Tycoon Actor C467

The YouTubers looked genuinely thrilled to work with a Hollywood actor. Some of them—especially the veterans—had met celebrities before. But Lucas Knight? He was on a whole different level.

Everything he touched trended. Every move he made sparked waves. In short, Lucas wasn’t just a Hollywood actor. He was the actor of the moment.

For many of the creators, even just a five-second clip with Lucas could boost views significantly—and they knew it. But beyond the algorithm, most of them were genuine fans. They’d watched his films, listened to his music, followed his rise from Vine to stardom.

Liza Koshy, in particular, felt her nerves bubbling as she spotted him across the room.

‘Okay, deep breaths. You’ve worked with James Franco. You’ve stood next to Michelle Obama. Get it together, girl,’ she coached herself internally.

Still, her heart was pounding like a teenager seeing their crush.

When she finally made her way to Lucas, the words came out faster than she expected. “H-hi.”

Lucas turned with that signature calm smile. “Hi.”

“I’m Liza. I—I actually went to your first concert,” she blurted, then laughed at herself. “And that proposal on stage? You totally caught me off guard. It’s burned into my memory.”

She turned her camera toward him, then back to herself. “I’m so jealous of that girl, Jennifer.”

Lucas chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

Logan Paul, not missing a beat, chimed in from the side. “I’m jealous too. I wish Lucas proposed to me.”

The room erupted in laughter.

The energy quickly relaxed after that. Lucas spent the next hour moving from one circle of creators to the next—chatting, laughing, and even doing a few quick shoutouts for their vlogs.

Anthony Padilla invited him for a future video with Smosh. “Just one skit. It’ll be chaos. I promise.”

Jake Paul, ever the showman, grinned and said, “You gotta visit the Team 10 house sometime, man. We’ll throw a party in your honor.” The way he said it felt more like a kid showing off his treehouse than a celebrity invite. Lucas couldn’t help but be amused.

Then there was Felix.

Unlike most of the creators buzzing around Lucas, Felix—known to the world as PewDiePie—was calm, collected, and notably unfazed. He offered a casual wave, exchanged a few light words, and kept to the edges of the excitement.

Still, at one point, he did approach Lucas.

“Mind if I get a quick photo?” he asked. “And maybe an autograph?”

Some nearby YouTubers raised their eyebrows, surprised. They’d assumed Felix didn’t care much about celebrities. For a moment, it looked like PewDiePie might secretly be a fanboy in denial.

But Felix clarified with a shrug and a small smile. “It’s for Marzia. She’s a fan.”

Lucas chuckled warmly. “Ah, I see. Then let’s make it a good one.” He signed a few things and snapped a photo with Felix. “Nice to meet the King of YouTube.”

Felix grinned, clearly flattered. “Haha, the honor’s mine.”

After their brief chat, Lucas continued making the rounds. The studio buzzed with energy—cameras recording, creators vlogging, laughter bouncing from wall to wall. It was chaotic, but in a good way. The kind of chaos born from people doing what they loved.

Then, amid the noise and crowd, Lucas spotted someone.

A young guy, standing with a small group, laughing along but noticeably quieter than the rest. He still had that early awkwardness—like he wasn’t used to being seen—but there was something different in his eyes. A quiet drive. Purpose.

Jimmy. Or as the world would soon know him—MrBeast.

Lucas smiled faintly to himself. He already knew the future: this shy, rising creator would one day become one of YouTube’s most influential titans. A philanthropist. A brand. A movement.

And today, he was just another vlogger in the crowd. For now.

---

After about fifteen minutes, Kai—the director—raised his hand and signaled the start of rehearsals.

The crowd of creators that had gathered around Lucas quickly dispersed, heading off in groups based on their content categories. Gaming YouTubers like Markiplier and Jacksepticeye moved toward their assigned room for a gaming-themed segment. Beauty gurus, vloggers, comedy creators—they all peeled off to rehearse their own scenes.

There was a finale scene where all categories would merge, but that would come later.

Lucas, meanwhile, was led to his designated prep room. He took a seat in front of the mirror while his makeup artist began brushing foundation along his jawline.

Ten minutes passed quietly.

Then—a knock.

Lucas glanced toward the door, slightly curious.

“I’ll get it,” the young makeup artist said, wiping her hands on a cloth as she walked over. She opened the door, and standing there—looking just a little bit nervous—was Jimmy.

Lucas blinked in mild surprise. 'Jimmy? What’s he doing here?'

The young man offered a sheepish wave. “H-hi. I know you probably don’t know me, but I’m a YouTuber. I go by MrBeast.”

Lucas nodded. “MrBeast... right.”

“Yeah—though my real name’s Jimmy.”

Lucas gave a small smile and adjusted his bangs to the side. “Well, Jimmy... what brings you here?”

Jimmy scratched the back of his neck. “I know this might be weird but—”

“It is weird, actually,” the makeup artist interjected with a polite but firm tone. “Mr. Knight’s about to start shooting soon.”

Jimmy looked embarrassed, scratching the back of his neck. But before he could apologize, Lucas raised a hand, his tone calm and reassuring.

“No, no—it’s fine,” Lucas said. “I doubt he came here without a reason.”

Hearing that, Jimmy breathed a little easier. Still, his posture was tense, his voice a mix of nerves and resolve.

“Actually... I really admire you, Mr. Knight,” he said. “I didn’t want to say it out loud in front of everyone. But I’m a fan. A big one. Especially because of your philanthropy. You’re... kind of my inspiration.”

Lucas tilted his head slightly, intrigued. “Is that so?”

Jimmy nodded and quickly pulled out his phone. “I’ve been trying to help people too. Nothing huge, but... I’ve started.” He handed over his phone. “Here—this is one of my videos.”

Lucas glanced at the screen as the video played. It showed Jimmy surprising random streamers with $20,000 in donations. Even the makeup artist, who had paused her work to peek at the video, widened her eyes in disbelief.

“You’re giving out that much to random people?” she asked, stunned.

Jimmy offered a modest shrug. “I mean... I hope it made a difference for them.”

Lucas chuckled, handing the phone back. “Well, beyond the help, that’s a pretty clever way to stand out.”

Jimmy looked surprised but grinned. “Yeah... that too.”

Lucas leaned back slightly. “But I’m guessing you didn’t come all the way here just to show me a video.”

Jimmy cleared his throat, clearly building up the courage. “Right. Actually, I was wondering... if you’d be open to collaborating with me. For one video. We could help more people—together.”

Lucas raised a brow, his tone teasing. “So let me get this straight. You want me to appear in your video... and help fund it too?”

Jimmy smiled sheepishly. “I think it could be something really special.”

From the side, the makeup artist let out a soft laugh. “You’re bold, I’ll give you that. I love what you’re doing, Jimmy, but walking in here and pitching a collab to Mr. Knight without so much as an appointment?” She shook her head, amused.

Even Jimmy looked embarrassed. But deep down, he knew meeting Lucas was a rare opportunity—and he couldn’t waste it.

“I mean, even if I have to spend out of pocket, that’s fine,” he said quickly. “I’m pretty sure once sponsors find out I’m doing a collab with you, they’ll come running.”

His eyes were filled with hope as he looked at Lucas.

Lucas tilted his head slightly, amused by the boldness. ‘This guy’s more ambitious than I expected…’ He could see Jimmy genuinely wanted to help people, but he also wasn’t blind to the strategy—inviting a celebrity like him was bound to boost his channel’s visibility.

After a pause, Lucas gave a calm nod. “Let me think about it, alright?”

He didn’t want to give an immediate yes. He already imagined the headache his manager Neil would give him if he agreed on the spot. Lucas might have full control over his own decisions, unlike most actors bound by strict contracts—but even he knew the importance of being careful with spontaneous collaborations.

To Lucas’s surprise, Jimmy wasn’t discouraged. In fact, he looked even more excited. “Thank you for even considering it! Seriously, that means a lot. Even if it doesn’t happen, I’m honored.”

Then he shyly asked for a photo and an autograph, and with a grateful smile, left the room.

“That guy gives me weird vibes,” the makeup artist said casually as she resumed applying powder to Lucas’s jawline.

Lucas chuckled. “I think he’s got some clever ways to help both himself and others. Say what you will, but he is making a difference.”

The young woman tilted her head thoughtfully. “I still can’t wrap my head around how he just hands out that much money without even flinching.”

Lucas smiled. “Sometimes, bold moves get noticed faster.”

Just then, a staff member knocked and called from the hallway, “Mr. Knight, we’re ready for the opening shot.”

Lucas stood up as the artist gave him a final once-over. When he walked onto the soundstage, he spotted Kai talking to someone—someone strangely familiar.

The man had a similar build, same hair color, even identical eye color. For a second, Lucas blinked in confusion.

Kai noticed his look and motioned him over. “Lucas, meet Ray—your viral doppelgänger. The one who pranked people by pretending to be you.”

Ray looked both thrilled and nervous as he stuck out his hand. Then, suddenly, he went in for a hug. “Oh man! I’ve been dying to meet you!”

Lucas raised a brow at Kai but gave Ray a light pat on the back. “Nice to meet you too… buddy.”

Kai smirked. “We brought Ray in for the opening scene. We’re going to troll the audience—let them think he’s you at first. Then boom, the real Lucas shows up.”

“I am so excited!” Ray beamed.

Lucas let out a quiet sigh but cracked a small smile. This was going to be a long day.