Made In Hollywood

"Did I hear that you went back to Canada a few days ago?"

Sitting casually on the sofa, Duke asked Ellen Page in a conversational tone, "It's almost winter over there, right?"

Ellen Page nodded. "It's already snowing back home, but here it's about to be summer. The world really is fascinating."

"Filming movies is one way to experience the wonders of the world," Duke smiled. "You can witness the magic of shifting from winter to summer and understand why others feel happy or sad."

After casually chatting with the little girl and seeing her gradually relax, Duke shifted the topic. "I heard from Kate that you had a great time with her?"

"Yeah, I even call Kate 'mom' most of the time." She hugged Kate Beckinsale's arm. "Kate really likes me, and I really like Kate."

"Then you must be happy when you're with Kate," Duke guided her. "Why were you so tense earlier?"

"Uh..." Ellen Page shook her little head. "I was just a little nervous."

"Kate is your mom," Duke said, giving Kate Beckinsale a look. She immediately chimed in, "Yes, sweetheart, you weren't nervous at all when we were together before."

"I just..." She lowered her head. "I was afraid I wouldn't perform well."

"And now?" Duke asked.

"I'll prove myself!"

At around ten years old, children are naturally competitive. "Just wait and see."

"I'm waiting," Duke said, tapping her lightly with his finger before preparing to return behind the monitor. The girl suddenly leaned closer, lowering her voice so only the three of them could hear. "Can I ask you a question? I've been curious for a long time, and if I don't know the answer, my curiosity will keep bothering me."

"Go ahead," Duke replied nonchalantly.

"Um..." Ellen Page glanced at Kate Beckinsale, stuck out her tongue, and then asked, "Are all Hollywood directors as patient as you?"

"You'll understand someday," Duke said with a smile, walking away.

In the subsequent filming, Ellen Page's performance was still a bit stiff, but it was much better than the screen test. Talent, after all, is something that effort alone cannot replace. With each take, her performance improved significantly. Duke felt that if she reached the right state in the upcoming shoots, she could absolutely match Scarlett Johansson's performance as the artistic girl in The Horse Whisperer.

Particularly after the third take, during the fourth, her remarkable progress was evident to everyone. Compared to this incredibly talented young girl, Kate Beckinsale's acting clearly seemed like she was merely performing. Duke wasn't entirely sure what her greatest talent was, but it certainly wasn't acting.

In a scene opposite Liam Neeson, who played the officer Michael, her shortcomings became even more apparent.

Liam Neeson, having spent so many years in Hollywood, wasn't exactly known for his outstanding acting skills. His talent was only average, but compared to him, Kate Beckinsale was clearly on a different level.

Watching the footage on the monitor, Duke didn't immediately call for a cut.

Kate Beckinsale's character, Catherine, had just been enjoying time with her daughter when she's suddenly informed of her husband's death. Her husband, a bank security officer, was killed during a robbery. Officer Michael delivers the devastating news, and the happiness in the household is replaced by overwhelming grief.

According to the script and scene requirements, Kate Beckinsale needed to display emotions like shock, disbelief, denial, and heart-wrenching sorrow. However, her beautiful face seemed too stiff. While she managed to portray the expressions, her performance felt overly forced, as though she was acting for the sake of acting.

"Cut!"

Duke finally called for a stop and asked the assistant to bring Kate Beckinsale over. Pointing at the playback on the monitor, he asked, "Can you spot the problem?"

"Yes." Kate Beckinsale watched for a while and nodded.

"You have ten minutes to adjust."

After Duke finished speaking, Kate Beckinsale headed to a temporary rest area, with a makeup artist following to touch her up.

Ten minutes passed quickly. When filming resumed, her performance improved slightly, though the progress was minimal.

Capturing the range of emotions during moments of great emotional impact is one of the most demanding tasks for an actor. Within just a few seconds, portraying multiple transitions of expression is challenging for even seasoned actors. For Kate Beckinsale, it was nearly impossible.

Duke saw no need for further coaching. The scene's requirements were straightforward, and as a professional actor, she was already more skilled than Duke himself.

"Cut!"

After yet another take, Duke's usually calm voice carried a hint of frustration. Half the afternoon had been spent on one shot, and the entire crew couldn't afford to waste endless time on a single actor.

"I'm sorry..."

Recognizing that she was at fault, Kate Beckinsale came over to apologize.

"Maintain your best condition," Duke advised after considering the situation. "I'll make appropriate adjustments."

Anger wouldn't solve anything. Duke decided to adjust the shoot, which would have minimal impact on the film but might affect the actor.

The adjustment was simple. Instead of using close-ups of Kate Beckinsale's face, the camera would focus on her full body and film from a side angle. This would help mask her shortcomings in acting.

Generally, directors avoid treating lead actors this way. Close-ups are essential for leaving a deep impression on audiences. Unless the director wants to intentionally make things difficult or the actor is truly lacking, it's rare to replace close-ups with side shots for main roles.

Yes, Duke could have continued shooting the scene, and the schedule had enough flexibility. However, after nearly 20 takes, it was clear that Kate Beckinsale's potential was limited. The incremental progress wasn't worth the time investment.

As expected, roles that required looking pretty or playing a stiff-faced vampire suited her best.

Duke concluded that acting, like most professions, requires talent. Without it, people often need to put in ten times the effort to achieve notable results.

Kate Beckinsale might improve her craft after five to ten years in the independent film circuit, but no significant progress could be made during the brief filming period of a single movie.

Moreover, with her looks and basic acting skills, she could easily enjoy a comfortable career if luck was on her side.

How many actresses would trade the ease of being a "vase" for fame and wealth, and instead immerse themselves in the low-income, chaotic independent film world to refine their craft?

And even if they did, how many would actually succeed?

Noticing the crew adjusting the camera angles, Kate Beckinsale quickly understood Duke's intentions, and her expression soured. But Duke didn't care about her feelings. Wasting time equates to wasting money, and as the director and producer of the crew, second only to Warner Bros., his decisions required no explanation.

The filming resumed, and after only two takes, Duke approved the scene. The day's shoot concluded.

Filmmaking is a long process, and the director is the driving force behind the production. At Duke's level, he was the absolute master of the set. Like other productions, Out of Time required a period of adjustment. After a somewhat slow and clunky start in the first week, the crew gradually found their rhythm by mid-November. Most of the cast also hit their stride, allowing the production to proceed smoothly overall.

However, after that adjustment, it was clear that Kate Beckinsale had developed some resentment toward Duke. He didn't care. What mattered more: the film or an actress? The choice was obvious.

In contrast to Kate Beckinsale's obvious acting flaws, Jennifer Love Hewitt offered Duke some pleasant surprises. Over the past month, besides rehearsing and studying her role, she had spent most of her time at a rehabilitation center for young drug addicts in the Wellington suburbs, interacting with real-life girls dealing with substance abuse.

Effort doesn't always guarantee results, but without it, results are impossible. Jennifer Love Hewitt's portrayal of a rebellious, drug-addicted daughter turned out to be the biggest surprise of this shoot.

"I really value this role," she said earnestly during a break, occasionally chatting with Duke about other topics. "From the start, people saw me as a youthful idol, which has been my greatest asset. But transitioning from an idol to a serious actor is incredibly challenging. It took me so long to find a role like this."

Jennifer Love Hewitt looked at Duke seriously. "I know my days as a youth idol are almost over. If I don't seize this chance and work hard, Hollywood will soon forget who I am. I'll do whatever it takes to meet your expectations. If you think my performance isn't convincing enough, I can even try using drugs before filming the scene where the character spirals out of control."

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