Role of a Lifetime II
By: Kenneth Kirk
(© 2023 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

kkirk@tickiestories.us

Chapter 20

Brant brought home our first family Oscar on March 27 as the year’s best supporting actor for his portrayal of the conflicted seminary student Lorenzo Bianco in The Seminary Scandal.  The ceremony was almost a replay of the experience of receiving the SAG award and the Golden Globe for the same performance.  He’d made a clean sweep of the major acting awards and had increased his box-office draw considerably.  Because of that fact, his salary also increased substantially.  As a result, his salary for Living Large was bumped up by half a million to $2.5 million and his salary for RFK: A Lost Presidency went up a cool million to $6 million.

Living Large was scheduled to film between May and August, leading to a busy April of fittings, rehearsals, and meetings.  Brant continued to have a lot of press work to publicize My Days in Kabul and Manhunt on the Moon, both of which were doing quite well in theaters. 

In April, Hector, Juanita, Brant, and I flew to Miami for the world premier of Mariel to Miami, which, as you can imagine, was a huge event in South Florida.  Because so many people were traveling from LA to Miami for this event, the studio chartered a jet and the 4 of us got seats along with many other LA-based actors, several reporters, and the director and producers.  I whispered to Brant that this was the way to travel – without masses of adoring fans clamoring for a moment with us. 

We arrived at Miami International on Thursday afternoon about 3 p.m.  We were met by 2 chartered buses and a couple of limos (for the producers and director) and then hauled to Miami Beach, where the studio had booked rooms at the world-famous Fontainebleau Hotel for us.  They must have dropped a million bucks between transportation and hotel expenses for 3 days for about 100 guests.

Juanita and Hector were in room 1210 and we were in 1214, so it was easy for us to coordinate our activities together.  As soon as we could get checked in and up to our rooms, we opted to reacquaint ourselves to the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.  We changed and headed to the beachfront outside the hotel where we enjoyed an hour of cavorting in the sand.  It was the first time I’d actually seen Hector in a Speedo and, I have to admit, it was a stunning sight to see all those muscles covered with smooth clear tan skin and the tiny bit of yellow and blue that tried to contain a very impressive mound of flesh between his legs.

“Hell,” I whispered to my husband.  “I don’t know if I’ll be able to take all Hector has to offer.”

Brant chuckled.  “Well, shit, babe.  If you have trouble with it, what about poor little ole me?”

I punched him playfully.  “We’ll just have to be sure we’re well prepared before we go for it.”

“Damn right!”

I think Juanita caught me staring a little open-mouthed at him because a couple of minutes later she sidled over to whisper in my ear.  “Isn’t he fucking gorgeous?”

I grinned.  “Absolutely!  I’ve never seen this much of him before.  It’s quite a sight.”

“I know that!”  She glanced at him as if she’d never seen him before.  “You know, if I didn’t already know him so well, I’d make it my mission to find out just what he’s hiding in those Speedo’s.”

“I expect most people on the beach are wondering that.”

“I can tell you are, Sky.”

“Nailed!” I exclaimed.  “I hope that doesn’t offend you, sweetie.”

“Oh, no, hon.  I rather enjoy the reflected glory.”

“Uh-huh,” I uttered wickedly.  “And that’s not all you enjoy, I’m sure.”

“Oooh, nasty boy!”

I locked eyes with Juanita and wiggled my eyebrows.  “Filming starts in a couple of weeks,” I said suggestively.

“I know.  But until then, the only place that lovely dick is going is into me!”

“Oh!” I guffawed.

“I can tell you two are being naughty,” Brant accused.

“Hmm,” Juanita murmured.  “Our lips are sealed.  Until…”

“Until?” he asked.

“Until we are plied with alcohol and kissed deeply by the loves of our lives.”

Brant gestured at Hector.  “I’m sure that can be arranged.  Right, Hector?”

“Yep.  In fact, I think it’s about time for happy hour to start.”

“Why don’t we get ready for dinner early so we can spend a while at the hotel bar?” I suggested.

With a general shout of agreement, we gathered our things and headed back to our rooms. 

********* 

We enjoyed a couple of cocktails in the bar before heading to a small banquet room the studio had reserved for dinner.  In addition to the 100 Californians, there were probably 80 to 100 Floridians also in attendance.  These were the local actors and craftspeople who had contributed to the making of the movie.  For Brant and Hector, it was an opportunity to see and interact with people who had become friends during their location filming of the previous months.  They were very busy going through the room greeting the local actors and the crew they’d worked with on the film.

I enjoyed seeing Roberto Ureña and Pedro Lorenzo again.  They were a couple of the actors Brant and Hector had introduced me to a few months back when I came to visit during filming.  We spent a few minutes chatting during an extended cocktail party following the end of the dinner.  I was impressed by the efforts and expense the studio had put forth to celebrate the release of this film.  I surmised the studio bosses believed the film would be a good moneymaker or they would not have splurged so much on celebrations.  By the end of the evening we were pretty drunk, so I was glad we only had to navigate an elevator to the twelfth floor to get to bed. 

Suffering from the combined effects of the 3-hour time change and an excessive amount of booze, we quickly stripped and climbed into bed, falling asleep almost before we could have a proper good-night kiss.  A Florida orgasm would have to wait for morning. 

********* 

Being somewhat hungover the next morning, we delayed any lovemaking until we could shower and prepare for public view before we went downstairs for breakfast – at 1:20 p.m.  Brant greeted a couple of people in the restaurant and we were given a prime table by the window overlooking the pool. 

We decided to check in with Hector and Juanita, so I texted her.

ME:  U guys up?

I got no response, so we ordered and began eating.  We were halfway through when my phone pinged.

JUANITA:  Just now. You?

ME:  Having breakfast downstairs.

JUANITA:  We’re doing room service

ME:  Hungover?

JUANITA:  Fuck yeah

ME:  Us 2

JUANITA:  Meet us in bar at 5 before the premiere?

I asked Brant if that sounded good and he agreed.

ME:  Yep. 

JUANITA:  😀 

********* 

We were all looking much better by the time we rendezvoused in the lounge for a quick beer and a plate of nachos before we had to leave for the theater.  The four of us shared a limo for the ride over to the theater in downtown Miami where a thousand fans greeted us along the sides of the red carpet, just like at the Academy Awards a couple of weeks before.  I was approached by a reporter from The Miami Herald who knew I was not in the film, but asked me about how I felt about my husband’s performance.  I pointed out I had not seen the film, but was confident it would be another strong performance like his recent Oscar-winning performance in The Seminary Scandals and his leading role in My Days in Kabul.  The next day, one of the producers, Jerome Kaiser, thanked me for my comments after he read them in the newspaper’s coverage of the premiere.

The film was a phenomenal, thrill-a-minute, nail-biter around the mass exodus of people from Castro’s Cuba in 1980.  Through the stories of a few main characters (Brant, Hector, and half a dozen other men plus one woman), the viewer experienced the escape and harrowing journey across about 150 miles of Caribbean waters in rowboats and rafts and small fishing boats.  Brant anchored the cast with a great physical and emotional performance as he was in almost every scene as the main character, Raul Fernandez, a car mechanic from Havana.  Hector was also great as Raul’s best friend from school, Esteban Jimenez, who actually saved Raul’s life when their rowboat capsized in rough seas.

Premiere audiences are always very appreciative audiences, but in this particular case, the audience reacted so positively I wondered if the noisy applause would ever die down.  Finally, Alberto Marin, the director, took the small stage in front of the screen, holding a microphone and showing an enormous grin.  He looked handsome and strong standing alone on the stage, the only sign of age his salt-and-pepper hair.  The applause rose in volume as the people, already standing, continued their ovation until it truly became awkward for Alberto.  His gestures for silence were ignored several times before, finally, the audience must have tired enough to stop.

“I’m … overwhelmed,” Alberto cried as his voice broke and tears began to roll.

Another couple of minutes of applause filled the auditorium while Alberto called an assistant to the stage and whispered instructions.  Soon, the assistant came to us to ask Brant and Hector to join Alberto.  As they went toward the stage, others began making their way to the front until 7 men and a woman, all Hispanic-appearing, stretched across the stage to Alberto’s right side.  When the clapping finally subsided, Alberto lifted the mic to his face and began to talk.

“I was only 10 years old when I came to Miami with my father, my uncle, and two of my older cousins.  It has been my dream for over 4 decades to bring this story to the screen.”  He gestured to the actors lined up along the stage.  “These fantastic actors and many others have not only brought these stories of grit, determination, desperation, danger, hope, fear, and loss to the screen, they have brought them to life!” he screamed. 

The audience jumped back to its feet and applauded loudly for two more minutes.  When they quietened again, Alberto continued.

“Sit!  Relax!  It is our honor to offer this amazing film to the viewing public.  It is an honor to share these intimate and very personal stories with the world.  This is a part of history that is very important to the Cuban people and the people of South Florida.”

I noticed a few older people starting to rise from their seats and walk slowly to the front as they were directed onto the stage at Alberto’s left.  A white-haired gentleman with a Santa Claus beard came up nearest Alberto, causing Alberto to embrace him from the side, kiss his cheek, and then put his head on the man’s shoulder for a few seconds. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m so proud to introduce you to the real Esteban Jimenez.”

Again, the crowd gave the old man a standing ovation as he looked out at them, occasionally brushing tears from his cheeks.  The actors applauded the hardest of all as they looked at the real people they had portrayed in the movie. 

“Esteban really did save the life of Raul.  Unfortunately, Raul passed away three years ago from colon cancer.  He would have loved this night!”

The audience responded with a long “Awww” and a smattering of applause.  Alberto introduced the other “real” people and then turned toward the actors.  One by one he introduced them, ending with Hector and Brant.  Applause for them was strong and lengthy as the audience expressed its appreciation for their hard work.

After a few more words, Alberto concluded by inviting everyone to stay for cocktails and snacks at the hotel next door.  Then he turned to the “real” people to move down the line, hugging each one as if he was a long-lost relative.  After greeting each other, the actors stepped over to the real people, where their greetings were heart-felt and animated.  Brant and Hector talked for a long time to the real Esteban Jimenez.  Even over the distance from our seats, Juanita and I could see that meeting this man meant a lot to both our men.

The afterparty was a lot of fun with free booze, great heavy hors d’ouevres, and some great dance music.  In spite of all the competition from the other beautiful Cubanos in the room, I still think Juanita and Hector were the most beautiful couple on the dance floor. 

When we got back to the Fontainebleau that night, we were again tired and sleepy so we fell into bed, cuddled up, and soon were fast asleep.

The next morning, we met up with Juanita and Hector and Roberto Ureña and his lady-friend Clarissa Fuentes for brunch at the almost-respectable hour of 11 a.m. 

To be continued...

Posted: 06/16/2023