No room for error

Action films were undoubtedly a unique genre. During filming, the body operated at its peak, muscles taut to the extreme. There was scarcely any time or space for deep thought in the frenetic pace of action. Concentration was paramount, relying solely on instinctive responses. The slightest lapse in attention could result in injury, perhaps even imperil one's life.

Hence, during the filming of action movies, actors found it difficult to engage in contemplation. They typically performed authentically, allowing their genuine selves to meld into their characters. This was why the performance style of action actors was often limited and even rigid.

However, Renly couldn't perform authentically, because Hobbs was an entirely different character.

After joining the set of "Fast 5", Renly deeply felt his lack of experience. Despite his experience in London's West End and having completed three film projects, his repertoire was still short of enough reference points to inject more into his performance, especially during intense duels.

In 1980, Robert De Niro starred in "Raging Bull", not an action film but a boxing drama. During filming, he became completely engrossed in the role, merging himself with the character to the point where his punches became overly powerful. In one scene, he accidentally broke his co-star Joe Pesci's rib.

It was this immersive performance that not only brought out his own brutality and ferocity but also outlined the character's personality and edges. Robert turned in a perfect performance and secured his first Oscar, a gold statuette.

Of course, by then, Robert had already built a solid acting foundation through works like "Taxi Driver", "The Godfather Part II", and "The Deer Hunter". He had honed his craft to perfection, which paved the way for the success of "Raging Bull".

Present-day Renly was too young, too inexperienced. It was truly challenging for him to operate his mind in extreme conditions, bringing out the subtleties of the character amidst the chaos.

The only thing he could do was to discard all thoughts, ideas, and frameworks from his mind. He had to simplify the character's essence as much as possible, then activate Hobbs' resolute, fierce, and straightforward qualities. He couldn't back down, had to face Vin's ruthless assault head-on, revealing Hobbs' determination and ferocity through unyielding confrontation.

This wasn't a difficult task, because Vin was his scene partner—Vin Diesel, the man he wished he could tear limb from limb.

He had no room for retreat, not even the slightest lapse, as Vin might seize the initiative. And then? There was no "and then", because Vin wouldn't show mercy.

From this perspective, he had to thank Vin. At least in this scene, it was Vin's assistance that allowed him to completely immerse himself in the role, infusing Hobbs' boldness into his performance. Every punch struck true, every move was deadly. If he were facing Paul, their exchange might have been considerably gentler.

When he initially signed up for "Fast 5", his intentions were straightforward: to dip his toes into commercial cinema. He also loved the adrenaline-fueled thrill of the franchise. Now, Renly felt he had made a wise choice. This was a crucial step in his exploration of the path of acting. In the future, perhaps he should broaden his horizons, challenging different types of films.

Moreover, the entire filming process was remarkably light-hearted and enjoyable, if one ignored the thorn in their side, Vin Diesel. At the very least, Renly was in a mood to joke around, and it was genuine.

"Renly, are you sure you're okay?" Paul voiced his concern again, even after their laughter.

Renly looked up. Initially, he thought Paul was inquiring about the wound on his face, but the expressions on their faces didn't match. Not just Paul, even Gal, Jordana, and the others standing by bore similar expressions.

"For the upcoming duel, you must lose," Paul reiterated. "If Vin loses his cool..."

As per the script's trajectory, Hobbs was meant to lose in the duel against Dominic. Moreover, Dominic would lose control and almost kill Hobbs during the scene. If it hadn't been for Mia, Dominic's sister and Brian's wife, screaming at the top of her lungs and awakening Dominic's rationality at the last moment, Hobbs would be dead.

In other words, if Vin lost his rationality and went all out against Renly, no one present could save him; not even Neal H. Moritz had the power to intervene.

A faint warmth flowed through Renly's heart. Regardless of the initial reasons for their camaraderie, the solid bond forged over these two grueling months of filming was genuine. It reminded Renly of the comrades from "The Pacific".

"Paul, you've known Vin for ten years. Is he the kind of person to do that?" Renly didn't respond directly, opting for a teasing retort instead.

Oddly, this question perplexed Paul. He wasn't the type to talk behind others' backs. Moreover, his relationship with Vin had always been good prior to this conflict—perhaps not intimate, but they had always been friends.

Seeing Paul's puzzled expression, Renly chuckled softly and reassured, "Don't worry, I won't just surrender. In the worst-case scenario, I'll at least save my life. Hopefully, this movie won't disappoint me. After all, I'm risking my life to film it."

Though Renly was clearly joking, no one could bring themselves to laugh. The stern gaze in his eyes left Renly feeling somewhat helpless. He raised his hands in surrender and turned to Nathan. "Nathan, can I have a cigarette?" He noticed Jordan and Gal's raised eyebrows and their hesitant expressions, which was genuinely amusing.

There were rules within the crew—smoking was allowed, but only outdoors.

Now, with Renly suddenly requesting a smoke indoors, he was breaking the rules. But considering the situation Renly was about to face, especially after his earlier quip about "risking his life to film", it was hard for anyone to reprimand him.

Nathan didn't feel any burden, directly passing a cigarette to Renly, because he knew Renly wouldn't actually light it up without a lighter.

Taking the cigarette, Renly held it between his lips, half-smiling as he looked at everyone. "If I recall correctly, you all need to start preparing for the next scene too. James has been awkwardly waiting in the background for a while now."

James Currier, one of the main production assistants of the crew. The last time, he was the one who informed Renly of the wrong working hours. James had been directly involved in the whole situation.

However, after the prank failed, it was said that James had a tough time. Although his title as the head of the production team remained unchanged on the surface, his authority was considerably weakened. He was marginalized among the other production assistants and was now mostly responsible for trivial matters.

Just like now, notifying the actors about rehearsing their positions for the camera shots was usually done by assistants. The production assistants would be on set to provide specific instructions.

Additionally, another production team member involved, Julie Harris, was said to have been reassigned to logistics and didn't come to Rio de Janeiro at all. Renly could be sure that Andy was behind this.

Hearing Renly's words, James, who was not embarrassed initially, suddenly became awkward. He had thought he hid it well, only to realize that Renly had seen through it. He could only walk over in response. "Jordana, we need to confirm the camera positions, and also Paul."

After speaking, James nodded slightly towards Renly. There were only a few actors in all of Hollywood who could face Vin head-on without being at a disadvantage. James didn't want to offend Vin, but he also didn't want to offend Renly.

"Renly," Paul looked at Renly, who seemed completely unconcerned, with a mix of tears and laughter. But Renly waved his hand, not minding, and said, "You'd better not disturb my rest. I need to give it my all in the upcoming scene." After saying that, Renly held the cigarette between his lips, leaned back against the chair, and closed his eyes to relax. His demeanor resembled that of a departing guest. Paul shook his head, refrained from saying more, and left with his fellow actors.

Renly was serious. He genuinely needed some time for recuperation.

As Paul had worried, the next scene absolutely couldn't afford any mistakes. He needed to be fully prepared. If Vin lost control and vented his anger recklessly, Renly would certainly not back down. Therefore, what he needed most now was to conserve his energy and ensure that he wouldn't lose focus during filming. His muscles needed a bit of relaxation to ensure his reflexes wouldn't dull. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire.

Vin returned to his resting area with large strides. He pushed the assistant who tried to hand him a towel and sat down immediately, radiating a volatile and angry aura. This made the makeup artists, assistants, and others hesitate to approach him.

Glancing sideways at where Renly was sitting, Vin looked up and saw Ludacris sitting next to him. Ludacris wore earphones, immersed in music. Without any filming tasks at the moment, he appeared to be enjoying himself. Vin was about to burst with anger. "Ice! What are you idiots standing around for!"

In the brief clash just now, Vin repeatedly revised his own understanding.

Previously, when Paul mentioned that Renly was a rock climbing enthusiast and also surfed in his free time, Vin hadn't taken it seriously. Those activities were skill-based and relied on technique more than strength. He assumed Renly's fighting style would be similar to Paul's. But he hadn't expected Renly to know how to use force against force. Although it looked like they were colliding head-on, the slight movements of their hands and the subtle differences in their techniques pushed back most of the force. Vin's muscles still felt numb.

This damned guy!

Vin clenched his teeth tightly, his gaze sharp as he stared at Renly, who was relaxing with his head tilted back. In the next scene, he wouldn't show any mercy! He was going to make Renly endure a storm of blows, letting him truly understand the meaning of absolute power!

He clenched his fist tightly, emitting a crisp crackling sound.