Chapter 127: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

The audition room door swung open, and a voice called out, "Martin Davis."

Martin handed his cell phone to Bruce, stepped into the audition room, and greeted director Ken kwapis and Casting director Heike warmly. He quickly surveyed the audition room.

His assessment was clear - this group lacked professionalism, and no one even appeared to be taking it seriously.

Kwapis didn't dive straight into the audition; instead, he inquired, "Do you follow English football?"

Drawing from his conversations with Zomi back in Brisbane, where they discussed football and various related topics, Martin replied confidently, "I watch La Liga more often, and occasionally catch the Premier League. I'm a big fan of Ronaldinho. While he may not have led Barcelona to a La Liga championship, he's undoubtedly a football wizard."

Kwapis nodded in understanding and gave him an intriguing task, "There's an attractive woman sitting across from you. I want you to convey interest without making it too obvious."

Martin immediately grasped the essence of the task, this was an opportunity to perform authentically.

A few minutes later, Martin exited the audition room.

Thomas approached him and asked, "How did it go?"

Martin replied, "I think it went well."

Thomas took the lead, suggesting, "Let's head back; we'll hear back tomorrow."

Bruce returned Martin's phone and noted, "You've got a text message reminder."

As they neared the front desk, Martin powered on his phone and checked the message from FedEx, stating that his shipment had been collected and was ready for transport to Atlanta.

Curious, he asked Bruce, "Did you send a package to Atlanta?"

Bruce looked puzzled, "No, I never contacted Atlanta."

Martin had a hunch and dialed Louise's number, questioning her, "Troublemaker, what did you send to Atlanta in my name?"

Louise chuckled mischievously, "Something important – a set of carving tools, as a token of appreciation. Kelly and I are currently in possession. If you don't return the favor, we'll have to get creative."

Martin had his doubts about Louise's intentions, "Really? There isn't anything else, is there?"

Louise replied with a hint of mystery, "You can ask Kelly."

Martin ended the call and asked Bruce and Thomas to leave.

Later, he visited the post-production room for "house of Wax" and discussed the film's final stages with Jaume. The movie was approaching its release date in North American theaters, scheduled for October. Warner Bros. had already begun promotional efforts, securing pre-roll ads with films like "Resident Evil 2," "The Exorcist Prequel," and "Alien vs. Predator."

In the evening, Martin arranged to meet with Jaume, Craven, Ajia, and others at a barbecue restaurant for dinner and camaraderie.

Thomas tagged along, witnessing Martin's ease in mingling with industry heavyweights, enjoying food, drinks, and discussions that sometimes veered into the realm of gallantry.

He was undoubtedly born for this social circle.

The following morning, while Martin practiced action routines with the newly recruited stuntmen in the studio, Thomas called with good news – Martin had secured the role of the football coach.

Martin hadn't needed to exert much effort on this role; the strong endorsement from a major agency had ensured his selection.

Thomas would handle the negotiations with the production team regarding salary and scheduling, and Martin simply had to await the contract signing.

During a training break, Martin phoned Robert again, saying, "I got the role, man. I won't say thanks; just tell me when you're coming to LA to make your move."

From Atlanta, Robert replied, "I'll stay in Atlanta for now. The boss here keeps me busy." Robert was growing in confidence and presence, stating, "Whenever you need me, just give me a call."

Martin responded, "I won't hold back."

After hanging up, Martin turned to Bruce, asking, "Buddy, what's the perfect gift for Robert?"

Bruce pondered, "Robert wouldn't accept money from you. I reckon he's been eyeing Jerome's Cadillac."

Martin agreed, "Let's wait until after these two movies are wrapped up."

A voice called out from the studio door, "Martin, there's a guy named Mene looking for you. He says he's your friend."

Martin gestured for Mene to come in.

Mene walked in with a bag, and from a distance, Martin noticed that his lips were swollen, resembling two plump sausages.

Bruce inquired, "Has he been in a fight?"

Mene grabbed a folding stool and took a seat at a small round table. His voice sounded different as he explained, "It's the casting director from 'Land of the Living Dead.' I don't know what she used, but when I tried to butter her up, my lips had an allergic reaction. Look at them now."

Martin asked, "Did you see a doctor?"

Mene opened and closed his mouth, a strange expression on his face, "I went to a private doctor. He had a business card from Antonio… I can't recall exactly, but the doctor was nicknamed 'Hyena' and specialized in anorectal surgery."

He added, "The doctor assured me there was no serious issue, and my lips should be back to normal in a few days."

Bruce patted Mene on the shoulder and commented, "Man, you sure lead an interesting life."

"It's much improved compared to before," Mene, an optimist who thrived in adversity, remarked, "I have a knack for finding ways to reap rewards for my efforts. It's better than most actors in Los Angeles. I snagged that special zombie role."

Martin kept it concise, "Wishing you the best of luck. May you land a more significant role soon."

Mene beamed with happiness, "I'd be content with a steady income of over $100,000 a year." He patted his backpack, saying, "Director Romero wants the actors to undergo special training as soon as possible. I'm here today to bid you farewell; I'll be heading out of town this afternoon."

Martin mentioned, "I'll be in Mexico soon, so it might be tough to reach me."

Mene reassured him, "No worries. I've got my ways."

Martin glanced at Mene's face, which was about to undergo transformation. In Hollywood, Mene certainly had some influential connections.

...

In West Hollywood, inside an ordinary boxing gym, Mike Vogel donned his gloves and relentlessly pounded a training dummy.

His punches resounded with power, the dummy swaying violently as Vogel vented his frustrations.

Agent Pinto entered the gym and inquired, "Need a break?"

Vogel turned, nodded, and removed his gloves. As he approached Pinto, he made a request, "Let's have some privacy." Once the coach departed, Vogel sat down with Pinto.

"Seems like Martin Davis is set to take the role of Eric," Pinto informed him. Vogel realized that Martin had secured the role he had been eyeing. He remarked, "Am I less qualified than him just because he won the Best Young Actor Award?"

Pinto shook his head, revealing the real reason, "No, I've got insider information. Martin took down Craven single-handedly, which earned him the award. Can you do the same?"

Vogel knew he couldn't replicate Martin's feat. However, his competitive spirit wouldn't let him admit it. He clenched his fist and asserted, "I can take on any of Craven's horrifying monsters and turn them into dust."

Pinto offered a silver lining, "There's good news, too. You've landed the role of Costes, which isn't much smaller than Eric, but you'll need to dye your hair dark."

Vogel replied, "You handle the negotiations with the film's team."

Pinto approached the ring and sat down. He pointed out, "Have you ever considered changing your image and acting style?"

Vogel was perplexed, asking, "Why should I?"

Pinto elaborated, "Among actors aged 20 to 25 at the fifth and sixth levels, you and Adrian used to be top priorities. However, the company is now prioritizing Martin Davis in this category. Your age, look, and style are relatively similar. Roles that suit you must be offered to Martin first. If you don't make a change yourself, you'll be stuck with the leftovers after he chooses."

Vogel wasn't a newcomer to the industry; he understood its harsh realities. He contemplated the situation and stated, "Give me some time to think it over."

Pinto advised, "You haven't become a household name yet, making this transition relatively straightforward. Your role in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' was similar to Martin's in 'House of Wax.' Martin has now landed the lead in Wes Craven's new film. If you don't make changes, you'll be in his shadow for similar roles for a long time."

Vogel inquired, "Do I have any other options?"

Pinto responded, "Have you participated in any of the auditions for the roles Martin secured? I've put in considerable effort for multiple auditions, but the company isn't eager to invest heavily in recommending you, so we've come up empty."

Vogel hopped off the ring and approached the dummy, pounding it vigorously without gloves. When he stopped, his knuckles were red. He then turned to Pinto, resolved, "I'll make my decision once I've finished filming this project."

Vogel wasn't Pinto's most prominent client, so Pinto didn't press further, simply agreeing, "Alright."

...

Three days later, Martin, accompanied by Thomas, arrived at the studio for "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and signed an actor's contract with producer Brad Erisman, who represented the crew.

After the contract was signed, Brad shook Martin's hand and welcomed him, "We're thrilled to have you on board."

Martin smiled and replied, "The pleasure is all mine."

Today was different than before. As the Saturn Award winner for Best Young Actor, Martin had some cards to play.

Brad took a special photo with Martin, who held the contract, to serve as promotional material for the future.

In another office, Bruce also signed an assistant agreement with the crew. Like in "The Hills Has Eyes," Thomas had secured a position for Bruce as a paid assistant on set.

Among the entire cast, aside from the four leading actresses, only Martin enjoyed this privilege.

Martin's salary for the role was $250,000, and beyond that, the crew would provide him with two business-class plane tickets for his round trip from Los Angeles.

"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" was also a joint project, and most of the primary filming would take place in Mexico. The shooting schedule didn't overlap with "The Hills Have Eyes." This afforded Martin ample time to shoot Craven's film first before joining another crew.

Moreover, both crews had chosen Cabo San Lucas on the California peninsula for their indoor scenes, a famous resort city and a popular Hollywood filming location. The iconic arch-shaped beach formations, often seen in Hollywood movies, could be found there.