Nicholas turned on the recorder and placed it on the coffee table. Hugo sat directly opposite him, while Joseph sat quietly by Hugo's side. Nicholas glanced at Joseph, and after confirming that Joseph had no special instructions, he continued his casual chat with Hugo. "Besides coffee, what other hobbies do you usually have?"
"Working out, reading." In fact, these hobbies were gradually developed. Since there was no internet and no computer in his life, Hugo had no choice but to find other interests to pass the time.
Fitness was to maintain physical health. After this body had endured the torment of drugs, much of its vitality had been consumed. Hugo had to rebuild bit by bit, otherwise, before even reaching thirty, he would already be unable to run—that would be far too terrible. As for reading, that had always been Hugo's passion. Whether physical books or e-books, books were crystallizations of different wisdoms, and wandering through heaps of words was a truly fascinating thing.
"Yes, I can see the effects of working out." Hugo had always had a good physique. Hudson Hawk was still an action comedy, and his agility could clearly be seen on screen. But later, because of drugs, Hugo had grown thin, reaching the most severe stage during the time before the Golden Raspberry Awards. After that, Hugo seemed to be gradually recovering. As a journalist, Nicholas could clearly observe this process of change. "As for reading, have you come across any interesting books lately?"
"Oh, in that regard, I'm an old-fashioned person. I'm currently reading The Old Man and the Sea." Hugo said with a cheerful smile. Before crossing over, Hugo had dropped out of school at fifteen. Although many people claimed that studying was useless, since society valued ability and subjects like mathematics or literature were hardly used in work, it could not be denied that the greater role of books was vision, accumulation, and foundation. The so-called "scholarly air" was the most direct reflection of that.
To make up for the regret of leaving school early, Hugo had always persisted in self-study. This was also the reason Hugo's temperament now stood out from the crowd. Without years of accumulation, it would have been impossible for him to display such qualities after crossing over. True handsomeness had never been about outward appearance alone, for that was merely a shell. Without the support of spirit and vitality, the beauty of the shell was difficult to earn universal recognition. Only an extraordinary temperament could truly win over everyone. What Hugo now possessed was far more than just a shell.
"Ernest Hemingway—a wise choice." Nicholas praised, then slightly nodded. "Speaking of hobbies, I had originally expected you to give me another answer. I didn't think I would actually receive a surprise today."
"Another answer?" Hugo raised his brows, not reacting immediately. Working out and reading were indeed things he pursued almost every single day. Hugo's first reaction was The Firm, that work adapted from a novel. Since he had just mentioned reading, could Nicholas have heard some rumors and was trying to probe related matters?
But unexpectedly, Nicholas gave Hugo a surprise. "Guitar, or… some other instrument."
"Ah…" Hugo chuckled. He truly hadn't expected it to be this. "Music!" Hugo exclaimed. "In fact, to be precise, I prefer to see music as a part of my life, not merely a hobby."
"Wow, talk to me about what you mean by that. I feel like I've caught on to something inside." Excitement spread clearly across Nicholas's brows, and it seemed this was becoming the very first key focus of today's interview.
Hugo cast a glance at Joseph, carefully weighing his words. Without knowing his predecessor's exact background, he had to be cautious in speaking. "I've been interested in music since I was little. You know, The Beatles, Michael Jackson…" Hugo almost let slip Oasis, but immediately remembered that Oasis wasn't formed until 1991 and hadn't yet become a household name. If he mentioned them now, it would contradict the phrase "since I was little." So Hugo quickly pulled back. "And The Rolling Stones."
"The moment I truly entered into music"—Hugo deliberately stressed the tone, emphasizing that this marked the beginning of his genuine involvement in the field of music—"was because of Kurt Cobain. You know, he's a legend." This differed somewhat from Hugo's personal reality, but before crossing over, Nirvana had indeed been one of his favorite bands. And since Nirvana had risen sharply in 1987, the timing matched Hugo's current circumstances perfectly. So he found for himself such an entry point.
Sure enough, both Nicholas and Joseph had sudden realizations. Joseph, who had never known when Hugo's bridge to music had been built, now had an answer. Nicholas followed up, saying, "Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit—a classic!"
Nicholas unexpectedly discovered just how much common ground he shared with Hugo. He had already sensed this during their first interview on the set of Scent of a Woman, but it wasn't until today that it became so clear. "No wonder when I heard you perform Next Time You See Me, I was amazed. Turns out you weren't a complete novice after all."
As the conversation continued, Hugo no longer felt the guard he had at the beginning of the interview. Completely relaxed, he burst into hearty laughter upon hearing Nicholas's words. "Haha, I am a novice, an absolute novice," Hugo admitted honestly. "Actually, I'm not used to singing myself. I'm more accustomed to composing, then expressing through playing instruments. If there were a band, I don't think I'd be the lead singer."
"Are you telling me you're a singer-songwriter? Is this showing off, or… showing off?" Nicholas had long been skilled at handling such situations, but today he was clearly more at ease. Even his lively tone slipped out without his own awareness.
"If you want to think of it that way, then I'll admit to it." Hugo's words made Nicholas burst out laughing directly. "In fact, I have indeed written a few good songs. Maybe someday in the future, I'll try sending them to a record company. Who knows, maybe Michael Jackson will take one of my songs?"
"Dream on…" Nicholas replied without thinking too much, the teasing slipping out naturally. It didn't sound like an interview anymore, but rather like casual talk between friends. After saying it, he also realized his "lack of professionalism," quickly reined in his smile, and shifted the subject. "So, this time the ending song of A Few Good Men has received so much attention—was that something you expected?"
Although "Next Time You See Me" was only paired with the film's release, Hugo had no plan to record and release it as a single. Yet the heat of the discussion around it had recently been among the highest, and on major radio stations, the original track's request rate had spiked dramatically. Bear in mind, Little Parker's original version was released in 1956, far from being a hit of the early nineties.
Hugo didn't notice Nicholas's shift in demeanor. His smile still hung on his lips. "No, no, of course I didn't expect that. Actually, singing the movie's ending song was itself an accident." Hugo briefly described what had happened at the time, though he didn't mention Uma's set visit. He only said that his singing during a break drew attention. "Now that it's paired with the film and has achieved such great results, I actually feel relieved."
"No, this time your performance was outstanding. Maybe before long, a record company will come knocking to have you release an album," Nicholas complimented.
But Hugo didn't take it seriously. This wasn't the twenty-first century, the era when "pigs and dogs alike could release albums." In the internet age, with the spread of social networks and the simplicity of recording equipment, almost anyone could make their own album, while record labels' signing thresholds had dropped again and again—not to mention the grassroots singing craze ignited by talent shows. But in the early nineties, the record industry had not yet shrunk. With so many flourishing labels and countless masterpieces emerging, the entry threshold was naturally much higher.
Nicholas didn't expect a response from Hugo and simply continued. "So now—do you feel the success of the film? Can you tangibly feel the rush of popularity coming toward you?"
"I don't really feel much. Could you describe it more concretely?" Hugo said, lips pressed together, eyes wide open. Though he had once been surrounded when going to the theater, to be honest, that had only been a hundred or so people. As for what true popularity looked like, Hugo genuinely had no idea.
For Hugo, the popularity he imagined was that of a concert—standing on a stage before a hundred thousand people, watching them all cheer for him. That would be truly magnificent.
"A film gains good reviews, box office does well, audiences begin to scream and cheer for you, the number of jobs increases, awareness and attention climb higher and higher…" With each sentence Nicholas spoke, he glanced at Hugo with questioning eyes. These were all phenomena that had burst forth suddenly after the premiere of A Few Good Men, far more grand than the bustle around Scent of a Woman. This was also why the media generally believed Hugo had, for the first time in his ten-year career, risen into the first tier.
"If that's what you mean by popularity, then… yes, yes, I really have felt the popularity." Hugo nodded slowly, expressing his view. "But all of this still doesn't feel very real. You know, it seems that not long ago I was still in obscurity. Now suddenly all the spotlights are focused on me. This… it's like a dream."
Seeing Hugo's faintly hesitant expression, Nicholas originally intended to mock him, as was his habit. So he blurted out, "That's because you never truly experienced what it meant to be popular before—only to fall straight down afterward." This was referring to Hugo's trajectory after Dead Poets Society. "Of course, what you're enjoying now, compared to Tom Cruise, is nothing. So there's no need to be too happy."
After saying that, Nicholas then saw the playful smile on Hugo's face, even nodding lightly in acknowledgment of his own words. The second half of Nicholas's sentence reached his lips, but he changed his mind. "Most importantly, today you feel all of this is like a dream. Maybe tomorrow, an even better dream will be born. Don't be too surprised. Because—this is Hollywood."
....
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