Chapter 256 - 254: The Unpretentious Yuri Tucker

They shot the same scene five times in a row. It wasn’t that the first few takes were bad, but rather a habit of Director Titus Ashton.

No actor can replicate a previous performance perfectly, so every take brings something new. This was what Titus Ashton liked and cared about; sometimes, actors would give him unexpected surprises.

But those who didn’t know him would think they were the ones performing poorly.

Yuri Tucker was one of them.

He had to repeat his first scene several times at the director’s request. He’d had similar experiences as an extra, but that was always to accommodate the lead actors. Reshoots only happened when the main star made a mistake.

Now it was his turn to do it over and over, and doubt began to creep into his mind. Still, he tried his best to stay focused on his character and didn’t let it affect his performance.

Lily Sterling stood behind the monitor, also watching Yuri Tucker’s first scene. It was a very down-to-earth, slice-of-life scene. For Yuri, who had grown up in the countryside, it wasn’t difficult. As long as he ignored the camera and acted as if he were back home, he could perform it with ease.

CUT!

After the sixth take, Titus Ashton finally gave the signal to wrap it up.

Jade Smithson, who was standing to the side, was again the first to speak. "Director, this newcomer isn’t bad. His acting is quite natural."

Director Titus Ashton smiled and turned to look at Lily Sterling. "Lily, Yuri Tucker is pretty good. Even though he’s never been a lead, his time as an extra has given him some experience. He’s not a complete greenhorn."

Hearing the director say that, Lily Sterling finally let out a sigh of relief. "As long as you think he’s good, Director. The setting and theme of this project are definitely easier for him. He recognizes all the farm tools and knows how to use them. We’re the ones who will have to slowly get used to everything."

Yuri Tucker himself, however, felt his heart pounding. He had no confidence at all. But he had finally gotten a role like this, and he definitely wanted to use the opportunity to learn more, even if it meant getting yelled at.

So, after hesitating for a long while, he approached the director, intending to ask how he had done.

But just as he got close, before Titus Ashton or Lily Sterling could even say a word, Jade Smithson chimed in first again. "Yuri Tucker, you did a great job."

Yuri Tucker was slightly taken aback and subconsciously looked at the director. The director nodded. "The first couple of takes were a bit stiff, but you got into the groove after that. Not bad. Keep it up."

Hearing the director say it himself, Yuri Tucker broke into a smile of pure delight. "Really, Director? I thought we had to do it over and over because my acting wasn’t good enough."

"That’s just Director Ashton’s habit. He always shoots a few extra takes whether it’s good or not. It has nothing to do with you, so you can relax from now on," Jade Smithson explained on Titus’s behalf.

Titus Ashton nodded as well. "Just focus on your own performance. Whatever anyone else says or does has nothing to do with your acting or your character. That includes me."

Yuri Tucker nodded in understanding, unable to contain his excitement. He then turned to Lily Sterling and grinned.

Lily was naturally happy for him and gave him an encouraging thumbs-up.

As noon approached, the crew’s communal meal was ready. Although the filming conditions were harsh, the production team didn’t skimp on food. There was a huge pot of braised pork, a huge pot of stir-fried greens, and a huge pot of soup.

The ingredients were all bought from town by the crew, and a professional chef was in charge of the meals.

"They all get to eat braised pork."

In her RV, Lily Sterling looked aggrievedly at the custom-made healthy meal Yuna had prepared for her.

A single piece of pan-seared chicken breast with sea salt, five florets of broccoli, and a few cherry tomatoes.

It was arranged beautifully, but it did nothing to whet her appetite.

’I want braised pork!’

Yuna couldn’t help but sigh at her pitiful expression. "Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to eat a low-fat meal?"

She had said she couldn’t gain weight for the role, or the character wouldn’t be believable.

"I was just thinking about it," Lily Sterling said, obediently picking up her fork. ’That’s right, this is a necessary sacrifice for the role. I’ll have a huge feast when filming is over.’

But just then, Yuri Tucker came running over, carrying two bowls. "Ms. Sterling!"

He came to the window of Lily’s RV and held out one of the bowls. "I saw you didn’t go get food, so I got you some braised pork. The chef’s cooking is amazing, and everyone’s grabbing it. This is all that’s left."

As the bowl drew near, the aroma wafted straight into her nostrils. Lily’s mouth watered, and she swallowed subconsciously.

Her gaze fell on the other bowl in Yuri Tucker’s hand. It was white rice, probably with some braised pork sauce poured over it, but there was no meat.

"Why aren’t you eating any yourself?" Lily Sterling asked.

Yuri Tucker smiled sheepishly. "I ate. I ate all my meat first. It was so good."

The box lunches on set when he was an extra would have meat, but definitely not braised pork. So Yuri was thrilled, and in his excitement, he’d eaten all the meat first.

Seeing his simple and honest look, Lily couldn’t help but smile. As much as she wanted to eat it, she knew she couldn’t give in. Once you make an exception, it’s easy to do it a second time. She couldn’t let herself become a slave to food.

"I’m on a diet, so I can’t eat this." Lily Sterling held up her plate for Yuri Tucker to see. "This is enough for me. You can have the meat."

"But you’re not fat. Why are you on a diet?"

"It’s not really to lose weight, it’s just so I don’t get fat. It’s for the character."

A child bride who was abducted and taken deep into the mountains, who doesn’t even get her share of boiled eggs at home—a slender figure is what fits the character’s image. Gaining weight was definitely out of the question.

Hearing that, Yuri Tucker understood. "Oh, I see. Alright then, I’ll eat it."

With that, he tipped the bowl and slid the meat onto his own rice.

The rich, dark, and saucy braised pork was enough to make anyone’s mouth water just by looking at it.

"Yuri, come on up. We can eat together and chat," Lily Sterling invited him.

Yuna and Finn were also in the RV, and the window was open. There was no reason to be shy about sharing a meal.

Besides, she was the one who had recommended Yuri, and he didn’t know anyone else on the crew well. It was only right for her to look out for him a bit.

"Huh?" Yuri Tucker was stunned, then excited. "Is... is that okay?"

No matter how kind Ms. Sterling was to him, in his eyes, she was a star. Deep down, he didn’t dare, nor did he feel worthy of, getting too close to her.

"What’s not okay about sharing a meal?" Lily Sterling said. "Actually, I was hoping to ask you about some rural customs. I’ve watched a few documentaries, but I’m sure I can get more details from you."

Only then did Yuri Tucker nod quickly. "Alright. Ms. Sterling, feel free to ask me anything you want to know."

"Please, stop calling me ’Ms. Sterling.’ Just call me Lily. It sounds so weird!"