Chapter 42 – Gratitude and Reflection
December 2015 – After Christmas, A Pause for Reflection
Christmas had passed.
The lights still twinkled in the houses of Los Angeles, illuminating the city with a special glow. The festive atmosphere hung in the air, and people were enjoying the last days of the year with their loved ones.
Jacob Stewart was at home, sitting on the porch with a glass of whiskey in his hand, gazing at the starry sky. Lucky, his faithful black Labrador, slept beside him, breathing softly.
He took a deep breath, feeling the cool night air against his skin.
For a moment, he simply contemplated everything around him.
The silence, the tranquility… Something rare in his life in recent months.
He picked up his cell phone and looked at the latest headlines.
The Hollywood Reporter: "Jacob Stewart closes 2015 as one of Hollywood's most promising actors."
Variety: "From homeless man to Golden Globe-nominated star, the unbelievable journey of Jacob Stewart."
Deadline: "The Revenant promises to dominate awards season and Jacob Stewart could take home the Oscar."
Jacob laughed to himself.
If someone had told him two years ago that he would be making headlines in the biggest newspapers in the world, he would have thought it was a joke.
But there he was.
Living it all.
Jacob took a sip of whiskey and closed his eyes for a moment.
He remembered the past.
He remembered sleeping on the streets, hungry and cold, not knowing what the future held.
He remembered the time he bumped into Chad Stahelski, who changed his life by giving him his first real opportunity.
He remembered all the difficulties, all the times he thought about giving up.
But now, he understood that it all had a purpose.
Every challenge, every night without a roof over his head, every rejection…
Everything prepared him for this moment.
He looked to the sky and whispered:
"Thank you, God."
Because he knew that none of this would have been possible without faith.
He always believed that, however difficult his life had been, there was a greater purpose.
And now, he was living that purpose.
Jacob picked up his cell phone and saw some new messages.
Among them, one from Richard Calloway, his agent.
Richard: "Jacob, do you realize what you've just accomplished? You could become one of the biggest names in Hollywood in the coming years. This is just the beginning!"
Jacob smiled and typed a reply.
Jacob: "I know. And I promise I'll continue to be the same guy I've always been."
He wouldn't let fame go to his head.
He knew many stories of people who reached the top and lost their way.
And he would never allow that to happen to him.
Because he knew where he came from.
He knew what truly mattered.
He knew who he was before fame, and who he wanted to remain.
And, at that moment, sitting in his home, surrounded by the silence of the night…
Jacob Stewart felt a profound gratitude for everything he had lived through.
The past didn't define him.
But it prepared him for this exact moment.
Chapter 43 – The Return of John Wick and the BAFTA Nominations
January 2016 – Back on the Set of John Wick: Chapter 2
The year had barely begun, and Jacob Stewart was already back to the intense filming schedule.
After months dedicated to The Revenant and awards season, it was now time to return to the role that launched him to stardom: John Wick.
He woke up early that morning, made a strong coffee, and put on his workout clothes. Before leaving, he bent down and patted Lucky, his faithful black Labrador, who looked at him with those bright, peaceful eyes.
"I'll miss you on set, kid. But I promise I'll be back soon."
Lucky wagged his tail, as if understanding.
Jacob grabbed his keys and headed towards the studio, where filming for John Wick: Chapter 2 had officially begun.
When Jacob arrived at the studio, he was greeted with open arms by director Chad Stahelski and the entire crew.
Chad approached, smiling.
"Welcome back to the Continental, Mr. Wick."
Jacob laughed and shook the director's hand.
"Ready for more action?"
"You ask that as if I wasn't planning on making this movie even more insane than the first."
Jacob smiled.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."
The first scenes filmed that day were training shots. Before starting the actual action scenes, Jacob would go through another round of tactical training and choreographed fights to get used to John Wick's fighting style again.
He put on his impeccable black suit, holstered his Glock 34, and positioned himself for the first shooting sequence.
The timer sounded.
BEEP!
Jacob drew his pistol with impressive speed and hit three targets in less than two seconds.
Gun trainer Taran Butler, who was supervising the scene, whistled.
"This guy doesn't even look like he's taken time off."
Chad smiled.
"Because he didn't. John Wick never rests."
Jacob laughed, reloading his pistol.
He felt his body adjusting to the film's rhythm again.
And honestly?
He was loving every second of it.
January 8, 2016 – The BAFTA Nominations
In the middle of the afternoon, while Jacob was on set preparing to film a hand-to-hand combat scene, his cell phone started vibrating incessantly.
He picked up the device and saw dozens of messages and notifications flooding social media.
He frowned and opened one of the messages from Richard Calloway, his agent.
Richard: STOP EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING AND CALL ME NOW!
Jacob quickly returned the call.
"Richard? What happened?"
The agent's voice was euphoric on the other end of the line.
"Jacob, the BAFTA nominations are out!"
Jacob felt a chill down his spine.
"And…?"
Richard took a deep breath before dropping the bombshell.
"You've been nominated for Best Actor at the BAFTAs! And The Revenant has received several nominations!"
Jacob was silent for a moment, absorbing the information.
He quickly opened his phone's browser and accessed the official list of nominations.
BAFTA 2016 Nominations – The Revenant
✅ Best Film
✅ Best Director – Alejandro González Iñárritu
✅ Best Actor – Jacob Stewart
✅ Best Supporting Actor – Tom Hardy
✅ Best Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki
✅ Best Editing
✅ Best Sound
Jacob took a deep breath.
He had already been nominated for a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, a Critics' Choice Award, but now…
The BAFTA.
The biggest award in British cinema.
This meant that The Revenant wasn't just a success in the United States, it was a global masterpiece.
Chad, who was next to him, noticed his expression and frowned.
"What's wrong? Did someone die?"
Jacob laughed.
"No… But my career just changed again."
He showed the phone to Chad, who read the nominations and smiled.
"MAN! THIS IS AMAZING!"
The entire crew around heard and began to applaud and celebrate.
The stuntmen, trainers, and cameramen approached to congratulate him.
Taran Butler patted him on the back.
"Jacob, you're not just an action star. You're a real actor."
Jacob smiled, still trying to process everything.
He had never expected to reach this level so quickly.
But now, it was clear.
He was no longer just John Wick.
He was no longer just a guy who came from nowhere.
He was an actor nominated for some of the most important awards in the world.
And the Oscars?
Well…
That could be the next step.
NEW CHAPTERS ON MY PATREON, MORE + 10 CHAPTERS
NEW FANFIC PUBLISHED: The Rookie: Harry Potter exclusive on my Patreon
[email protected]/SHADOWGHOST07
DO NOT subscribe to my Patreon through the iOS/Apple Store. Not only will they charge you 30% more, but they will also hold the funds for 75 days before releasing them to me, which is very detrimental to me. If you're reading this on an iPhone, please contribute via browser/PC