….
Huh, maybe I really should have a talk with Red Studio, Regal planned, filing the thought away.
There could be an opportunity there - something worth pressing on.
….
The brief ripple of surprise settled over the table.
Luke set his glass down with a faint clink, still processing what he had just heard.
"Hold on…" He turned slightly toward Regal, his expression somewhere between disbelief and amusement. "I know you were young but 23? Dude… I was still chasing girls in my college days… You should have said something."
Regal gave a small, nonchalant shrug. "You didn't ask."
A short, dry chuckle slipped out of Luke. "Yeah, because I didn't think I had to."
Across the table, Thomas Walker let out a low whistle, shaking his head lightly. "Damn… youngest nominee ever, huh?"
He glanced over at Rebecca with a mock-accusatory look. "You sure you didn't mix up your notes? Feels like we should be clapping for real now."
His teasing earned a few scattered chuckles around the table.
Even Henry, who had been leaning back in his chair with a disinterested slouch, arched a brow slightly. Though he still wore that same insufferable smirk, his eyes narrowed faintly.
He didn't seem amused anymore.
More like… mildly annoyed.
Rebecca, sensing the atmosphere shifting, smiled brightly and clapped her hands together lightly. "Well, it seems you've officially shocked the table, Regal."
She glanced at him with a playful glimmer. "Were you planning on keeping that little milestone to yourself forever?"
Regal's lips curved into a small, knowing smirk. "Figured it wasn't really worth bringing up…. And It's kind of awkward boosting myself."
Scottie Harper, who had been quietly observing, let out a short laugh under her breath. "Not worth bringing up, huh? Yeah, that tracks."
She had worked with enough rising stars to recognize the type, The ones who didn't care for the noise, the PR stunts, or the overhype.
The ones who quietly kept their heads down and let the work do the talking.
He's definitely one of those.
Even Thomas, who had been playfully teasing just a moment ago, seemed a little more thoughtful now.
"Dude…" He muttered. "That's not just a milestone. That's…"
He shook his head lightly. "That's history."
He had clearly been unaware that there was a Golden Globe nominee sitting across from him - Let alone someone as young as Regal.
Regal didn't respond. He simply offered a small, almost dismissive smile.
But Henry Bethell's eyes narrowed faintly. There was no amusement in them now.
Andrew, sitting quietly, simply smiled - pride subtly tugging at the corners of his lips.
However, from there, the interview shifted into more general introductions.
Each guest took turns speaking about their breakout roles and current projects - whether they were still in cinemas or gearing up for release in the coming weeks.
Andrew and Regal, were also in slightly the same boat.
Andrew had landed a solid supporting role in a recent film, but the real buzz was around his upcoming lead role in a project that was about to enter production.
As for Regal - he was here to promote [Death Note].
…..
Later into the conversation, Rebecca's curiosity piqued again. "Speaking of fun on sets." She began, tilting her head with interest. "Does anyone here have a ritual? You know… the thing you do when you're starting out to set the mood?"
"Having a panic attack if that counts." Thomas deadpanned, generating some quick laughs.
"Yep." Luke added once the laughter began to settle. "I actually tried bringing a lucky doll with me to my sets of [Blue Ranger] film. But I lost it on the first day."
"One the day one?" Rebecca echoed.
"Oh, geez." Henry commented. "That had to be someone from the sets right?"
….
Again ignoring his comments the interview progressed.
However, not everything was as seamless as their collective, unspoken agreement to disregard him. Soon enough, they landed on a more debatable topic - one that subtly shifted the atmosphere.
"Agatha, you've worked as a female lead early in your career." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you think there are still so few female-led films each year, despite the abundance of male-led ones?"
She let the question hang for a beat before adding, "And why do you think they still tend to underperform at the box office?"
Agatha's response came swiftly, without hesitation. "Obviously because Hollywood still undervalues female-led films."
Her voice was firm, certain.
But before the discussion could deepen, Henry jumped in, seizing the moment.
"Actually…" He started, his tone laced with manufactured solemnity. "I also think female stars often face pay discrimination. Meanwhile, male stars walk away with massive paychecks."
"This is something I have discussed at length with my father who is a senior partner at Henderson & Reeves." He nodded slightly, projecting an air of principled reflection. "And I genuinely wish to see this eradicated from the industry, to create a truly equal ground for all."
He let the name hang in the air for a moment, as if expecting it to carry some weight.
It did.
Henderson & Reeves was a major corporate law firm with strong ties to Hollywood's entertainment sector. While it wasn't the kind of powerhouse that could bend the industry to its will, it had enough influence to sway key deals, represent high-profile clients, and occasionally make or break talent contracts.
That was the reason his words were bold.
Theatrical, even.
But something about them felt… off.
While Agatha had spoken from personal experience, Henry's sudden display of morality felt performative, a little too clean, a little too perfect.
As if he were reciting from a script, delivering a polished, crowd-pleasing speech rather than voicing genuine conviction.
Rebecca's gaze shifted toward Luke. "What's your take, Luke?" She asked.
Luke leaned back slightly, considering his words. "Hmm…" He began thoughtfully. "I believe it's simply the lack of good writers capable of creating strong, well-rounded female characters."
He paused briefly, then added with a measured tone, "But then again, I can't really blame them. I mean, most of the writers in the industry are men."
He glanced around the table, his expression calm but sincere. "Pardon me if my words come across as doubting their capabilities. It's not that." He clarified. "But I do think that no matter how talented they are, it's still not easy to fully understand and structure a female character without having lived or experienced the nuances of that perspective."
He let his words settle for a moment, then added with a slight shrug. "But at the same time, those same writers have never been gangsters, yet they still write convincing gangster characters."
A few of the others smirked faintly at the comparison.
"But what I am trying to say…" Luke continued, his voice more certain now. "Is that we need more women involved in the entire creative process - not just in front of the camera. Hollywood needs more female voices behind the scenes too - writing, directing, producing. The industry can't truly evolve if women are only expected to be the face, not part of the foundation."
"Hm-uhm, interesting take." Rebecca nodded thoughtfully.
"Behind-the-scenes work, you say?" She echoed Luke's point. "What about you, Regal? You are both a writer and a director, right?"
Rebecca nodded thoughtfully, considering his point.
"Hmm… interesting take." She murmured. "Behind-the-scenes work, you say?"
Her eyes shifted toward Regal. "What about you, Regal? You're both a writer and a director, right?"
There was a brief silence as all eyes turned toward him.
Regal, who had been casually swirling the liquid in his glass with a lazy wrist, exhaled softly through his nose.
His eyes lifted. "Honestly?"
He let the word settle for a moment, then glanced at Luke. "I think the real issue here has nothing to do with writers or lack of female creatives."
His eyes swept across the table. "It's the audience."
The room fell still.
"The people who buy the tickets. The ones who decide what gets to succeed." He leaned forward slightly. "It's not about whether a film is male or female-led. It's about whether the audience cares."
He continued bluntly. "You can't just slap a female lead on a generic film and expect it to automatically mean something. You want better reception? Then make a good movie first."
His gaze flicked briefly to Henry. "Paychecks have nothing to do with why most female-led films underperform. It's because the films themselves are poorly written and formulaic."
He turned his attention back to the group. "You want the audience to support female-led films? Then give them something worth supporting. Something that doesn't treat them like an obligation or a PR stunt."
He let the silence stretch for a beat. Then, his tone lowered, more biting now. "Because right now? Most female-led films don't fail because they are female-led."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "They fail because they're boring."
A few heads turned slightly.
Some frowned. Others shifted in their seats.
There was a beat of tension in the air, a few glances exchanged, uncertain.
Rebecca's fingers curled slightly around her pen, and she let out a faint exhale.
"...that's a bit of a controversial take, isn't it?" She asked, keeping her voice neutral.
Regal's expression didn't shift. "Perhaps. In fact I would be more than happy if someone were to prove me wrong."
And for a moment, no one could refute him.
"For me - There is no such thing as a bad female character. There is only a badly written character."
"Wow, spoken like a true writer."
"But it had to start from somewhere, right?" She prodded lightly. "Maybe since you're a director… why don't you make one?"
Regal let out a faint chuckle, briefly glancing down as if considering his words. "...well." He began. "I do have one female-led idea I want to direct."
He paused, then added with a slight, almost apologetic smile. "But it's not gonna be anytime soon."
….
After that, the interview carried on with the same lively energy - a blend of occasional disagreements, shared agreements …and the occasional moment of ignorance.
As the session neared its end, it was time for the final round of questions.
"So, Regal." Rebecca began, leaning slightly toward him. "Why don't we wrap things up with a little insight into your future projects?"
"Ah, don't worry." Rebecca assured him, grinningly. "I am not trying to put you on the spot by asking when that female-led film will be." She added. "I am just curious. What is next for you after [Death Note]? Is it going to be another dark-themed film?"
Regal shook his head faintly. "I am not exactly sure what it's gonna be yet, but it's definitely not gonna be dark."
He added with a subtle but deliberate emphasis. "I am actually trying my hand at directing a new subject, or more like a new genre."
"New genre?"
"Yes, a comedy film."
"Comedy?" Rebecca shot him a deadpanned look. She added unsurely. "...you are joking right?"
"I am not." Regal responded confidently.
….
The reason she had labeled Regal as a 'dark-themed' director was fairly obvious - his first movie and, more recently, the trailer for [Death Note] that had just been released.
In fact, a small section of movie enthusiasts had picked up on subtle similarities between the two films, further cementing what they perceived as Regal's signature style.
However, the most widely discussed point wasn't the visuals or the tone - it was Regal's skill as a writer in establishing the rules of the world his films operated in.
And he did it masterfully - even within the brief runtime of a trailer of [Death Note].
And that was all it took for the people to box him in a single genre director.
In the [Following] movie, the rules were simple:
The protagonist follows strangers for inspiration, but with one strict condition - never follow the same person twice.
That single, self-imposed rule defined the story and foreshadowed the chaos that would unfold once it was inevitably broken.
Likewise, the [Death Note] trailer laid out its own premise with chilling efficiency:
A mysterious book that could kill anyone whose name was written in it.
…and a few more that went unnoticed by many due to the fast cuts unless someone paused it and analysed.
However, this still wasn't the most striking similarity between the two trailers?
The duo protagonists.
In [Following], the dynamic between Bill and Cobb - the naïve writer and the cunning manipulator - formed the backbone of the film's tension.
Similarly, from what they had seen or heard from, [Death Note] - it also featured two protagonists and it was clear that - they are locked in a deadly game of wits.
Of course, none of these parallels were viewed in a negative light.
In fact, most casual moviegoers either didn't notice or simply didn't care.
It was only that niche crowd - the ones who loved to analyze every frame with a magnifying glass - that had drawn the comparisons.
…..
"You heard it exactly, right Ms. Rebecca. It will be a comedy film." Regal didn't shy away from their fixedness. He added. "In fact it is gonna be a buddy comedy."
The reason behind his confidence is that Regal, unlike before, this time he had already decided his next film -
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[To be continued…]
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