Actor in Hollywood

Chapter 1124 - 1122: Breaking Expectations

Amid the bustling, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, footsteps moved against the flow, each face filled with excitement and anticipation."Russell, ahhhh…"

"…He's just like a child."

"I've already watched 'A Beautiful Mind' ten times. Ten times."

The joy and thrill were palpable, vivid and alive.

Nicholas's steps, too, grew lighter, a smile playing on his lips. He even began exchanging glances and high-fives with the ecstatic fans around him, turning the premiere into an impromptu festival.

At last, he broke free from the crowd, catching his breath as he hurried toward his parking spot.

Wait a minute—why did it feel like he wasn't the only one "going against the grain"?

A quick scan of his surroundings revealed at least five other figures darting toward the parking area outside the cordoned-off zone. Their running silhouettes flickered at the edge of his vision as if the whole world were spinning like a vortex.

Maybe it was just an illusion.

He couldn't assume that just because he was leaving, others had the same idea, right?

Moments later, Nicholas realized—

It wasn't an illusion.

When he finally reached his parking spot and stepped out of the car, he caught sight of several others, all having just arrived at the Wilshire Theater.

Their eyes met briefly, a silent understanding passing between them. No words were exchanged, but they all started moving in the same direction.

The air was strangely calm.

The Wilshire Theater stood at the center of a residential area, surrounded by low, single-story houses. Following the sloped roads of Beverly Hills, one could spot the off-white building hidden behind vines, its signature Romanesque arched colonnades instantly recognizable.

There were no shopping centers, no large malls, no tourist attractions—not even a convenience store or a restaurant in sight. The usual throngs of tourists were absent. If not for the movie premiere, this area would rarely see strangers passing through.

Quiet was the norm.

Yet Nicholas couldn't help feeling puzzled. During a premiere, excitement was the standard. Even though the "Butterfly Effect" premiere couldn't rival the scale of "Master and Commander," it shouldn't be this subdued.

He turned a corner into the theater's street, and suddenly, a sea of people filled his view. A long, orderly line climbed the slope, pressed against the red-brick wall. The center road was wide open—no vehicles allowed, but pedestrians walked freely.

No red carpet.

From a distance, only a small strip of red carpet lay at the entrance to the Wilshire Theater.

The theater itself was tucked at a T-intersection, where the north-south road crossed a downhill road stretching eastward. Behind the theater—to the west—lay a dead-end, used as the theater's private parking lot.

Nicholas and the others were making their way up the eastern road, approaching the theater just beyond the three-way intersection.

Normally, for a premiere at the Wilshire Theater, this road would be covered in a red carpet. The north-south street would be blocked off, and journalists and fans would line either side, waiting for the guests to arrive.

Today, there was none of that.

The slope road was wide open, as was the north-south street. Only the small parking lane in front of the theater had a red carpet.

Nicholas was confused. Where were Anson and the others supposed to get out of their cars? Where were the journalists and fans meant to watch the red-carpet arrivals?

Could such an open setup be secure?

Question after question piled up.

Yet this was exactly what Nicholas had hoped for—

Unpredictable, unimaginable, breaking the mold, defying convention. A premiere unlike any other, piquing everyone's curiosity.

Sure enough, Anson never disappointed.

Some might say, why not credit New Line Cinema for the idea?

Nicholas wouldn't deny that possibility, but to him, this was Anson's first film as a producer. He would have been more invested and proactive. Plus, with the film competing head-to-head with another blockbuster, there was no way Anson would sit back. He always brought surprises.

Slowly, Nicholas started walking.

At the T-intersection, the street was filled with people: fans, journalists, and, if he wasn't mistaken, crew members.

The scene felt like a fair, with everyone scattered around, enjoying themselves.

So, what were they doing?

On all three roads were booths designed to look like telephone booths, square and neat. From a rough count, there were at least ten—maybe more.

The crowd buzzed around the booths, stepping inside for a brief moment before emerging, clutching a stack of papers with a mix of mystery and excitement, heading toward the next booth.

Unfortunately, the tents and booth walls blocked the view inside. Unless Nicholas stepped up himself, he wouldn't know what was happening.

Deciding quickly, he walked toward the long line pressed against the wall, intuition telling him:

This was the start.

He obediently joined the line, moving along—

Despite the line's length, it moved swiftly. Within five minutes, Nicholas had reached the top of the slope and turned right, greeted by a new, open view.

Directly opposite the Wilshire Theater was a parking lot for local residents and visitors, separated from the theater's private lot.

Now, the lot was packed with people, neatly arranged around ten arcade machines, leaving Nicholas puzzled.

Arcade machines?

Seriously?

Because of the ample number of machines, the line moved quickly, and soon, Nicholas stood before one. On the screen, it read:

"If you could go back in time, what year would you choose?"

Nicholas blinked. It wasn't an arcade game at all. Without thinking, he typed in a year: 1994.

A line of text appeared.

"Ah, 1994. I bet you chose it because of the classic movies that came out that year, right? But did you know I'm tired of hearing about 'The Shawshank Redemption,' 'Forrest Gump,' and 'Pulp Fiction'? They're not all that. I suggest you check out 'Through the Olive Trees,' an underrated gem from 1994."

Ha!

Nicholas couldn't help but laugh. But it didn't end there.

After a pause, another line appeared.

"What? Everyone knows Kiarostami? You really think I'm some kind of AI, don't you? Fine, then. 'Wild Reeds' is also worth your time. Enjoy the movie."

(End of Chapter)