制霸好莱坞

Several detectives hurriedly pushed open the door, brushing past many staff members. They ignored the exclamations of varying intensity and entered the VIP section of the performance hall. Dozens of large round tables were arranged, filled with celebrities from the entertainment industry. Clearly, an important award was being presented on stage, and everyone was focused on it.

The CSI team members approached a blonde woman, and Nick stepped forward, making sure not to obstruct the view of the guests behind her. He gently tapped the woman on the shoulder. "Wanita Carson?"

The blonde woman slowly turned around. She wore classic red lipstick, had pale skin, deep-set eyes, and a slight smile at the corner of her lips. Her expression was both enigmatic and full of charm. Despite the sudden interruption, she didn't show any panic. Instead, she seemed to know exactly what was coming and smiled knowingly as she answered calmly, "Yes?"

The officers sighed quietly. Nick swallowed nervously, trying to maintain composure. "I—I—uh—"

The smile in Wanita's eyes deepened. She crossed her legs, slightly tilted her head, and patiently waited for Nick to continue. Her turquoise eyes sparkled as she appraised the young, handsome Nick. "Yes?"

"I—I—" Nick suddenly blurted out an expletive. "Fuck, sorry, I forgot my lines again."

Laughter erupted from the set, and Jenny restrained herself from rolling her eyes, chuckling along. This was already the fourth time Nick had forgotten his lines in this scene.

The makeup artist approached to touch up their looks. George Eds—who was Nick's actor—seized the opportunity to quickly review his lines, while the special effects team adjusted the green screen. After a brief break, the director called out, "Action!"

At the same time, Jenny expertly triggered the emotions of Marilyn Monroe's character, immersing herself in the role. She focused intently on the green screen in front of her. In fact, only her table and the few adjacent tables were real during this awards ceremony. The rest would be digitally inserted into footage from the earlier Emmy Awards ceremony, as one of the gimmicks for the first episode of season two. This included the audience, who would be digitally created as well.

Unlike the final footage, which includes music and background voices, the set was quiet. Jenny could clearly hear Nick's footsteps, followed by his line, "Wanita Carson?"

Suddenly, she thought of Marilyn's first appearance under the spotlight. Every subtle smile and expression, and how for Marilyn, sensuality was her greatest weapon and armor. She had beauty, which gave her an advantage anywhere, at any time. Everything was within her control.

Wanita's lips curled into a confident yet mysterious smile. She turned back around casually. "Yes?"

This time, George completely froze, unable to continue his lines. The frustration was evident in the director's voice, "Cut—No good!"

He approached and pulled George aside. "Listen, buddy, I know you're infatuated with her. Hell, we all are. Once she gets into character, she's ridiculously beautiful. I'm sure a lot of people will be thinking about her tonight."

He pointed at Jenny, unconcerned that she was standing right there, and could clearly hear him. "There's nothing shameful about it. You don't need to hold back. What you need to do is commit to your role. Nick is completely captivated by Wanita too, and your chemistry is great. Just remember your lines, like Nick—he's captivated, but still struggling to do his job. You understand what I mean? George, this is a performance of a lifetime, and you have no excuse not to nail it."

George shot Jenny an awkward glance. She smiled at him, but George didn't seem to be overwhelmed by any infatuation. Jenny had tested the time limit for empathizing with such roles, and it was intense, but only lasted a few minutes—about the length of one shot.

"Okay, I'll try," he said, smiling at the director. "Don't be mad at me, okay? Like you said, everyone's smitten with her, and I'm the closest to her, so I can't be the exception."

Jenny chuckled. "Hey, I'm right here."

The director flashed a grin at her, a mix of annoyance and affection, mumbling, "God knows where you came from, demon, I mean—" He shook his head, trailing off and turning back to George. "We don't have much time to waste, George. Take a moment to collect yourself, then let me know when you're ready."

George stood aside, quietly gathering his thoughts. "I'm ready."

This time, they got through the scene smoothly. After a short break, George had to continue filming some shots in the same set, while Jenny could rest until her next set of shots. Of course, she couldn't take off her gown since her next set would involve a different backdrop but the same outfit.

Although this segment would be less than 20 seconds on TV, it took nearly an hour to film. Jenny was starting to feel a bit tired. She headed to the snack area at the edge of the studio to grab some water, and George followed her.

"Hey, I just wanted to apologize. I might have been a little off this morning," he said.

Jenny grinned. "Doesn't that just prove my charm? Just like the director said, you were totally captivated by Wanita."

George laughed and looked at her curiously. Then he said, "Wow, seriously, on and off-camera, you really feel like two different people. I mean, when you smile in front of the camera, I feel like a lovesick teenager, completely mesmerized. But once the camera's off, boom, that mysterious allure just vanishes. You're still pretty, but—well, I don't know how to say it, but it's like you're a different person."

"Are you trying to ask me out or compliment my acting?" Jenny joked. "If it's the former, you really did a bad job."

"If it's the latter?" George grabbed a bottle of water, took a few sips.

"Then you're saying it just right," Jenny replied.

George laughed. "Thanks. I've got to say, I'm relieved you're two people, on and off-camera. I mean, gosh, I've got a girlfriend, and I love her. I don't want to disappoint her."

Jenny couldn't help but laugh. They chatted a bit more, and George invited her to his party sometime before heading back to set.

According to the filming schedule, Jenny had a five-hour break before her interrogation scene, after which she could head home. She quickly spotted Dave standing in a corner of the set and happily walked toward him. "I did pretty well, didn't I?"

But Dave's gaze was complex, and after a moment, he smiled weakly. "You were amazing."

Since I was amazing, why aren't you happy for me? Jenny wanted to say, but she didn't speak. If it had been the real Jenny here, maybe she wouldn't understand Dave's feelings right now. But as Chen Zhen, she understood exactly what he was going through.

They were silent as they walked to the trailer, not speaking much. This was a shared trailer, and two or three extra actors were waiting to go on stage.

Once the people thinned out and only the two of them were left in the trailer, Dave spoke. "Jenny, you were amazing."

He seemed a bit uneasy and guilty. Jenny raised an eyebrow. "Thank you?"

Dave sighed and finally told the truth. "I'm afraid you're not going to get the recurring role in Buffy."

"This—" Jenny didn't know what to say. Many complex thoughts flashed through her mind. Could it be... but she didn't want to think of Dave as selfish...

"You're too beautiful," Dave said, breaking her confusion. "And your acting is so good. You're like two different people on and off-camera. I didn't expect you to be so... so..."

He hesitated, then finally managed to say, "So radiant, so beautiful, like a born movie star. I think you could walk into any audition and easily get the role based on your looks and acting."

It was the first time Jenny had heard so many compliments in one day. Though, when watching her own performance in the acting space, she could sense what it would look like when Jenny Sim's youthful beauty combined with Marilyn Monroe's powerful aura. Still, she hadn't expected the result to be so dazzling. From George Eds to the director, and now Dave, everyone seemed impressed.

"Oh, Dave," she smiled.

Dave shook his head, looking even more guilty. "But because of that, I can't give you the Buffy role. Sorry, Jenny, that's just a standard role, and it shouldn't overshadow Sarah. That's the lead role, and the lead must always shine the most."

He seemed to hesitate, adding, "I can't sacrifice her for you—even if I wanted to, and you did make it into the cast, Sarah would push you out. Your character would clash with hers."

Jenny had already realized. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who had "reserved" Dave that night, was a good friend of his and a rising star in Hollywood. They were both blonde beauties. But Jenny hadn't expected that her outstanding performance in CSI would cost her this opportunity.

But this also showed Dave's professionalism. No matter what, he was deeply committed to his work as an assistant director. Even after she turned up the heat, he wasn't swept away. Instead, he immediately thought of his job.

"I understand," Jenny said, trying to smile and comfort him. "I get it, Dave. You're saying I'm too outstanding for that role."

Dave seemed to relax a little. He nodded. "You should be thankful. You're just a guest star on CSI, and there are no similar roles for women in the show. Otherwise, she would definitely use all her influence to cut your scenes, or even threaten the writers to write you off. Even if she didn't do it herself, her agent would."

This was a clear hint that if Jenny joined the Buffy cast, Dave believed Sarah would act against her. Considering Dave's close relationship with Sarah, Jenny believed his thoughts were valid. She also understood what Dave wasn't saying—that he had recommended her for the role, and when Sarah saw how her beauty and acting skills overshadowed her in the scenes, their friendship would likely crack.

Compared to the lead actress, the assistant director, while important, wasn't irreplaceable.

"I get it," Jenny sighed, comforting Dave. "Don't worry, Dave, my goal isn't that."

Dave seemed to believe her. He curiously asked, "Then what's your goal?"

"Probably just like every other girl's dream—to be the leading lady in an A-list production," Jenny shrugged, saying as casually as she could, "You know, not just a standard TV role, so while losing this opportunity is regrettable, it won't be too disappointing."

She hoped Dave would laugh at her for aiming too high and tell her to take it one step at a time. But Dave didn't.

Instead, he looked at her strangely, and slowly said, "For many people, this is an unattainable dream, Jenny. But for you, it's not. Trust me, you already have everything it takes to be a star. All you need is the chance. A lot of people come to LA with that dream and end up struggling to get by. But you're not like them. Some people are just born on the fast track. They reach the top faster than others. Trust me, Jenny, you're one of those people."

Jenny didn't know whether to praise his keen insight or give a wry smile and tell him: You're right, you're praising Jenny Sim + Marilyn Monroe.

In the end, she just smiled. "Oh, Dave, save the encouragement for when the opportunity comes. Right now, I just want to do this scene well."

Dave hesitated, then nodded. "Of course, that's the most important... but be careful, Jenny."

His expression grew serious. "On set, there are always people who are jealous of talent."