Chapter 84: Preparing for Battle

Since a competition was about to take place, it was essential to have the right weapons in hand.

Movies are weapons, and only with the right ones can they confront their opponents.

Without these weapons, Gilbert wouldn't be confident at all.

The lead actor was quickly decided. After CAA helped Sylvester Stallone decline the project, the crew soon extended an invitation to Bruce Willis.

Compared to the difficult CAA, Bruce Willis, who was under ICM, was clearly easier to approach.

Over the past two years, Bruce Willis had gradually risen to the forefront of Hollywood stars thanks to the "Die Hard" series.

When he heard that Gilbert's new project was inviting him, he was intrigued and soon instructed his agent to accept the offer.

With Bruce Willis interested, Gilbert was equally pleased, and they had a delightful conversation.

After finalizing the contract issues, Bruce Willis signed his name on the actor agreement, becoming the second confirmed actor for the crew.

In contrast to the smooth selection of the lead roles, choosing the young actor for the second male role posed a challenge for the crew.

Auditions went on one after another, but Gilbert still hadn't found the right actor for Max.

There was actually a suitable actor, Elijah Wood.

However, that kid was with CAA, and since Gilbert was now at odds with CAA, they refused the invitation on the grounds that Elijah Wood needed to focus on his studies.

Gilbert had no choice; unless Elijah Wood agreed himself, he couldn't bypass CAA to invite him to play the role.

However, things soon took a turn for the better when Disney's child star talent show, "The Mickey Mouse Club," recommended a thirteen-year-old boy, Ryan Gosling, to the crew.

Ryan Gosling had been performing since childhood, participating in school theater and local dance troupes.

Notably, the young boy could also sing quite well, showcasing a multi-talented development.

After a series of audition evaluations, Ryan Gosling's outstanding performance convinced the directing team and the two producers, successfully securing the role of Max.

With the main roles settled, the remaining roles fell into place quickly, and soon everything was mostly finalized.

One evening, after finishing up at the studio, Gilbert returned to his apartment to rest, just as Cameron Diaz returned from wrapping up a film.

"How did the audition for 'The Mask' go, Michelle?" Gilbert asked, showing concern for Cameron Diaz's audition status.

Unlike the tumultuous audition journey in his previous life, Cameron Diaz now had enough capital.

Upon hearing Gilbert's words, she had aimed for the lead role in "The Mask."

"It went smoothly; after a simple audition, I became the female lead," Cameron Diaz said, massaging Gilbert's shoulders while boasting, "I was the second actor confirmed."

"That's great," Gilbert nodded, feeling pleased with Cameron Diaz's obedience.

Her ability to listen indicated that she hadn't become arrogant, and it wouldn't be long before she stepped into the ranks of leading actresses.

"By the way," Cameron said as she positioned herself in front of Gilbert, straddling his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, "I heard there's still a role not yet cast, and I wanted to…"

"That's just a supporting role. Are you interested?"

"No," Cameron Diaz replied, "Do you remember Sally? She hasn't had many opportunities lately, having appeared in a few films and shows without any significant roles.

I thought, since we're good friends, could you give her a chance?"

Gilbert hadn't seen Charlize Theron's name on the audition list.

Getting on the audition list was no easy feat, often requiring overcoming many obstacles.

According to Gilbert's understanding, assistant director Annie Burton had taken advantage of her position to sleep with several young male actors.

If you didn't sleep with her, you wouldn't make it on the audition list, let alone get a chance for Gilbert to see your name.

Even Sofia Coppola had used her position to date a handsome actor.

Of course, neither Annie Burton nor Sofia Coppola had gone too far; it hadn't affected the normal operations of the crew.

Gilbert merely advised them to keep a low profile.

Similar situations were common everywhere, and Gilbert didn't see anything wrong. After all, "water that's too clear has no fish."

As long as it didn't disrupt work and didn't cause any accidents, he was happy to turn a blind eye.

Moreover, the decision-making power regarding significant roles didn't lie with the subordinates; it was still Gilbert and the two producers who called the shots.

A rich second-generation heiress also counted as an important role, so it was likely that Charlize Theron knew she had no hope and thus hadn't submitted her resume.

Instead, she chose to go through Cameron Diaz to seek connections.

After all, in his previous life, Gilbert had heard of Charlize Theron's name, which provided some assurance compared to those unknown actors. So, Gilbert didn't refuse and directly agreed.

"That's great! I knew you'd say yes…"

Cameron Diaz gave Gilbert a heavy kiss on the lips, then leaned closer to his ear in a mysterious tone, whispering, "Sally has a great figure, want to give it a try?"

Along with Naomi Watts, the three had experience with threesomes, so Cameron Diaz said this without a hint of embarrassment.

Gilbert felt a surge of desire, but he replied, "Let me take care of you first."

"Hehe, come on! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

That night, many words melted away in their primal union.

The next day, feeling refreshed, Gilbert informed assistant director Annie Burton to have Charlize Theron come in for an audition.

Cameron Diaz also informed Charlize Theron about this.

Charlize Theron was thrilled; this was a relatively important opportunity for her, so she was worried she might mess up the audition.

"Don't worry, Sally. I've already talked to Gilbert," the carefree Cameron Diaz said. "As long as you meet his audition requirements, he'll definitely prioritize choosing you."

Charlize Theron hoped, "I hope so!"

Soon, it was time for the audition. With Cameron Diaz's guidance, Charlize Theron had met Sofia Coppola a few times beforehand and learned the general characteristics of the role from her.

On audition day, Charlize Theron designed her look, capitalizing on her height and long legs while also emphasizing an air of haughty aloofness.

Cameron Diaz suggested that if Charlize Theron struggled with the performance, she could just emulate Gilbert's "ex-girlfriend" Gwyneth Paltrow's character.

With a reference point, Charlize Theron indeed found her direction, and her audition went very well.

"Very good, Miss Theron. Your performance exceeded my expectations," Gilbert said.

After performing a short scene, Charlize Theron humbly awaited feedback. Hearing Gilbert's words, she replied, "These are characteristics I should showcase."

"Great," Gilbert said as he communicated with the directing team, "What do you all think?"

Assistant director Annie Burton responded, "No problem, director. I think it's good."

"Sofia?"

Since the character traits had been revealed to her, Sofia Coppola naturally supported, "She performed excellently. I recommend we use her."

Sofia Coppola wouldn't disclose any role-related information to Charlize Theron without Gilbert's approval.

While she verbally agreed, Sofia Coppola still felt a bit frustrated; she had clearly wanted the actress for the role but had to rely on them for assurance, being insincere…

This role was a main character but didn't hold significant importance, so it was confirmed on the spot for Charlize Theron.

As Charlize Theron exited the audition hall, she was still in a daze. It wasn't until her agent asked how it went that she came to her senses.

"Diana, I got the role!" Charlize Theron exclaimed with joy.

Her agent couldn't believe her ears: "What did you say? Say it again…"

"I said, we got the role…"

"Oh my God, that's great! God has finally looked out for us," the agent said, making a cross over her chest.

She was just a small agent with only Charlize Theron as her client; if Charlize Theron secured a role, it meant her career was about to take off.

So, the two immediately went out to celebrate, rejoicing that they had finally stepped into Hollywood's circle.