Dreams of Stardom (Hollywood SI)

(January 2006, London, UK)

"It's good you came when you did," the middle-aged man sitting in front of Alan said with a small smile. "The most difficult part of treatment in this disease is the diagnosis. As I like to say, if you diagnose early, half the battle is already won. Today, I officially declare you completely cancer-free."

Alan heaved a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he was holding. It had been a long and arduous battle, but he had finally overcome the disease he wouldn't have even known about, were it not for Troy.

It all started a couple of years ago when Troy and he were promoting the third [Harry Potter] film.

(Flashback - November 2003)

"Alan," Troy said in a serious voice. "Do you believe in prophetic dreams?"

"Prophetic dreams?" Alan raised an eyebrow in clear amusement. Their last interviewer for the day had just left, and it was time to head home, but Troy didn't seem ready to leave, opting instead for small talk.

Alan knew the kid wouldn't waste their time with something inane, so he decided to indulge him.

"Yeah," Troy nodded. "Yesterday, I had a very vivid dream. A dream of the future."

Alan chuckled. "It's very common, Troy. Usually, when we want something and think about it during the day, we unconsciously manifest it through our dreams at night."

"But that's the thing!" Troy sat up straighter. "I don't want it to happen."

Alan hesitated before asking, "What exactly was your dream?"

Troy took a deep breath. "I dreamed that you had cancer and that you died because of it."

Alan resisted the urge to laugh out loud. He had dreamt of people dying before; it didn't mean those dreams came true. But seeing Troy's pale face, Alan understood the boy was genuinely spooked.

"I don't have cancer," Alan said firmly. "You can rest assured, Troy, it was just a dream."

"It wasn't just any cancer," Troy continued as if he hadn't heard Alan. "You had two cancers: prostate and pancreatic. They didn't even occur together. Initially, you had prostate cancer, but it got better. Years later, you developed pancreatic cancer. That's when you died."

That gave Alan pause. The dream was oddly specific, spanning such a long period. One detail gave him chills: his father had died of prostate cancer when Alan was just a kid. It wasn't entirely impossible for him to inherit the same fate.

"My biological father died of pancreatic cancer," Troy continued. "I know death is inevitable for us all, but I don't want anything to happen to anyone I care about. So please promise me you'll get tested as soon as possible."

Alan could only nod silently. Troy's warning had given him a lot to think about.

(Flashback End)

As soon as the movie promotions were over, Alan got himself tested with the most comprehensive cancer screenings. To his utter shock, Troy's prophetic dream had partially come true. He didn't have pancreatic cancer, but he did have first-stage prostate cancer. He got it treated at the earliest opportunity, and after nearly two years, his latest tests came back perfectly normal. That day with Troy had turned his life upside down. He'd even had a long talk with his oncologist about ways to prevent pancreatic cancer.

Alan had massively changed his lifestyle after that. He'd stopped drinking, smoking, and eating red or processed meat, and he'd started working out as much as possible between work commitments.

Today, he was healthier and fitter than he had been five years ago. And all the credit went to one young man: Troy Armitage. The same guy who was currently busy running an Oscar campaign for three movies simultaneously.

(Break)

I waited backstage patiently for my cue to enter when I heard it loud and clear.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen," a redhead said in a jovial voice but with a mock-serious expression that made him look quite funny. "Our next guest has achieved more before turning 18 than I've done in my entire career. He starred in three blockbuster films last year, including his latest one, [Echoes of You]. He is already more famous than the Beatles were at his age. Please welcome Troy Armitage!"

I walked in, greeted by the liveliest reaction from the audience. The applause was almost deafening, and some of the girls were on their feet as if it would give them a better view. I chuckled at their behavior before waving at them. Seeing such an enthusiastic response always felt good. Moments later, I walked over to the show host, who stood even taller than me.

Conan O'Brien was one tall ginger motherfucker. After exchanging the customary handshake and a brief hug, he showed me to my seat, by which time the audience had calmed down somewhat.

"Wow," I said in amazement. "What an awesome crowd."

"They sure are," Conan said with a grin. "I don't think we've ever had so many young girls here in the audience. Makes sense. Why would they want to come here to see me when you're not here?"

A portion of the audience, seemingly made up of girls exclusively, started cheering loudly. I waved at them again. It felt good to see so much love from my audience.

"So," Conan leaned forward excitedly. "I've heard you've had quite a dry year. Barely any movies, no music, just sitting around, I assume?"

I laughed at his joke before replying with one of my own. "Of course, I didn't have any film released in 2006 yet."

Conan made an exaggeratedly enraged face. "Of course, you didn't have a film released in 2006. It's January!"

The audience and I erupted in laughter at his dramatic delivery.

"Let's talk about simple things," Conan said. "You very recently turned 17. Did you have a party?"

"Oh yes," I replied excitedly. "I celebrated New Year's Eve in LA, then flew back to London the same day to continue promotions for [Echoes of You]. My birthday was on the 2nd, and I suspected my family would surprise me in some manner, but the party they organized was not what I expected. All my friends were there. We partied all night. I got one of the best gifts from Dad—a new car. The next day, I was on a plane again to finish this publicity tour."

Conan shook his head in mock exasperation. "How do you do all that? I'm in my forties, and hearing your schedule is giving me secondhand anxiety."

I shrugged. "You get used to it."

Conan glanced down at his cue card for the next question. "So, your most recent movie, [Echoes of You], is a big hit. It has shattered all records for any live-action musical film ever made. How do you feel about that? Did you expect it to be such a big hit?"

"Honestly? Yes," I said bluntly with a deadpan expression. Conan and the crowd laughed uproariously at my admission. I joined in because Conan was too damn funny not to laugh with.

After composing myself, I clarified, "Jokes apart, I had no idea the film would become so big. In fact, out of the three films I released this year, I was least confident about [Echoes of You]. [The Perks of Being a Wallflower] had a dedicated readership, so we knew it would at least recover costs. [Brick] was made on a shoestring budget, so it wasn't a big concern either. But [Echoes] was an unknown factor. I had no idea if people would accept me as a singer."

I don't think I've ever spoken this much on a talk show before. Conan was a nice fellow who actually let his guests talk rather than hogging all the limelight himself.

"And then it blew up through the roof," Conan continued the conversation when I didn't. "And deservedly so. You are so good in the film. I've already bought your album. My kids love you. My youngest isn't even one yet, and whenever he's cranky, I just play your song 'All of Me,' and he goes to sleep instantly."

I smiled widely at the story. "Did you just say my song is a snoozefest?"

The audience erupted in laughter at the quip, while Conan shook his head in amusement. "That's not what I meant," he emphasized.

"If I were a product, that could've been my tagline," I continued. "Troy Armitage: Putting kids to sleep since 1989."

"No," Conan cut in, "it should be, 'Troy Armitage: Supreme Leader of the Trojan Army.' By the way, was that Trojan a reference to some other brand you secretly own or something?"

I groaned audibly, making the audience laugh and clap at my embarrassment.

"I have a clip. Let's see what exactly you said." Conan played a video on the screen—a clip of the one I posted on YouTube dissing [South Park] and calling my fans the "Trojan Army."

"That was not my fault," I lied confidently when the clip ended. "Seriously, I used 'Trojan Army' as a joke. It wasn't meant to be as popular as it has become now."

Conan smiled. "It didn't occur to you at all that people would think of condoms when they hear the word Trojan?"

"Not until my publicist called me, no," I said emphatically. The audience howled with laughter, much like Conan. "The worst part is, when I was making that video, my brother was right there. He listened to the whole thing. Heck, he even edited the video! He had connected the dots, but he didn't once tell me why I shouldn't say it. And now… I am the supreme leader of the Trojan Army," I said in a mock-proud tone.

Conan laughed again before asking, "Would you like your fans to drop the title?"

"Nah," I shrugged. "It's fine. I like being the leader of an army that won't cause any violence."

"Hear, hear," Conan said before smoothly transitioning topics. "Your performance in the smash hit [The Perks of Being a Wallflower] has also received unanimous critical acclaim. I'm just amazed at how you do it all. One moment, you're this uber-confident British boy wizard, and the next, you're this shy, reserved teenager. Had I not seen your [Harry Potter] movies, I wouldn't even know you were British. That's how good you were in it."

"Thank you," I nodded in gratitude. "I spent weeks perfecting my American accent before we started shooting. Charlie was emotionally the most difficult character I've ever played. There are so many nuances to him, and the complexity of his character that's revealed only at the end made it quite challenging. But I loved every moment of it."

"Are you ready for tomorrow's Golden Globes?" Conan asked. "Your three films have garnered a total of 13 nominations this year, seven of which are direct nominations for you—setting an all-time record for the most Golden Globe nominations in a single year by anyone."

"We don't make movies for awards. At least, I don't," I smiled. "But I'm happy to be nominated. Though I don't think I'll win anything when so many more talented people are also nominated in the same categories—"

"I beg to differ," Conan interrupted uncharacteristically. "How about a bet? I'm 100% sure you'll walk away with at least one Golden Globe tomorrow."

"And if I don't?" I raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"If you don't, then I'll shave my head," Conan said confidently. "But if you do win, you'll give me a very memorable shoutout on stage during your acceptance speech."

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at his bold proposition.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked Conan. "Because I'll make sure you're as bald as Voldemort if you lose."

"I am," he said firmly.

I shrugged before extending my hand. "It's a deal, then." He shook it with equal firmness.

I'm damn sure I'm not winning anything tomorrow. None of my films are the typical artsy fare that awards voters seem to prefer. It'll be hilarious seeing a bald Conan O'Brien in two days.

(Break)

[Echoes of You] opened worldwide on December 21, 2005, in 3,858 theaters across North America. Warner Bros., having learned from their past mistakes with [Brick] and [The Perks of Being a Wallflower], ensured the widest possible release for [Echoes of You]. This was a release size comparable to that of a [Harry Potter] film. Alongside the robust North American launch, a massive international publicity campaign was orchestrated.

Troy Armitage, Emma Stone, and Rihanna were the primary faces of the campaign. The inclusion of the first two was natural given their lead roles, while Rihanna's involvement stemmed from her high-profile relationship with Troy. The media and public adored the romance between the two teens, and Warner Bros. capitalized on the widespread attention.

Photos and videos of the pair—holding hands, hugging, or simply being together—dominated tabloids and social media. To further leverage this buzz, the marketing team incorporated Rihanna into the promotional material. One iconic poster featured Troy and Emily face-to-face, their eyes closed, and foreheads touching. Between them, in the negative space, Rihanna could be seen peeking through from a distance.

This creative strategy generated immense public interest in the film. Coupled with overwhelmingly positive critical reviews, the film was positioned as a must-see event.

"[Echoes of You] is a once-in-a-lifetime film that makes all the right decisions in its limited scope: perfect casting, perfect music, perfect direction, and perfect story. If that wasn't enough, Troy Armitage and Emma Stone's chemistry is off the charts. Seeing those two together on film, you'd be amazed to know that she's not his real-life lady love."

Rating: 4/4

—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Other critics echoed this sentiment, with glowing reviews across the board. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film achieved an 88% positive rating, with an average score of 7.9. Metacritic awarded it an impressive 82/100. CinemaScore, known for its audience-based grading, gave the film a rare A+ rating. This marked Troy's sixth A+ rating from CinemaScore after the four [Harry Potter] films and [Perks], solidifying his record as the actor with the most A+ rated films in CinemaScore history.

These factors combined to create extraordinary hype for the movie.

In an alternate timeline, [Echoes of You], if released at the same time, could have faced stiff competition from recent blockbusters [King Kong] and [The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]. However, the butterfly effect caused by Troy's presence had shifted release schedules. [Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire] was released a year earlier, leaving a prime slot for [Narnia]. Similarly, [King Kong] was preponed.

This left December 21 relatively free of major blockbusters. The only other films releasing that week were [Cheaper by the Dozen 2] and [Fun with Dick and Jane], both comedy films that received lukewarm to terrible reviews. Steven Spielberg's [Munich] and Rob Marshall's [Memoirs of a Geisha] also debuted that week but were limited releases, with their wide releases postponed to avoid clashing with [Echoes of You].

Trade analysts initially predicted a substantial $50–55 million opening weekend for [Echoes of You]. However, when the film hit theaters, it surpassed all expectations and stunned the industry.

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