The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 425

Leaving the audition room, Alexandra let out a sigh of relief and pressed her lips together as she headed for the exit. When she turned a corner in the hallway, she came face to face with a black actress of about the same height.

Alexandra drew closer to the actress, who was clearly watching her with a sharp gaze, as if she held a grudge against her.

But with a crew member standing in the hallway, the actress did nothing more than glare at her with hostility.

As they passed each other, Alexandra heard a faint mutter but didn't respond.

She knew who the actress was and why she was so hostile, but without looking back, Alexandra walked out of the office building where the auditions were held. She met Helen, who was waiting by the door, and they started walking toward the studio together.

“How did the audition go?” Helen asked with concern.

“It went well.” Alexandra paused for a moment. “Matthew nodded at me at the end of the audition.”

“Then you should have a good chance of getting the part.”

Alexandra recalled what had just happened and said, “I think I saw Paula Patton.”

“She's your main competition,” Helen responded immediately. “She was strongly recommended by the director, Francis Lawrence.”Alexandra had heard Matthew mention this before and asked, “If I get the part, will the director make things difficult for me on set?”

Without a moment's hesitation, Helen replied, “Definitely. And not just for you, but for Matthew as well.”

Alexandra looked a little upset. “Will this cause trouble for Matthew?”

She had gotten her first role, then a supporting part in Dawn of the Dead, and now this audition. She knew she might not have had any of these opportunities if it weren't for Matthew.

Helen shook her head. “It's fine. Matthew can handle it.”

This is a competitive business. Everyone wants to be the most prominent name, and on set, everyone wants to have a voice.

It wasn't uncommon for actors to get the upper hand over directors, but there was one fact even she couldn't deny: by the very nature of their profession, people in the directing business held a psychological advantage over actors, even A-list stars.

In Hollywood, once a feud started, it was often difficult to resolve.

Most people in this business had endured so many hardships climbing the career ladder that they tended to value fame and fortune more than anything else.

She didn't know much about Francis, but she knew that a man like Matthew wouldn't simply stand by and let Lawrence trample on his interests.

As a veteran agent, she also had a clear understanding of the industry: the bigger the celebrity, the more sway they held with the media and the public.

Therefore, Helen knew perfectly well that Matthew wouldn't let Francis get his way easily.

****

“Miss Patton, that's all for today.”

In the audition room, the casting director stopped Paula Patton's reading and then said, “I'll inform your agent of the results by Friday.”

“Thank you.”

Paula smiled and headed for the door, glancing at Matthew, who was sitting next to the producer, Goldsman. Before leaving, she registered that he was the biggest obstacle to her getting this supporting role. At thirty years old, she didn't have much time to waste.

For her, a director like Francis undoubtedly represented new opportunities.

The door to the audition room closed. Matthew sat in silence, acknowledging to himself that, based on her performance, Paula was clearly superior to Alexandra.

Paula wasn't a great actress, but Alexandra was even worse.

On the other hand, even an actress of Alexandra's type could be weighed down by those two hills.

David didn't say a word, just watched Matthew. Several executives from Warner Bros. had recently seen some scenes from Zack Snyder's 300 and were full of praise for Matthew's lead performance. Even Charles Roven, a well-known producer at Warner Bros., thought that Matthew's charisma in the film nearly rivaled that of Tom Cruise.

Bankable stars were a scarce resource in Hollywood.

The director, Francis, also remained silent. The audition had made one thing clear: in terms of acting, Paula was better than Matthew's girl.

If Goldsman didn't choose Paula in this situation, one would have to question his professionalism as a producer.

Francis glanced at Matthew with a subtle smile. From his perspective as a director, Paula had already won.

Matthew caught Francis's eye and understood his thinking: from a purely directorial and performance-based standpoint, Alexandra was not a good actress.

But he was in no hurry. He knew more about the Hollywood scene than Francis, who had only recently transitioned from commercials to film. Casting was often influenced by external factors.

It was like the Oscars, where the best actor wasn't always the one who ended up winning.

Besides, Paula's acting was only better when compared to a complete novice like Alexandra Daddario; it wasn't that great on its own.

At that moment, Goldsman reviewed the audition tape again, then waved his hand. Several people quickly left the room, including the casting director, who excused himself voluntarily.

The casting director knew he had no real say in this role and, seeing the conflict between the lead actor and the director, wanted no part in offending either of them.

The door opened and closed. Goldsman didn't immediately reveal his own stance, instead asking, “What are your thoughts?”

Besides himself, only Matthew, David, and Francis remained.

“They each have their strengths, I suppose.” David looked at Matthew, thought for a moment, and decided to be honest for now. “Alexandra has a slight edge in looks, while Paula Patton is better at acting.”

“Not just ‘better,’ right?” Francis immediately jumped in after hearing David's words. “Paula's acting skills are far superior to Alexandra's. Daddario can't act; she just shows off her body and face for the camera!”

David frowned slightly but said nothing.

Goldsman gave a slight nod. Francis was telling the truth; after all, the audition had just finished, and the tape was right in front of him. It was clear who was better and who was worse.

Seeing Goldsman acknowledge his point, Francis pressed on. “We need a real actress for this supporting role, not some doll who just poses and relies on her chest to get by. She'll undoubtedly get slammed by the media and the audience! We need to get the most value for our money.”

Francis glanced at Matthew and, seeing that he had nothing to say, assumed the audition results had already won him the argument. He quickly added, “And casting a minority actress in a supporting role will also help attract a minority audience.”

Goldsman nodded again. “That makes sense.”

The audition had made it clear that Paula was indeed a better fit for the role than Alexandra.

A smile crept onto Francis's face. “A professional actress saves us a lot of time on set, and for a film, time is directly tied to money.”

The audition tape was right there. Matthew couldn't argue with the fact that Alexandra Daddario was only marginally better than when she had first started.

Goldsman looked at Matthew. “What do you think?”

Francis watched Matthew intently, eager to see what he could possibly say in the face of such an obvious audition outcome.

Matthew, of course, had something to say, but he knew the fewer people who were aware of his plans, the better. After a moment's thought, he slowly shook his head. “We should be careful with casting this role.”

He added, “Isn't there another round of auditions tomorrow? It's not too late to decide once they're all finished.”

David chimed in, “We'll definitely have to wait for the results until all the auditions are done.”

Goldsman nodded. “Alright, then. That's all for today.”