I didn’t know what I expected when Mum handed me over her ptop, but when I started going through the summaries of the scripts that I had been offered, I realized one important thing about my career till now–I was beyond lucky.

  It was only luck that I ted by a Hollywood writer/director. Simirly, it was just my luck that my father had a friend who rodug [The Sixth Sense], or that I would end up taking dance lessons from the chrapher assigned for [Billy Elliot]. I wouldn’t put [Harry Potter] in the same category because I actively pursued that role, but other than that, my entire career has been a happenstance.

  The reason I’m saying this is because choosing a script out of huhat are in front of me was a nightmare. You would think that it would be easy for me to use my déjà vu powers to get to know about the script. The only problem was that I didn’t get any fshes about any of the scripts at all. I was bnk and in the dark about all the scripts I was reading. I wasn’t absolutely sure what it meant, but I guessed that either these scripts were never made into a film in the inal timeline, or if they were made, I never saw them. Given how most of the scripts in Hollywood are left unproduced, and how much I detested watg kid films, both of those assumptions made sense.

  As much as my parents wanted me to focus on [Harry Potter] and [Billy Elliot] for now, I khat I o do ood films iween those roles to show my versatility. Not just to show the audience my ag range as I grow up, but also the filmmakers. I know I won’t have to work a single day in my life after [Harry Potter] if I so desired, but I want to. I want to bee the biggest of superstars this world has ever seen, thus I o diversify my movie portfolio. If I focus on doing good indie movies at the moment, I easily shift to big blockbusters ter on. The only little problem here was the script sele.

  I rubbed my forehead in frustration when I couldn’t decide what to do. So I did the sensible thing and asked my mother for her opinion. (I would have preferred talking to Dad, but he didn’t even know that I was sidering other scripts.)

  “It is difficult to select a script based on a summary,” Mum agreed with my dilemma. “If you want, I read them for you, since you’re so busy with theater work. Just tell me whies you like more than most, and based on that, I’ll read the detailed scripts and tell you whies are worth sidering, and whies aren’t. To begin with, give me a list of ten scripts that you like.”

  “Okay,” I nodded immediately. “But I have a few requirements for the roles. First of all, it shouldn’t be a franchise film. I already have [Harry Potter] at the moment, so no more film series until after we are doh it.”

  “Reasonable,” Mum ined her head in acceptance. “What else?”

  “The film should have scope for me to a it. I don’t want a 2D character without good motivations or emotions driving his behavior. It’s fine if it is a supp role, but the character should be so good that when the movie ends, people should think only about my character, nothing else.”

  Mum gave me a scrutinizing look before asking, “You just want another Oscar-bait role, don’t you?”

  “No,” I shook my head. “I already have an Oscar. I don’t care if I get another one. I just don’t want [Harry Potter] to define me for the rest of my life. Just imagine I’m as old as you one day and people are still asking me for stories about [Harry Potter].”

  Mum nodded slowly, “Makes sense. Anything else?”

  I racked my brain for anything but came up bnk, so I shook my head. “No, that’s all. Just have to keep the ditions of [Harry Potter] in mind that the role ’t be ive or overly mature.”

  Mum went silent for a few moments as she observed me. “So you really want to do another movie after all?” she asked.

  “Nht now,” I tered. “I’ll wait at least until after [Prisoner of Azkaban] if that is even happening.”

  “Of course, it’s happening,” Mum reassured me. “Don’t worry about that. While I don’t like this decision of yours, I won’t stop you.”

  I was surprised by her dor, so I asked, “What ged?”

  “I have been thinking,” she said, “and I realized that since you have passed high school, you should be eligible to do things that other such kids do, like going to a uy, or starting a business, etting a job. But since your job is ag, it would be hypocritie to stop you from following that.”

  “Thanks, Mum,” I smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep in mind that I won’t take up a role that would disrupt our family life entirely.”

  “Good,” she smiled at me before a look of realization came to her face. “Oh, I almost fot. You should start reading books by obscure authors where the protagonist is ye. Most of the films today are adapted from books, like [Harry Potter], and we all read the big hit books, but small authors are sometimes ignored by the masses which leaves a lot of untold stories in the movies. Maybe one day you will find one such book that you absolutely love, and then you make a film that you’re passionate about. Believe me, when I say this, such films are the best ones.”

  I nodded dutifully. I read a lot of books. Any good actor worth their salt does that to improve their script analysis and seek out good projects for their future. The problem was that I usually read books from the top bestsellers. Most of them aren’t tered around people my age, because I like reading about plex adult emotions, not about some kid’s problems. But I will have to if I want to uand.

  “Ahing,” Mum interrupted my musings. “If you try that, search for roles that are at least 2-3 years older than you are, because it will take time for the script to be adapted from a book. Then there will be pre-produ and we don’t know if you’ll be shooting [Harry Potter] during that. It would be a hassle to ge the script ter on.”

  That made a lot of sense. Physically, we ge a lot from age 12 (my current age) to age 18. Even a single year of age difference make the actor too old or too young to accurately portray the protagonist.

  Let’s just hope I find a good book to adapt.

  (Break)

  Months passed by, and things fell into something of a routine. My body got used to perf such a hectic show daily. The best part was that my hard work paid off and [Billy Elliot] was a resounding success among the people. Every day, someone famous would e over to watch me perform, and it was all the more exg to meet them. To name a few, David and Victoria Beckham, Hugh Ja, Kate Wi, Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, Paul Mcey, Michael e, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Sting, Kate Moss, and Mick Jagger met me in my green room after the show. Not to mention, many of my co-stars from my other movies.

  I had to take a week off in November to promote [Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets], but I had this genius idea to club the publicity tour of [Harry Potter] and [Billy Elliot: The Musical]. Warner Bros didn’t have a problem with that because the two were not the same medium. Moreover, it is seen that clubbing the publicity of two products has a multiplication factor. Fans of the movies will see the musical and vice versa.

  That’s why here I was on the newly unched show [Friday Night with Jonathan Ross].

  “Our guest tonight needs no introdu. He is Harry Potter, he is Billy Elliot, ahe kid who sees dead people. Ladies alemen, please give it up for the one and only, Troy Armitage!” Jonathan Ross decred, prompting the audieo erupt into cheers and appuse.

  Amidst the sea of fshing lights and cheering fans, I emerged from backstage, wearing a light blue denim jacket over a white t-shirt, paired with a pair of os. A wide grin was etched on my face. To think that a couple of years ago I would have been mortally afraid to do such a show, but after doing theater, this is a kid’s py.

  Jonathan Ross hugged me food measure before showihe seat. I settled into the guest chair beside Ross, who beamed at me.

  “Troy, it is so good to have you here tonight,” he said, his voice brimming with gehusiasm.

  “Thank you for having me,” I said what every guest says or more like what our PR team coaches us to say. Ever sihat PR nightmare a few months ago, they had stepped up in their preparedness a lot and had coached me for the eerview, includiing up all the questions.

  “gratutions on the incredible success of [Billy Elliot], both the movie and the musical. You've take End by storm!” Jonathan gushed. “I have seen the show twice. And both times when I went home, I wao start taking ballet lessons.”

  The audieed into ughter at Jonathan’s joke.

  I pyed along, “So what’s stopping you? There’s no age eo learn something new.”

  “Well said,” Jonathan nodded sagely before asking his real questions. “So, how has life been, mate? I heard you have developed quite a fan base since your debut a couple of years ago. you walk dowreet like normal people?”

  “Not really,” I fessed. “But I knew what I signed up for when I became an ay parents have helped me a lot in navigating fame.”

  “Any crazy fan iion?” Jonathan asked.

  “Yeah,” I shrugged. “Sometimes. It’s mostly people calling me ‘Billy’ or ‘Harry’ when they see me. But for some reason, they do it when I’m not looking at them, and when I turn in their dire, they would turn around as well, leaving me kind of fused, ‘Are they talking to me?’”

  Jonathan and the crowd ughed politely at my story.

  “Holy, I love it,” I tinued when Jonathan’s ughter had subsided somewhat. “Some people who actually meet me just want a high five, or a hug, or even a photograph. We as aake our movies and shows for people. If this is their way nizing me, I couldn’t be mrateful.”

  Jonathan Ross seemed surprised by my answer. He paused for a moment before ging the topic.

  “We also have [Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets] releasing this week. Here’s an exclusive preview of the movie.”

  The s cut to a se of the movie where Jamie and I were in a Ford Anglia, flying over the Hogwarts Express when I almost fell out of the door. The audience gasped in surprise, but before they could see what happened , the clip ended.

  “Warner Bros are cruel to give us such a short preview because I know for sure that didn’t happen in the book,” Jonathan remarked. “ you tell us something about that se? Don’t tell me you actually fell out of a car?”

  I chuckled, “No, we shot it on a green s. For a month, Jamie, who pys Ron, and I were stu that car, doing all that stuff you saw in that preview and more. They rigged the car with maes that shook wildly to give the effect as if we were flying.”

  Jonathan was staring at my expnation in fasation. “I haven’t worked in front of a green s, but hearing that expnation of yours, I sure want to.” Sensing a lull in the versation, he ged topics. “How do you manage school with your ag career?” Jonathan asked.

  “I don’t go to school because I’ve already passed my A-levels.”

  He grinned, “We have a genius among us. What ? Uy?”

  I shrugged, “Who knows? Maybe I’ll take up some uy-level courses iure, but I’ve put my education on hold for now to foy career.”

  “Wow, that’s great,” Jonathan said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “When I was 12, I was hopelessly fused and barely passing my csses, and here yiving an inferiority plex to kids all around the world.”

  “I’ll take that as a pliment, Jonathan,” I beamed at the host proudly.

  Jonathan rexed in his chair with a pyful twinkle in his eye and said, “I heard a little rumor backstage that you've got some pretty impressive dance moves. Care to show us a little something?”

  I chuckled. They had already discussed that I would dance a little at the end of the show and was quite prepared to showcase my skills. “Well, Jonathan, I don't want to spoil the surprise for the audience, but let's just say I've been known to bust a move or two.”

  Ross grinned, leaning forward eagerly. “I like the sound of that! Now, tell me, what's it like being the biggest star of West End at such a young age? Do you have any diva demands yet? Maybe only green Skittles in your dressing room?”

  I ughed, shaking my head. “No! Who has green Skittles? I like periwinkle blue.”

  Jonathan ughed untrolbly, “There’s no such color in Skittles!”

  I shrugged before pointing at the camera, “Now there will be. Listen carefully, you Skittles execs.” We both ughed at the joke.

  “For sure,” Jonathan said after regaining trol of himself. “Many celebrities must have seen your show. Any who came to visit you personally afterward?”

  “Surprisingly, yes,” I nodded. “Other than you, Sir Paul Mcey came.”

  “Oh my God!” Jonathan excimed.

  “Exactly,” I nodded. “Then there was David and Victoria Beckham, Hugh Ja, Kate Wi, Judi Dench—”

  “Woah,” Jonathan jumped in before I could name any more names. “That’s quite a stacked list of names. Hugh Ja is a very good friend of mine.”

  I was a little irritated by the sudden ge in versation but kept an easy-going smile on my face.

  “I love him as Wolverine in [X-Men],” I said instead.

  “Speaking of Wolverine, I’ve heard that you're a big fan of superheroes. If you could py a superhero when you grow up, who would it be?”

  I grinned, my eyes lighting up with excitement. “Oh, that's easy! I've always been fasated by Spider-Man. It was the first ic book I ever read. So I think it would be pretty cool. If not that, maybe Deadpool.”

  Ross chuckled, nodding in agreement. “Alright, st question before we get to your performance. If you could dah any celebrity, living or dead, who would it be?”

  I pohe question for a moment, but I didn’t have to think hard. “That’s easy. Michael Ja.”

  Ross nodded approvingly. “Great choice! Alright, folks, you heard it here first. Troy Armitage and Michael Ja, hitting the dance flether. Now, don't go anywhere, because when we e back, Troy will be giving us a performahat's sure to knock your socks off!"

  As soon as the cameras cut to ercials, Jonathan Ross turo me and smiled, “You did great there. You’re a natural.”

  “Thanks, Jonathan,” I smiled politely as the makeup crew rushed to me and started touch-ups. I removed my jacket si would prevent me from dang freely.

  When the makeup team was do was less than thirty seds before the ercial ehe show's director came forth and quickly positioned me where I was supposed to dance. I had prepared the same routihat I did during my audition se in [Billy Elliot]. As much as I wao do something new, I didn’t have the time to learn some new chraphy, and tonight’s focus was only on my dang skills, not singing.

  “5, 4, 3, 2, Go!”

  _____________________________________

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