Five days later. Morning, Pinnacle Studios, Burbank.
Inside the sprawling makeup trailer for the Jujutsu Kaisen production, the atmosphere was electric. The first official costume photo shoot was about to begin.
A group of rising stars had already gathered: Robert Sterling, Lucas Miller, Steven Grant, Bella Brooks, Jade Lane, and Justin Cross. Despite their different backgrounds, they shared one thing in common, a mix of excitement and deep apprehension.
Conspicuously absent from the group was Leo Vance.
The director for the project was the legendary Julian Thorne. Known as the "Architect of Action," Thorne was a titan of the industry who had directed some of the highest-grossing supernatural thrillers and gritty crime sagas of the last decade. He had kept the identity of the actor playing Gojo Satoru a complete secret, simply telling the cast it was a "surprise" they'd see when the cameras were ready to roll.
In truth, this was a tactical move by Lauren Vance. She had instructed Thorne to keep Leo's name off the preliminary call sheets to ensure the actors actually showed up without being scared off by her brother's toxic reputation. Most of these actors had been lured in by the prestige of working with a visionary like Julian Thorne and the surprisingly generous paychecks.
As the actors sat in their chairs, they couldn't help but gossip about the mystery man playing the most iconic character in the script.
"Who do you think it is?" Bella Brooks (Nobara) asked as she adjusted her school uniform. "Is it some A-lister like the lead from Galaxy Frontier? No, wait, Gojo is supposed to be lean and elegant."
"Maybe it's a veteran? Someone with that old-school noir vibe?" Steven Grant (Megumi) wondered, leaning against the counter.
"Thorne said it was a surprise," Jade Lane (Maki) chimed in. "He promised someone with 'divine' visuals."
The actresses - Bella, Maya, and Jade were particularly invested. After reading the script Leo had "written," they had become instant fans of Gojo Satoru. A character who was untouchable, arrogant, devastatingly handsome, and carried a tragic, lonely burden? He was every actress's dream leading man.
They didn't even care that the script was technically an "untested" genre. To work on a Julian Thorne set with a character like that was an honor they couldn't pass up. Thorne's reputation for quality meant this show was guaranteed to be a massive production, possibly even a global phenomenon.
Meanwhile, the male leads, Lucas Miller and Steven Grant were geeking out over the action sequences. They were tired of the "pretty boy" romance dramas that dominated the industry. The idea of "Domain Expansions" and high-speed sorcery battles had them energized.
As the group finished their makeup and moved toward the soundstage, the speculation reached a fever pitch.
"What if it's Leo Vance?" someone joked.
Bella Brooks let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Leo? The Hellraiser? Please. That guy is about as reliable as a lead balloon. If Leo Vance shows up to play the 'Strongest Sorcerer,' I'll directly cosplay as a swamp ogre and post it to my millions of followers. No filters."
"Haha! Don't tempt fate, Bella!" Lucas laughed.
Just as the group reached the entrance to the soundstage, the heavy doors creaked open. A tall, imposing figure walked in with a casual, leisurely stride. "Excuse me, where's the main makeup unit?"
The latecomer was Leo. Following closely behind him was Riley Evans, looking like she wanted to disappear into the floorboards.
Leo had spent the last few days personally overseeing the construction of the "Tokyo Jujutsu High" sets. From the specific architecture of the occult corridors to the tactical weave of the uniforms, he had used his "Heaven-Defying" directing insights to ensure everything was perfection.
"Uh... makeup is just around the corner to the left," Bella stammered, freezing in her tracks as she saw him.
"Thanks!" Leo flashed a quick, distracted smile and kept walking.
The room went silent. The actors stared at each other, their faces pale.
"Was that... was that the legendary 'Hollywood Hellraiser'?" Bella whispered. "Why did he look so... focused? Is he sure he didn't walk onto the wrong set?"
A second later, that same lazy, confident voice echoed from the hallway.
"Hi! Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late, had a minor crisis with the prop department!"
Leo walked back into the center of the crowd, waving a hand in greeting as if they were all old friends. But this time, the transformation was complete. The entire room gasped.
No way!Who... who is this guy?!
Standing before them was a man dressed in a high-collar, midnight-black uniform. His hair had been transformed into a striking, ethereal silver-white that seemed to catch every light in the studio. A black blindfold covered his eyes, yet it didn't hide his handsomeness, it amplified it.
He exuded an aura of wild arrogance and absolute indifference. Even without seeing his eyes, everyone present felt a crushing sense of charisma. He stood at least six-foot-three, with a presence that commanded the entire soundstage.
In a town full of stars, this man was a supernova.
As the cast stood paralyzed by his visuals, Riley Evans stood behind him in her "Kasumi Miwa" costume, looking like a background extra. She had originally refused to act, but Leo had convinced her with a significant salary bump.
The silence was deafening. The cast had anticipated that Leo might be involved, but they hadn't expected... this.
"Why are you all standing around like NPCs?" Leo walked over to Bella, who was staring at him with her mouth slightly open. He playfully waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Bella. You ready to film?"
Calm down! Stay professional! Bella screamed at herself internally. He's just a jerk with a great stylist and a better wig!
But despite her best efforts, she felt a hot blush creeping up her neck. She'd heard he was a flirt, a brawler, and a nightmare to work with. But looking at that smirk... Maybe I can endure the 'nightmare' for a few months, she thought.
The other actresses were whispering frantically behind their hands. "Is that really the Hellraiser? Is he actually that hot?" "God, suddenly Gojo Satoru has a face." "I heard he's a bad man. I think I'll have to take one for the team and let him ruin my life."
Leo ignored the chatter and walked up to Lucas Miller. "You're Lucas, right? Playing Miller, I mean, Itadori?" Leo offered a friendly, genuine smile and extended his hand.
As the protagonist, Lucas was the heart of the show. Leo knew he'd need to mentor the younger actor to bring out the raw, emotional power Itadori required. Lucas had heard the horror stories, but seeing Leo's proactive greeting and friendly vibe, he was caught off guard. He doesn't seem like a monster?
"Uh, yeah! Hi, Leo, I mean, Brother Leo! Please take care of me!" Lucas shook his hand firmly, deciding to keep his guard up just in case this was a "wolf in sheep's clothing" situation.
The next day, 8:00 AM. After a brief traditional commencement ceremony and a very modern Hollywood toast, Jujutsu Kaisen officially began principal photography.
Today's first scene was the centerpiece of the first episode. Steven Grant (Megumi) goes to the school to retrieve a cursed object, only to find the club has already unsealed it.
"All departments ready!" Director Julian Thorne shouted, his eyes glued to the monitors. "Jujutsu Kaisen, Scene 1, Take 1..."
Clap!
"3, 2, 1... Action!"
The gears of destiny had officially begun to turn.