woojin managed to outact Chris Hartnett.”
“I was shocked too. I’ve never seen Chris lose in a performance battle when he was truly giving it his all.”
“There’s a rumor going around that Kang Woojin has connections with some powerful figures behind the scenes.”
“No way.”
“Otherwise, how could something like this happen?”
Just then.
“That’s nonsense.”
A man’s voice cut into the conversation of the minor role actors near the entrance.
“Where do you even hear these kinds of rumors?”
It was Chris Hartnett, a Hollywood top star with striking dark brown eyes. As he entered, the gazes of dozens of gathered Hollywood actors immediately locked onto him. Chris shrugged his shoulders lightly and smirked as he continued.
“Besides, I didn’t even attempt the audition. I gave up after watching Kang Woojin act or you could say I lost the will to compete.”
Even though his words could have been sensitive, Chris spoke casually. Meanwhile, his manager, who was sitting in one of the chairs at the back, let out a deep sigh and covered his face with his hands.
But Chris Hartnett’s mouth didn’t stop.
“Well, in the end, I guess it helped me grow.”
At that moment, when everyone’s attention was fixated on Chris, a low-toned voice in English suddenly came from right behind him.
“Hello, Chris.”
Chris Hartnett flinched slightly and quickly turned his head.
A man with black hair and an indifferent expression was looking straight at him.
“It’s been a while.”
It was Kang Woojin.
At that moment, not just the gathered actors, but all one hundred or so foreigners in the reading room had their eyes glued to Kang Woojin.
The unusual thing was.
“……Ah.”
As soon as Woojin appeared, the once-bustling reading room instantly fell silent.
“……”
“……”
“……”
It was the grand entrance of the lead actor in ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’.
