"Waaah, this part is so satisfying! Watching it just makes me feel better!"
Even though she knew it was a performance, Alexandra Daddario still found this particular scene of Martin's so exhilarating that it lifted her spirits immensely.
As for Martin, he had just finished pulling the actor playing the "defeated" role off the set.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine. The keyboard was a specially made prop—didn't hurt at all when it hit me."
Chris Pratt was currently just a lowly, unknown extra. Facing Martin's concern, his face lit up with gratitude, and his tone was meek, a far cry from the cocky attitude he displayed in the scene.
This kid's acting's not bad, Martin thought to himself.
"Great. That's a wrap for this take! Martin, perfect performance. Chris Pratt, not bad either!"
Director Timur Bekmambetov hadn't expected Martin to switch emotions so effortlessly—one moment meek and beaten down, the next radiant with charisma. The very first take went off without a hitch, which put the director in a great mood.
Chris Pratt beamed at the praise and said loudly, "Thank you, director!"
He didn't forget to praise up a little: "It's all thanks to your excellent direction."
"What a shameless ass-kisser," Alexandra Daddario muttered under her breath.
Chris Pratt, truth be told, had quite a bumpy road in the industry.
Born in 1979, he was already 28, but it would take another seven years before he made it big.
It wasn't until Guardians of the Galaxy premiered in 2014 that he finally broke into the A-list crowd.
Later, he landed the lead in the blockbuster Jurassic World series, which propelled him into the ranks of top-tier stars—one of the so-called "20-million-dollar club."
This Norwegian-born actor had an incredibly colorful resume before becoming famous. He'd done everything: mowing lawns, waiting tables, selling discount coupons, and even working as a male stripper. At one point, he was even homeless in Hawaii.
He only got into acting thanks to his relationship with Canadian actress Rae Dawn Chong.
Rae Dawn Chong, daughter of famed Canadian comedian Tommy Chong, had Chinese, Scottish, Irish, and African ancestry. Though her skin was dark, she was quite the beauty in her youth.
That said, Rae Dawn Chong was born in 1961, so when she met Chris Pratt, she was already 40. She ended up falling for the "young and handsome" Pratt.
They lived together for two years. Through Rae's family connections, Pratt was able to step into the film industry.
In 2000, he acted in his first horror film, Cursed: Part III, thus beginning his acting career.
That same year, he also acted in the crime drama The Huntress, which qualified him for official membership in the Screen Actors Guild.
By 2002, he landed a lead role in the WB television series Everwood, earning back-to-back Teen Choice Award nominations for Best TV Sidekick.
With a little fame under his belt, Pratt figured he could now stand on his own two feet in the industry. He dumped his older girlfriend and tried to go solo.
Only then did he realize—without his girlfriend's family connections, his minor fame wasn't worth much at all.
Before, all he had to do was serve one "lady"—well, Rae was already 42, but still quite charming. Now, to get a chance at a role, he had to suck up to one "lady" after another—and sometimes even older men.
This latest opportunity to be in Martin's new film? He'd only gotten it after spending the night with a female producer.
Truthfully, Chris Pratt wasn't a bad actor. His wide-ranging life experiences made him well-rounded, and when it came to portraying low-level characters, he was incredibly convincing.
What he lacked was simply an opportunity.
But in Hollywood, how many talented actors are only missing an opportunity?
Pratt participated in several of Martin's scenes afterward.
Every chance he got, he suck up to Martin like crazy. At this stage, he was still a chubby guy, and his obsequious behavior only made him seem all the more pathetic.
Alexandra Daddario, for one, couldn't stand him.
Jessica Alba, on the other hand, who'd hustled in the industry for years, understood it well.
"This is how small fries survive in the industry. If someone without connections can't put their pride aside and suck up when needed, how else are they supposed to get a shot?"
"Still, isn't that a bit much?"
"This is nothing. I once saw a minor male actor on set dress up in a full-on catgirl costume just to please a producer. And yes—the actor was male, and the producer was male too."
"What the fuck?!" (WTF????)
Alexandra was dumbfounded. Only now did she realize just how "innocent" the arrangements her own manager had made for her were.
"Thank god I have Martin now."
"Yep. You're one lucky girl."
...
Time slipped by, and the shoot wrapped for the day.
Chris Pratt found Martin and gave him a fawning smile. "Martin, got a minute? How about we grab a drink later tonight? I know a great bar nearby—it's on me."
Martin was momentarily tempted, but after glancing over at Alexandra and Jessica in the distance, he shook his head. "Can't tonight—I have plans."
Chris's chubby face stretched into a smile, dimples deepening like little "duck eggs." He said knowingly, "No problem, no problem. Maybe next time when you're free."
"Sure."
Martin gave a small nod and patted Chris on the shoulder.
That alone made Chris light up even more, beaming with delight.
As Martin left with the two girls, another young actor from the crew—Mark Warren, who played a repairman—sidled over and chuckled mockingly:
"Got rejected, huh? Dude, you seriously have no sense of timing. Didn't you see those two babes hanging around Martin? No way he has time for you."
Chris gave him a look of disdain and replied, "You think I don't know that? I did it on purpose. Heh. At least I left an impression on Martin. And hey, he didn't actually reject me outright. Who knows, maybe next time I really will get that drink with him."
Mark Warren stared at him, dumbfounded. "What the fuck—you playin' 4D chess or something?"
Kid, you think I've been grinding all these years for nothing?
Chris didn't bother replying. He was planning to go drink at that little bar himself anyway.
To be fair, the beer there really was good.
Mark Warren was stunned for a moment, then chased after him. "Hey, buddy—how about I come too? I wanna hear more of your 'strategies.'"
"Information like that doesn't come free," Chris said smugly.
"OK, OK, I get it. Drinks are on me."
"Then it's a deal!"
Chris Pratt laughed gleefully.