Alfonso Cuarón was a little skeptical about the film series called [Harry Potter]. He loved the books when he read them for the first time, and he was happy that they sidered him for the role of director, but the first meeting with Steve Kloves made him doubt the idea. He didn't think that shooting two films back to back was feasible whehe script of the fourth movie was not ready. But Steve assured him that he would personally assist Eric Roth, the swriter, to plete the job. Steve also promised Alfonso something that was rare to get in Hollywood films: the right to the final cut, at least for the third movie. If that did well, then Alfonso would get the same right for the fourth film as well.

  Despite all these promises, Alfonso was hesitant. He almost deed the offer, but his great friend Guillermo del Toro ged his mind.

  "You are being arrogant," Guillermo had rebuked him harshly. "You have made just two good films in your life. Here's finally a ake a film that every kid in the world will grow up watg. You show everyohat we Mexis aren't beh anyone, but you are hellbent on your traditional views that they are making two films together, so it must be like a produae. Did you even sider their reason for it beyond the money saving?"

  Those words from Guillermo stung at his pride. Yet, he couldn't say that they weren't true. Alfonso wasn't so lucky with some of his early work to be sidered a good director iionally. So he finally accepted the role after asking Steve Kloves the reasons for making the two films together.

  Steve had told him the reason immediately, which was that the kids were growing up too fast. They o shoot the fourth film soon or Jamie would bee too old for a 14-year-old. He is already 16, pying 13. Oher hand, Emma is just 12 at the moment. Alfonso had to make sure that the two of them were not standing close to each other while shooting because the differen their age was quite obvious. That was a difficult task when Eric Roth, the swriter, was hellbent on including little hints and sweet moments about their and Harry-Ginny's retionship. Something that Rowling was very relut to tell them, especially given the fight she had with Steve Kloves and Warner Bros.

  "How is the shooting going?" Alfonso was broken out of his thoughts by the presence of one Chris bus, director of the first two films, and producer of the third one. He flew over to London on the weekends to oversee the produ of the movie.

  "It's good," Alfonso said rally. "Much better than when we began the shoot. I was this close to pulling my hair out, but thankfully it all worked out in the end."

  Chris chuckled, "It takes some time, but then the cast and the crew will grow on you. If I didn't have familial obligations, I would finish all seven movies." Chris looked wistful about the idea.

  Feeling a lull in the versation, Alfonso asked a topic that had made him very curious, yet no one would tell him about it. "What's this I've been hearing about Rowling threatening Steve and Warner Bros?"

  "Same old story, she wants more money," Chris said matter-of-factly. "Steve and Eric approached her because we wanted her input on the movie's script, and she deed. Thehreateo sue him and Warner Bros. While she withhold information from him about the future books, legally, she ot do anything for more mohe only problem is the PR. If this news leaks out in the media, it will create a big sdal that you and I are being paid much more for direg two films each than Rowling aid for the entire series. The less we talk about Steve and Troy's ihe better it is."

  Alfonso grimaced at that thought. Steve would probably be a billionaire by the end of the film series.

  "So what is Steve doing about it?" Alfonso asked.

  "As far as I know, he has offered her some hush money. Don't spread this around, because Steve hasn't told it to anyone beyond Barry Meyer and me. Even Troy doesn't know about all this drama because Steve wants to keep it from him. He will probably pay her a few million dolrs to help with future plots," Chris expined.

  "Makes sense," Alfonso said thoughtfully. "She deserves that money."

  "Enough talk about serious topics," Chris said suddenly. "Tell me, how are the kids doing? Troy, Emma, and Jamie?"

  "They are doing good mostly. I gave them an essay to write about their characters. Emma gave me a beautiful one taining Hermione's entire history aional drive. Troy gave me a brief but plete essay. Jamie said that Ron wouldn't even write an essay, so that's why he didn't write one."

  Chris ughed at that story.

  Alfonso tinued after a few moments, "Emma is very serious about her studies and seeks out any breaks she from shooting. It's hard to say if she'll tinue being an actress after this series. Jamie, oher hand, is a born actor. He is so good in his ses that, out of the three, he's my favorite actor to work with. I'm damn sure he'll tinue being an actor after the series ends. And Troy is Troy."

  "What do you mean by that?" Chris asked.

  "Don't get me wrong, he is a good actor, but he is a superstar as well," Alfonso expined. "He is adored by so many people that I think it gets a little difficult for him to separate the fame from his work."

  Chris made a fused face before asking, "Are you sure we are talking about the same guy? Because the Troy I know is the most down-to-earth kid I've seen for an actor. And I've worked with Macauy Culkin at his peak."

  That ent made Alfonso think hard. Is it possible that all along it was his fault for making Troy unfortable o? He would have to think about it again.

  "By the way," Chris said while pointing at the storyboard of the ses for the week, "I love this se idea of yours of doing it in a long take."

  Alfonso smiled at the praise before the two began discussing the uping movie pns in ear.

  (Break)

  "Ron!" I shouted in worry as I ran across the room with Emma on my trail. "Are you okay? Where's the dog?"

  "It's a trap. He's the dog. He's an animagus," Jamie cried while pointing behind me and Emma. Slowly, the two of us turned around to see the paw prints left in the dust on the floor. As I looked up, I could see a grisly, filthy man standing behind the doht where the paw prints ended. He was barely reizable as the legendary actary Oldman.

  "I knew you'd e for your friend," Oldman said. "Just like your father would've done for me. It will make everything so much easier."

  Rage boiled through me as I stepped forward to attack him, only to be stopped by my two friends.

  "Harry, no!" Emma shouted.

  Jamie, who was limping and had a bleeding leg, put on a brave fad stepped in front of me, "If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too."

  "No, only one will die tonight," Oldman said fidently.

  "Then it will be you!" I shouted and broke free from Jamie and Emma's grip on my arms before running up to the older man, gripping his ne a chokehold and pushing him down on the ground. I pulled out my wand from my pocket and held it between Oldman's eyes, who was ughing maniacally at this sudden turn of events.

  "Are you going to kill me, Harry?" he said creepily, like only a psychopath would.

  Suddenly, the door behind me burst open. I turned around to find David Thewlis as Remus Lupin standing there with his oi me as he shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

  My wand, which was attached to a string, ulled away from my hands by a crew member off-camera.

  I stood up from my spot as Thewlis motioned with his head for me to move away from Oldman.

  I stood up and ran up to Emma, who pulled me beside her, while Jamie was back to sitting on the floor owing to his injured leg.

  As the se tihe three of us friends went into shock as the two older men hugged like long-lost lovers.

  "No!" Emma shrieked. "I trusted you! All this time, you've been his friend! He's a werewolf, that's why he's been missing csses!"

  David Thewlis walked towards us, but before he could say anything, a sh out in the room.

  "Cut! Print. Check the gate."

  Hearing that phrase from Alfonso after so maakes, I was relieved. In such a tightly packed se, many things could g, and they did. Sometimes, someone would flub their lines, or my wand would just not leave my hand, or this oime when I pushed Gary Oldman too hard and he was uo say his lines. But finally, we were doh it.

  "We begin the part in ten minutes while we set up the equipment," Alfonso announced for us actors before turning to the crew and giving out instrus for the part.

  A set assistant ran up to me and took a few of my photographs before moving on to Emma, Jamie, and other actors. This was doo maintain tinuity, so if ter on we have to redo the se after a month because of some reason, the e and makeup team won't have to rewatch the actual footage again.

  Emma and Jamie were having an animated discussion, while David Thewlis had gone off to drink some water, leaving just Gary Oldman and me behind.

  "I hope I didn't hurt you this time," I asked Gary Oldman about the se when I smmed him down on the ground. It had a mattress installed within to make such a se possible and safe for the actors, but there was always a ce of something going wrong.

  "Of course you didn't," he scoffed. "I might be old, but not old enough to not be able to do some basic a ses." In his tattered clothes and with his sunken face, he looked like a real emaciated prison escapee. Until now, I had only heard of actors who would go this far for a small supp role to lose this much weight, but this was the first time I was seeing it in person.

  That made me think, would I do this for a role if I was offered one? Losing too much weight too quickly is very uhy for your body, and the sequences be felt long after the film has been shot. Gaini, be it fat or muscle mass, is ohing, but being bohin… I'm not sure if I would be able to do it.

  "What are you thinking, kid?" Gary broke me out of my thoughts. "You got that deep-thinking face."

  "Nothing serious," I said befathering up the ce to ask him. "I was w, and you don't have to tell me if you don't wish to, but why did you take up this role? I have seen a lot of your films over the years, and I absolutely adore you as an actor. I love it that you became Sirius Bck, but losing this much weight for a supp role?"

  Gary smiled sadly before saying, "When you have been an actor as long as I have been, you start feeling invincible. There will e a time for you as well when you'll think that you do anything, say anything, and nothing will happen to you. Guess what? It does. I made some political remarks about some big producers in Hollywood, and they bcklisted me."

  I didn't know that. I had no idea that this had happeo him at all.

  "No one would offer me a lead role anymore," Gary tinued. "This was the best role I was being offered, and I took it. I may not be hurting for cash, but I still o work. And when I take a role, I don't care if it is small , I do it with my utmost seriousness. I was in quite good shape when I received a call from Alfonso. But as soon as I sighe tract, I cut down my diet, and here we are."

  It was inspiring, more than anything, that this man, who had the whole system against him, was still w. Any other person might have given up on Hollywood films entirely, but here was Gary Oldman who didn't care about anything but his craft. Seeing him w at his age despite the setbacks he had faced in his career was motivating. Why the fuck was I whining like a little bitch about winning all the awards when I still have my whole life ahead of me? There are untable films made every year around the world, and being an actor, I watch a lot of films every week for research purposes. I had fallen in love with films, and like Gary, I don't think I want to give up on making films ever, even if I have a lot of money in my bank at.

  So what if I bee the highest-grossing actor by the end of Harry Potter? I still do better. I bee so big that the sed highest-grossing actor would be uo catch up at all. I know that is a long shot, but I try, right? And what is life if we st at all?

  I smiled at Gary. "Thank you."

  He looked at me strangely. "What for?"

  I shook my head. I didn't think he would uand without the text. "Just… thank you."

  "Alright, we are good to go," Alfonso announced out loud, cutting off our versation.

  "Let's go," I said to Gary as we took our positions for the part of the se where An Ri as Severus Snape would make his entry.

  As we got ready for the se, I couldn't help but think that I o do something for me to not just burn out. I already came very close to it after pleting my Triple . This is how older actet drawn into a vicious circle of addi, be it drinking, drugs, or prostitutes. I won't have it. I have been given this sed life, and while I may not remember my first one, I will not squahis sed ce.

  _____________________________________

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