The black Mercedes sedan sped towards Palm Beach County. It was a rental vehicle provided by the hotel. Ryan sat in the back seat, eyes half-closed, seemingly asleep.
Ever since leaving Los Angeles, he hadn't seen Nicole Kidman again. Although they talked on the phone every day, it still left Ryan feeling somewhat helpless, making him both want to grow up and not want to grow up.
As they aged and their careers got busier, the time they could spend together would only decrease. One day, when he grew up and matured, she would inevitably leave him.
Was there any way to keep Nicole by his side forever? The thought flashed through Ryan's mind as he got out of the car. He didn't dare dwell on it or want to. Some things, once they went in a direction opposite to hope, would make it impossible for the two of them to return to what they had now.
Palm Beach County was one of the parts that made up Greater Miami. As the name suggested, it was famous for its beaches and palm trees. The crew of A Few Good Men had set up outdoor shooting locations here. Some of the movie's outdoor scenes would be filmed here, while the indoor scenes would be shot back at a soundstage in Los Angeles.
"Sir, this is a private area. You can't enter."
As they were about to enter the filming area, a staff member stopped Ryan and George.
"I'm here for a visit. My sister is one of the actresses in the crew." Ryan lifted the brim of his baseball cap.
"Don't joke around…" The staff member suddenly froze, paused, and then said, "You're… you're Ryan Jenkins? You're here to visit Miss Nicole Kidman?"
"Shhh~" Ryan made a shushing gesture and said, "Can I go in now? Please don't make a fuss, okay? I want to surprise Nicole."
"Of course you can." The staff member, as if performing magic, pulled out a pen and notepad from who-knows-where and handed them over. "Can I get an autograph?"
After satisfying the staff member's small request, Ryan entered the set. His face was undoubtedly the best pass. Besides, many people in the crew were Miramax employees he knew, so they naturally understood why he was there.
Thus, Ryan made his way smoothly to the temporary soundstage.
Just as he arrived at the entrance of the soundstage, he saw not far away a man and a woman standing together, chatting and laughing in well-fitted naval uniforms. The man was very handsome, somewhat resembling George, with a face full of masculine charm—unlike some people who looked like total pretty boys.
The woman was tall and sexy, and the fitted uniform made her look especially captivating, effortlessly drawing every man's gaze. It was Nicole Kidman.
"Shhh~" Ryan held up a finger to a few nearby staff members. Since it wasn't filming time, he was going to give her a big surprise.
Ryan deliberately made a half-circle around, using the filming equipment and set decorations to sneak up behind Nicole. He winked at the man beside her and, silently as a ghost, slipped up behind the Australian beauty, covering her eyes in a flash.
"Guess who I am!" His raspy voice was already unpleasant, and now he deliberately changed his tone, making it sound even worse—like a broken gong.
"Who do you think you are?" Nicole rolled her eyes in annoyance. Who else would dare tease her like this? Her long fingers, calloused from piano strings and keys, belonged to only one person. "Ryan, you're not a kid anymore! Stop playing these mischievous games!"
"Fine, fine." Ryan reluctantly let go, grumbling, "I even changed my voice. How did you still recognize me?"
"I recognized your scent." Nicole replied calmly. If she couldn't even recognize him, then he must have swapped souls.
"Scent?" Ryan sniffed himself. Totally normal. He wasn't like Western men with obvious body odor. He muttered, "Could it be Nicole's true identity is a puppy?"
"Ryan~" Nicole widened her eyes and ground her teeth. Ryan quickly took a step back and changed the subject. "Hey, Nicole, I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, darling." Nicole sighed and stepped forward to give him a light hug.
Ryan wanted to linger in her arms a bit longer, but Nicole broke away almost immediately. He frowned slightly. As he grew older—especially taller—Nicole could no longer treat him the way she used to when he was little.
"Hello, Ryan." The handsome man walked over and shook hands with Ryan. "Thanks to your recommendation, I got the opportunity to play the male lead."
"No need to thank me, Mr. Brad Pitt." Ryan waved his hand casually.
"You can call me Brad."
"Alright, Brad." Ryan nodded. No need to be overly polite. After all, their current statuses weren't even on the same level. He was just a third-tier actor. "I saw your performance in Thelma & Louise—very impressive. Daniel Kaffee, this handsome, charismatic military lawyer full of justice, suits you perfectly."
"Exactly." Pitt nodded in agreement. "Although there have been quite a few issues during filming, I can feel that this role really allows me to bring out my strengths."
Ryan subtly rolled his eyes. To be honest, although Brad Pitt was also known for his looks, his acting had become much better than that other guy over time—especially in his early works.
By pulling him into this film, which leaned heavily on idol appeal, Ryan wasn't sure whether it would help or hinder Pitt's future—especially since his co-stars were Nicole Kidman and Jack Nicholson, both leagues above him in terms of acting.
But from Pitt's perspective, it was definitely not a bad thing. He was still just a small actor bouncing around. Since the movie's production began, he had gotten more attention than ever before.
Brad Pitt was good with people. After offering Ryan a few compliments, he took the initiative to leave and give the "siblings" some space.
"What do you think of him?" Ryan looked toward the departing hunk.
"He's a fine young man." Nicole's tone sounded oddly mature. "Open-minded, cheerful, funny, and gets along well with most of the crew. None of that usual arrogance or rebellion young men often have."
Ryan rolled his eyes. Pitt seemed to be older than Nicole by several years. This was really…
Well, Hollywood never judged by age. Technically, as a top-tier actress, Nicole did have the right to call him that. Still…
"Nicole, keep a close eye on him." Ryan quietly took her hand. Nicole didn't mind and instinctively returned the grip. "Why?" she asked, puzzled.
"I've got a few ideas in mind that need a guy who's handsome and has that idol appeal to take the lead." What he referred to, of course, were Tom Cruise's movies.
"You little rascal, always scheming." Nicole said as she playfully pinched his ear with two long fingers.
"Nicole!" Ryan glared at her in protest.
"Alright, alright." Nicole let go of his ear, her cold and elegant face breaking into a radiant smile. "Ryan's a big boy now. Enough chit-chat. I have to start shooting."
The director behind the camera was Rob Reiner. Like James Cameron, he had a beard and a thinning hairline. He was reportedly a veteran director. As for whether he was the same one from his past life—sorry, Ryan had long forgotten who the director was back then.
After just a few seconds of filming, the director called for a cut. This repeated several times, and Ryan quickly noticed the issue. Though Brad Pitt had starred in several films, his acting was still a bit raw. Next to Nicole Kidman, he offered little besides a handsome face and a good physique—honestly, it was a little painful to watch.
Ryan seriously suspected that once this movie was released, the male lead would become a favorite target for critics. In his previous life, it was Nicole's character that got the most criticism, but the Australian beauty had perfectly blended her looks with solid acting here. Even if she still seemed a bit like eye candy, she was much stronger than Demi Moore in the original.
Soon, Ryan met another major actor—Jack Nicholson. He walked out of the makeup room, his face covered in menacing lines that immediately reminded people of the villains he'd portrayed. This man—an actor, screenwriter, and director—also had a receding hairline and thinning hair.
Ryan couldn't help but think of the directors he had met. Aside from the young David Fincher, there were James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner here, and Jack Nicholson—every single one had a shiny forehead.
Directing must be the enemy of hair! Ryan shook his head and sighed. For the sake of his image alone, he couldn't take on the tough job of directing.
As for gaining more power on set in the future—that was simple. He could just become a part-time producer. Hollywood operated under the producer system, not a director-led one.
After a brief greeting with Jack Nicholson, Ryan stepped aside. Despite being one of the four legendary actors alongside Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Dustin Hoffman, Nicholson was unlike the other three—who were generally easygoing. His temperament was as fiery as his looks, especially toward young actors who rose to fame too quickly.
Aside from basic courtesy, Ryan didn't want too much interaction. Just one glance from Nicholson was enough for Ryan to guess what he was thinking—he'd probably already filed Ryan under the "brat pack."
As Ryan had said before, no matter how outstanding a person might be, they could never win everyone's favor. As long as the other party didn't verbally attack him, keeping things at a nodding acquaintance level was enough.
That said, the old man's acting really was exceptional—especially when playing lunatics, neurotics, or villains. He was absolutely riveting. In his presence, Nicole Kidman and Brad Pitt simply couldn't compare.