142 Acquaintances

After listening to Lucas's detailed interpretation of Gil, Tom and Corey exchanged impressed glances before turning back to Lucas.

Tom leaned in, a smile playing on his lips. "Lucas, I must say, your understanding of Gil really shows. It's clear you've thought deeply about who he is and what he's searching for. That's crucial for bringing authenticity to the screen."

Corey, nodding in agreement, added, "Yeah. It's evident you're not just taking this role at face value. Understanding the heart of Gil like that, I'm looking forward to seeing how you bring these insights into your performance."

Lucas responded with a warm smile, "I'm equally excited to see both of your performances."

The conversation between Lucas and his co-stars, Tom and Corey, continued to flow naturally. Gradually, Lucas began to feel more comfortable and familiar with his new colleagues.

Eventually, Woody arrived and greeted everyone on set. Spotting Lucas mingling with Tom and Corey, he made his way over and gave Lucas a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Ah, Lucas, I see you've already ingratiated yourself with the high society of our cast. Don't let these two corrupt you too much, eh?"

Tom and Corey couldn't help but chuckle at Woody's light-hearted jest, appreciating the director's humor.

Lucas grinned and responded confidently, "I won't be corrupted, don't worry." He paused for effect, then added playfully, "Besides, I doubt these two are corrupting enough to handle me."

Tom and Corey burst into laughter at Lucas's remark. Tom leaned in, teasing, "Oh, not enough to corrupt you? Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

Corey, with a chuckle, leaned in, "Seems we're too gentle, not living up to our roles as corrupters, huh? Alright, we'll just have to show you the real perks of our circle. Consider it a challenge, Lucas."

At that moment, Woody jumped in with a playful remark, "Well, I wonder if our lovely yet-to-meet female co-stars might shake things up a bit. Perhaps they'll have better luck in, shall we say, enlightening you, where these two gentlemen have come up short."

Lucas responded to Woody's teasing with a knowing smile and a nonchalant, "We'll see."

The laughter shared between Woody, Tom, and Corey lightened the atmosphere considerably. Woody's playful jesting upon his entrance was more than just humor; it was a deliberate effort to break the ice and foster camaraderie among the cast, an essential element for on-screen chemistry.

After the initial round of jokes and gentle ribbing, the conversation naturally transitioned to the film project. They delved into discussions about their respective characters, with Woody, as both writer and director, offering his unique insights and guiding the conversation to deepen their understanding and connection to their roles.

As Lucas, Tom, and Corey were among the first to arrive, the room had a quiet, focused energy, which was gradually filled as more cast members began to trickle in.

Lea Seydoux, Carla Bruni, Allison Pill, and Kurt Fuller arrived intermittently, bringing new waves of greetings and brief exchanges of pleasantries. With each new arrival, the group expanded, the energy in the room grew, and the dynamics shifted subtly. Woody, Lucas, Tom, and Corey welcomed each new face, integrating them into the growing ensemble, further knitting the fabric of the cast's camaraderie.

A short while later, the french actress Marion Cotillard made her entrance, warmly greeting the crew. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the sight of the assembled cast—about eight or so—mingling and getting acquainted. She was preparing for a casual introduction, as was her custom in new projects, to break the ice and start forming connections. However, her gaze halted on Lucas, standing beside Woody, causing a flicker of surprise to cross her face. She approached, pushing her sunglasses up slightly to get a better look, and exclaimed, "Lucas?"

Lucas noticed Marion's focused attention and greeted her with a smile. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Cotillard." Standing up, they exchanged a friendly cheek kiss in greeting.

"Oh, Lucas. How are you? I didn't expect to work with you again," Marion said, her voice laced with genuine surprise and delight.

"Haha, it's a pleasant surprise for me too," Lucas responded warmly.

The exchange caught the attention of Woody and the rest of the cast, who couldn't help but notice the pre-existing rapport between Lucas and Marion. Woody, intrigued, commented, "It seems you two already know each other."

Lucas and Marion nodded, with Marion turning to Woody to greet him properly, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Allen." She then glanced back at Lucas, "Yes, Lucas and I collaborated on a previous project..."

Woody acknowledged this with a nod, choosing not to probe further into their past work, keeping the focus on the excitement of the new project at hand.

After Lucas and Marion caught up, the atmosphere in the room grew even more convivial. The cast members continued to mingle, their conversations weaving between personal introductions and discussions about the film project spearheaded by Woody.

Lively discussions filled the air, with the cast sharing stories from previous projects and interpretations of their upcoming roles.

Woody, offering insights into the script and characters, answering questions, and sharing his vision for the film. His guidance helped deepen the actors' understanding of their roles and the overall narrative, fostering a collaborative spirit among the cast.

As the gathering continued to warm up, Rachel McAdams made her entrance, offering friendly greetings to the crew before joining the cast and engaging in conversation with Woody.

Not long after, Adrien Brody walked in. He seemed pleasantly surprised to see Lucas among the group and approached him with a warm, curious look. "Lucas, didn't expect to see you here," he said with genuine interest, offering a handshake that quickly turned into a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Watching the easy camaraderie between Lucas and Adrien, Woody was intrigued by the apparent pre-existing connection. "Looks like you're familiar with Lucas as well," he observed, addressing Adrien with a raised eyebrow of curiosity.

Adrien, still smiling, turned to Woody. "Yes, we crossed paths at the Sundance Film Festival. Lucas really stood out with his performance in '127 Hours.' It wasn't in the competitive lineup, but it definitely didn't go unnoticed."

Woody, visibly surprised by this new piece of information, nodded thoughtfully. "I see," he said, allowing his gaze to drift back to Lucas. Woody found himself reevaluating his initial impression of the young actor. "First, Marion Cotillard, and now Adrien Brody too... It appears I've somewhat underestimated Lucas."