Dreams of Stardom (Hollywood SI)

Warning: A major portion of this chapter contains the summary of the movie [Brick]. If you have seen it recently, or just don't want to read it, you can skip the summary part because it doesn't have a lot of changes from the original. I included it only because many readers prefer reading the summary of the movie. So please think twice before leaving a negative comment.

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Emily felt overdressed. Looking down at her beautiful floor-length royal blue dress, she couldn't help but feel like an impostor. She couldn't have afforded that dress even in her dreams. Her mom had talked to a designer friend to rent a dress for a few days, but even that was costing more than what Emily received for shooting [Brick]. Then Troy came like a knight in shining armor and hooked her up with a designer who got her a new dress. Emily hadn't even mentioned the dress issue to him, but Troy just knew somehow.

It was a little weird to walk the red carpet when you're a no-name actor and the photographers don't recognize you. They still clicked a few photos of her. Maybe that was the norm? She wasn't sure.

"Emily!" Another girl greeted her warmly on the red carpet with a small hug. "It's so nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, Anna," she greeted back to her co-star in the film, Anna Kendrick.

"Heard about your accident," Anna said. "Are you okay now?"

"Mostly, yeah," she nodded.

To be honest, Emily was a little jealous of Anna, who had a much bigger role in [Brick]. Troy had explained to her that the casting decision was ultimately with the director, Rian Johnson, but still, she couldn't help but think that maybe something was missing in her acting, which is why she didn't get the lead female role.

"Yo, girls," Michael B. Jordan greeted them with a grin on his handsome face. "What's up?"

"The ceiling?" Anna deadpanned before looking up comically at the ceiling of the hall they had entered.

"Haha," Michael said dryly. "Someone give her an award or something for her terrible comedy."

Emily chuckled at the duo before turning to Michael. "How did your shoot for [Perks] go?"

"It was good," he grinned at the reminder. "Although…" He hesitated. "Not as good as [Brick], that's for sure. For… reasons."

"Wait a minute," Anna interrupted. "You're also in [Perks]? The film Troy was shooting in Pittsburgh?"

"Yeah," he replied casually. "It will also premiere here at Sundance in a few days. Emily was supposed to play the lead role in it, but she couldn't because of her accident. That's why Troy called Emma Watson."

"That's not fair," Anna said immediately. "Troy asked both of you for that film, but not me?"

"He didn't ask me," Michael said as a matter of fact. "I cold-called him to give me the role. The character I played was meant to be white, but he changed it for me. That's how things work in Hollywood. You want something, you gotta take it."

"Same," Emily said. "I asked for the role. But I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Troy had advised her that it would be better if she lied a bit to avoid speculation about the two of them. If she told anyone the truth—that Troy basically handed her both roles—they'd assume the worst when there was nothing there to begin with.

"Why was [Perks] not as good as [Brick]?" Anna asked the million-dollar question, making Michael wince visibly.

He lowered his voice as he said, "I didn't tell you this, but after photos of Troy and Emma leaked in the media, the two avoided each other like the plague. I think they had a fight about it. Before that, they were inseparable. No one said anything outright about it, but the tension was so thick on set that you could cut it with a knife. Then there were the reporters and paparazzi. They tailed our production closely from start to end. It was a nightmare. I lost count of the number of reporters who tried to bribe me to give them some inside scoop. I can't believe that Troy has to suffer through this on a regular basis."

"So, was it true then?" Anna asked curiously. "Were they dating or…?"

Michael mimed zipping his lips, signaling he wouldn't speak further on the matter.

"Hey guys," said Lukas Haas, who played the Pin. He was walking toward them with Noah, who played Tug, Matt, who played Brain, and Rian Johnson, the director.

Before anyone could say anything else, the media outside the door went wild. For most people, only a few photos might be snapped by each cameraman, but now they were taking multiple shots every second, not willing to miss a moment.

"Ah," Rian said knowingly. "I guess our diva producer and lead actor has arrived."

Emily laughed at the description of Troy. It was a bit jarring to see the stark contrast in how people reacted to Troy compared to everyone else. A cacophony of shouts and calls filled the air as photographers clamored to capture the perfect moment when Troy entered. For some, all that attention might seem exhausting, but for others, it was a dream come true.

It took a while, but finally, Troy was inside. After an exchange of greetings, the group moved into the movie hall, where many reporters, critics, and notable film experts were already seated. Emily took her assigned seat, which was a row behind Troy, who was sitting with his family, just like Emily.

"I'm so excited!" Emily's dad, Jeff, said, practically giddy. "My baby girl's first-ever film!"

"I barely have a ten-minute role, Dad," Emily countered. "I'm sure if it wasn't for Troy, they wouldn't have even called me to the premiere."

"It doesn't matter," her mom, Krista, said. "I'm sure you'll be wonderful, no matter how big or small the role is."

"Thanks, Mom and Dad," Emily grinned at her parents before turning her attention to the screen as the movie began.

The film opened with the an beautiful animation that started with a pile of dust on the ground, from which a small chick emerged, growing into a majestic fire-red bird within moments. The words "Phoenix Studios" appeared—Troy's company. Emily's paycheck had also come from that company's account.

Troy had once explained that he strongly believed in rebirth and reincarnation, which is why he named his company after the mythical bird known for its resurrection.

After the logo, the movie starts with an unusual scene focusing on Troy's character, Brendan. He wore cheap-looking glasses, an old jacket over a white T-shirt, and blue jeans, staring down at the lifeless body of Emily Kostich (played by Emma Stone), who lay face down in a stream.

The story then jumped back two days. Emily had left a note in Brendan's school locker, asking him to meet her at a specific spot near a phone booth at a certain time. When he arrives, the phone rings. Emily, sounding distraught, says random words like "Bad Brick," "the Pin," and "Tug" before abruptly hanging up. She sounds terrified of a black Mustang passing by. Someone inside tosses a half-smoked cigarette out the window, marked with a unique brand logo.

Worried, Brendan seeks out his brilliant but socially awkward friend, Brain, who was the last person to speak with Emily. Brain hands over Emily's locker combination. Brendan breaks into it, uncovering a clue that leads him to his ex-girlfriend, Kara. Kara, a theater girl with connections in the high school's social scene, flirts with him and hints that she knows something about Emily's disappearance, but she doesn't reveal much. His investigation takes him further, leading to a party at Laura Dannon's house.

Laura, a wealthy, popular girl played by Anna Kendrick, had some connection with Emily. She spoke a little cryptically with Brendan but eventually gave him the location of a café where Emily was a regular with her current boyfriend, Dode. Before Brendan could ask more, someone came to call Laura out of the mansion. Brendan hid and followed her, watching as she met with a big, muscular guy wearing a white vest and a white beanie.

The next day, Brendan went to the café Laura had mentioned and found Dode, a small-time dealer and junkie. Dode refused to share anything about Emily, dismissing Brendan as a "jilted ex." Furious, Brendan punched Dode, knocking him to the ground, and demanded that he bring Emily to him.

Emily met Brendan at school, where she told him to forget about the phone call and to forget about her altogether. But her distressed demeanor betrayed her words as she broke down in Brendan's arms. She gave him a goodbye kiss, hoping it would help him let her go, and then walked away.

"That was some fine acting," her mother noted.

"Thanks," Emily whispered. "But not now, Mom."

As the film continued, Brendan stole a notepad from Emily's belongings, leading him to a tunnel—the same tunnel where he had found her body. The timeline returned to the present, showing Brendan hiding Emily's body so he could solve the mystery behind her murder.

With the help of his friend Brain, Brendan decoded one of the words Emily had mentioned in her last phone call: "the Pin." It referred to the Kingpin, a 26-year-old local drug dealer who supplied to small-time dealers like Dode.

Knowing Brad Bramish, Laura's boyfriend, was a known drug user, Brendan picked a fight with him, hoping to get the Pin's attention.

On his way home, Brendan spotted the black Mustang in a parking lot and tried to break into it, only to be caught by the beanie-wearing thug, the car's owner. The thug attacked Brendan, but instead of fighting back, Brendan repeatedly demanded to meet the Pin. The thug turned out to be Tug, the Pin's main enforcer, and reluctantly, Tug took Brendan to the Pin's house. Brendan asked the Pin for a job, and the Pin agreed to investigate him, promising that by the next day Brendan would know if he was hired or hurt.

Laura was also at the Pin's house, revealing that "Bad Brick" referred to a missing brick of heroin, which Emily had been involved with in a deal gone wrong. The missing brick was at the heart of the mystery.

The next day, the Pin hired Brendan. Dode then called Brendan, claiming to have seen him hide Emily's body. Believing Brendan was the murderer, Dode threatened to expose him. Brendan met with the Pin, who suspected that Tug was planning to betray him. At the Pin's house, Tug told Brendan that the Pin had recently bought ten bricks of heroin. Eight were quickly sold wholesale, one was stolen and later returned contaminated, and the final brick was still to be sold.

The Pin announced that someone wanted to meet to discuss Emily, revealing that Tug had also been romantically involved with her.

Brendan intercepted Dode on the way to the meeting and discovered that Emily had been pregnant when she died—Dode believed the baby was his. Brendan, weakened by his injuries, passed out and arrived late to the meeting, where Dode was already demanding money to reveal who killed Emily.

What followed was a meticulously directed scene where Dode kept building the suspense around Emily's murderer, while Brendan grew increasingly nervous, fearing that Dode would reveal his involvement.

But before Dode could say anything, Tug went berserk and shot Dode in the head, leaving the audience stunned by the sudden, violent turn of events. Tug then threatened the Pin, who walked away as Brendan fainted once again.

Brendan woke up in Tug's bedroom, where Tug explained they were now at war with the Pin. Essentially, the Pin felt Tug was a liability due to his violent temper, which jeopardized the entire operation. Tug, on the other hand, believed the Pin was suppressing him and treating him like a child.

Being the good guy he was (just like Troy), Brendan arranged a meeting between the two and waited in Tug's bedroom. Lying on the bed, he stared at the ceiling fan and suddenly broke down, overcome with emotion.

Emily's eyes watered as she watched Troy's superb acting, his sobs touching her very soul. What made it even more intense was that he was crying while remembering his lost love, Emily.

Laura then entered the room. Seeing Brendan overwhelmed, she lay down beside him, hugging him from behind. She soothed him gently, and when he calmed down, she pulled his face closer and kissed him passionately.

A small part of Emily felt a twinge of jealousy watching that scene. It was an intensely emotional and realistic portrayal. Troy was an excellent kisser; she could say that with certainty. Although she hadn't kissed anyone else, she couldn't imagine it getting any better.

Back in the movie, Brendan recognized Laura's cigarette as the same brand dropped from the Mustang during his phone call with Emily. Laura tried to convince him not to go to the meeting, but he insisted, knowing he was deeply entangled in the mess now.

Before the meeting, Brendan arranged for the police to arrive at the scene at the exact time, with Brain's help. He also left a message that there were drugs in the trunk of Tug's black Mustang.

At the meeting, everything seemed to be going smoothly at first, but chaos erupted when it was discovered that the tenth brick was missing. Tug attacked the Pin with a gun, which Brendan wrestled away from him, only for Tug to beat the Pin to death with his bare hands. Realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, Brendan dropped the gun and fled, escaping just as the police arrived. As he left, he passed Tug's Mustang with its trunk partly open, where he had placed Emily's body previously to ensure that the police would blame her murder on Tug.

The next day, Laura met with Brendan, informing him that the Pin, Emily, and three others were found dead at the meeting place, and that Tug was killed in a shootout with the police.

Then, in a final twist, Brendan explained that he knew Laura had set Emily up to take the fall for her theft of the ninth brick, then manipulated Emily into meeting Tug, who panicked and killed her after learning he was the father of her unborn child. Brendan had left a note with the school administration, stating that the tenth brick was hidden in Laura's locker.

Laura vindictively told Brendan that Emily hadn't wanted to keep the baby because she didn't love the father, and revealed that Emily had been three months pregnant when she died, meaning the unborn child was his.

Troy, as Brendan, kept staring at Laura's retreating figure, the realization sinking in that he could have been a father if Emily had lived.

Then, the credits started rolling.

Emily turned to her mother first. "How was it?"

"It was so good, honey," Krista smiled warmly. "One of the best films I've seen this year."

"It's only January," Emily deadpanned.

Krista chuckled. "You know what I mean."

"Your mom's right," Jeff agreed. "Your role may have been small, but your presence was felt throughout the movie. And whenever you were on screen, I couldn't look anywhere else."

Emily smiled, although she didn't believe her parents for a second. It was their job to praise her, even if she was terrible.

(Break)

As the viewers stood up to applaud our movie, I felt mightily satisfied. Having seen the original, I knew this version was far superior. The sound in the original had been unclear, (making it feel like it was directed by Christopher Nolan), but this time, everything was crisp and clear. My involvement in production led to a few key changes that made all the difference—besides hiring age-appropriate actors.

One of the main changes was simplifying the dialogue. In the original script, the lines were unnecessarily complicated, making it difficult to follow what the characters were saying. Rian was hesitant about this at first, but I convinced him by arguing that no teenager speaks like that.

Secondly, I made sure to review each shot alongside Rian. He was quick to approve scenes sometimes, but I'd step in when needed, insisting on reshooting moments that I felt could be better.

Most importantly, we hired an external film editor, which sped up the editing process and improved the structure of the film overall. These changes resulted in a far superior version compared to the original. At least, in my opinion—and judging by the initial reactions from the audience. Now, we had to wait and see how the critics would respond.

"That was a fantastic movie, Troy," Tobias said excitedly, standing beside me with a grin.

"Take some credit for yourself," I patted his back. "If it wasn't for all the hard work you put in, we'd be lost."

Tobias chuckled, not modest enough to dismiss the praise.

"Anyway," he continued, "it's time for the press conference. All the other cast members and Rian Johnson are already there. You should join them."

"I will," I nodded. "Anything else?"

"Yeah," he said. "Your [Perks] team will be here in two days for the premiere. I've taken care of the hotel bookings and everything else."

"Okay, thanks," I smiled at him outwardly, though inside I was full of turmoil. I hadn't seen Emma in a long time. And as the lead actress in [Perks], she'd definitely be here for the premiere. It would make headlines if she wasn't.

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