The Greatest Showman

Kristen Wiig, the comedian known for her appearances on ‘Saturday Night Live’, excels at portraying characters that blend eccentricity with a touch of awkwardness, often delivering hilariously unexpected moments. Over the years, she has contributed to works like ‘Bridesmaids’, ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’, ‘Sausage Party’, and ‘Ghostbusters’. Tonight, she is here because she has earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on ‘Saturday Night Live’.

Faced with Kristen’s teasing, Renly knew she was joking, but he was still a bit surprised. Someone like him—a complete nobody with no solid connections—barely had a face or name recognizable to most. The odds of someone actively greeting him, let alone joking around with him, were almost zero.

Andy Rogers? That was the only explanation that crossed Renly’s mind.

The thought was fleeting, but Renly’s reaction was swift. Politely nodding at Kristen, he smiled and said, “Apologies for blocking your path. I hope I haven’t interfered with your personal affairs.” His gentlemanly and courteous response seemed like the typical polite exchange for such social occasions, nothing remarkable on the surface.

However, Renly’s crossed arms in front of his chest—an instinctive defensive posture—along with a small step backwards and his wide-eyed, slightly panicked expression, painted a different picture. It was as though he was barely maintaining composure in a crisis. This prompted a natural association with his phrasing—“personal affairs”—leaving people to wonder: what exactly did he mean? Was it something like Kristen needing a moment to “calm down”?

This entire scenario was pure ‘Saturday Night Live’ energy. The fact that Renly willingly played along only added fuel to the fire, prompting the reporters to erupt with laughter and applause. Even Kristen was caught off guard—typically, the fun of teasing a shy newcomer lay in their flustered reactions. Renly’s composed yet humorous response left her laughing uncontrollably.

Still, as a veteran of ‘Saturday Night Live’, Kristen was not one to falter. She slipped a finger into her mouth, mockingly feigning a starstruck expression and saying, “Oh, th-thank you,” with exaggerated lustfulness. She playfully wiggled her finger twice before quickly departing, leaving the scene in a burst of laughter.

Renly, too young to fully match Kristen’s tempo, could only watch her leave in bewilderment. He then turned back to the reporters with wide, confused eyes, further fueling their laughter.

The red carpet had become lively—this was only the first half of the evening, yet things were already buzzing. At one end, the cast of ‘Glee’ was enjoying the fervent adoration of fans, while in the middle, Renly was surrounded by a chaotic cluster of reporters, all clamouring to engage with him.

Gradually, more reporters started migrating toward the commotion in the middle, driven by curiosity—curiosity about what had sparked the laughter, about who this newcomer was handling the media frenzy with such ease, and about who had become the highlight of the red carpet’s first half.

This was, without a doubt, a peculiar scene at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards!

Amid the chaos, Daisy managed to secure her position. Despite the suffocating crowd and relentless jostling, she was accustomed to such situations and wasted no time. Seizing her moment, she raised her voice and asked, “As a newcomer who faced scepticism as the lead actor of a series, only to earn an Emmy nomination, how has your mindset changed? Do you have any special feelings about it?”

The question wasn’t groundbreaking but was phrased cunningly, laden with traps. A careless answer could easily lead to missteps.

“Oh, I didn’t realize I faced scepticism back then. I thought no one even noticed someone as obscure as me. After all, the entire focus of the series wasn’t on the actors, right?” Renly responded not with an answer but a wry rhetorical opening. His confidence showed no trace of panic. “Honestly, for an actor to attract this much attention at the Emmys, it’s probably a good thing. But I’m not sure how others feel about it…”

He trailed off deliberately. This clever shift in focus implied that his nomination represented recognition for all the actors in the series, emphasizing their importance. His final line cheekily poked fun at Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the executive producers of ‘The Pacific’. When the nomination list was announced, it was no surprise that the series dominated, but all attention was fixated on Renly as the sole acting nominee.

However, Renly wisely avoided naming names directly. His comments could apply to the high-profile producers or other production team members, who had earned nominations but lacked the same attention.

In just a few words, Renly conveyed multiple layers of meaning, allowing everyone to interpret it differently. Some already thought of the two prominent producers, holding back laughter as the implication sank in.

“So, how did your co-stars react to your nomination?” asked Eli Walch of The Seattle Post, unable to resist joining the fray. This newcomer was undoubtedly the evening’s biggest surprise.

Renly seemed to hesitate, dragging out a thoughtful “Hmm…” before looking around with a troubled expression. “Honestly, I haven’t managed to reach Jon yet. James only sent me a text to congratulate me. And as for Rami, we’ve spoken a few times, but we haven’t discussed it. So, does this mean I’ve been ostracized by my peers?”

His playful sarcasm left Eli chuckling. Even mundane questions became entertaining in Renly’s hands.

“My ears are burning—are you talking about me behind my back?” A voice chimed in from behind. Turning around, Renly saw James Badge Dale and Rami Malek walking toward him, with James speaking first.

Rami greeted Renly with a wide smile, giving him a warm hug. “We were just saying we’d probably have to catch you backstage!”

Renly pushed Rami away with a serious expression and brushed off his suit jacket. “This suit is expensive. Be careful not to wrinkle it.” His disdainful tone, paired with his words, drew laughter from the reporters. Meanwhile, Rami stood to the side, completely bewildered, his innocent wide eyes making Renly break character and so he burst out laughing. He then hugged Rami and explained, “They’re asking me what your reactions were to my nomination.”

Rami instantly caught on and broke into a bright smile. “He’s a madman, but also a genius. Sure, I’m a little jealous, but I don’t envy the pain that gives rise to his brilliance. So, I’m fine. We’re all fine.”

Rami’s insightful words caught the attention of the reporters, and in Bradley’s mind, countless images began to emerge. What had happened during the filming of ‘The Pacific’? How had Renly delved into his role? What challenges did they face during production? And just how much pain had Renly endured to deliver such a powerful performance?

Bradley knew that Renly was merely a newcomer who had earned his first nomination, far from deserving such intense focus—unless, of course, he wins tonight. Yet, Bradley couldn’t suppress his curiosity. It was like their first meeting at the premiere; there was something about Renly that drew him in. His intuition told him that if he dug deeper into his story, he might uncover a hidden gem.

Perhaps it was time to write a feature on the behind-the-scenes story of ‘The Pacific’.

James joined them, throwing his arms around Renly and Rami’s shoulders before leaning forward between them with a mock-serious expression. “I don’t like him,” he said, shaking his head solemnly. “The director always told me, ‘Look at Renly’s performance just now, and then look at yours.’ God, I hate guys like that.”

With that, James broke into laughter, giving his friends a firm squeeze before leading the way forward.

Renly spread his hands toward the reporters, wearing an exasperated look, before he and Rami followed James out of the interview area.

The reporters lingered in place, only now realizing that more than forty of them had crowded together in stifling heat for a single newcomer. The air was almost suffocating. For a moment, they found the situation absurd. But upon reflecting on the content they’d just gathered, a sense of satisfaction replaced the confusion.

Who could have predicted that at the Emmy Awards—on a red carpet teeming with stars, so dazzling it overwhelmed even the best-prepared reporters—a surprise like this would emerge? A huge, unexpected surprise.

Renly, Rami, and James walked shoulder to shoulder toward the end of the red carpet. After a turn, they reached the expansive plaza. On either side, surging crowds of fans roared in excitement. Compared to the frenzy faced by the cast of ‘Glee’, this was on an entirely different level. The tidal wave of people seemed like a giant beast, swallowing everything under the light. It was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Renly’s back stiffened slightly as the sticky air clung to his skin. Every pore on his body felt the overwhelming force of the crowd’s energy. This was the first time he truly experienced the fervour of fans, the scorching heat of flashbulbs, and the frenzy of being in the spotlight. The grandeur of fame and the intensity of being the centre of attention left his mind momentarily blank.

In that instant, it felt as though the world’s centre was right within his grasp.

Yes, at this moment, he was the centre of the world.

Taking a deep breath, Renly stepped forward, moving toward the heart of this carnival of fame, toward the core of the spotlight, and toward a brand-new world.

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