**Chapter 67: Just an Oscar Winner**

"The curvy girl auditioning is your colleague—"

"Colleague?" Naomi was momentarily confused, then realized Anne was referring to her co-worker in this movie.

Naomi glanced at Anne, unsure whether she was joking or deliberately saying it, but she didn't care much either way.

Everyone was in the same boat, after all.

"—As for the Asian girl auditioning, she's Betty's tutor, another student of that university professor. Apparently, because she's Chinese, and it's said that Chinese people are very smart, especially excelling in academics?"

Naomi shrugged, indicating she had no clue. After all, she had always been terrible at school and had dropped out as a teenager to pursue a career in the film industry.

Anne noticed her expression and immediately felt a sense of superiority. Even though she had only attended a religious school, at least she had been to college.

"I think I read in the newspaper once that Chinese kids are particularly smart. They often excel in international math and physics competitions."

After a pause, Anne continued, "Also, they're both clients of Mike—the agent Wayne works with. That Chinese girl was even referred by Wayne."

This time, Naomi couldn't help but show a surprised expression. A thought crossed her mind: Should she also transfer her agent contract to Mike?

That way, her relationship with Wayne would undoubtedly become closer. Even if Wayne had too many women to keep track of her sometimes, her agent could help remind him.

In fact, Anne was considering the same thing, mentioning it to see how Naomi would react and possibly let Naomi test the waters for her.

Though Anne was a bit short-sighted and petty, she wasn't stupid.

Both she and Naomi were signed with CAA, and their agents were essentially in the same situation.

Usually, they weren't given much attention and were left to fend for themselves, but occasionally, thanks to CAA's package deals, they would land some good opportunities. Like Anne's audition for *The Princess Diaries* and Naomi's for *Mulholland Drive*.

Greedy as she was, Anne was still hesitant to give up these resources and couldn't make up her mind.

But Naomi, surprisingly decisive, made up her mind after only a little thought. She planned to talk to Mike right after the audition.

With her experience, Naomi knew that not all opportunities were created equal. While Wayne's opportunities were uncertain, they were clearly of a higher caliber.

And it wasn't about how prominent the roles were or how high the movie's budget was; it was about how accessible the opportunities were.

Clearly, Naomi's mindset was similar to Charlize Theron's—why choose a rough, winding mountain path with steep drops when there's a smooth road ahead? Only a fool would do that!

Of course, she also knew that besides opportunities, talent was crucial. Otherwise, she'd end up like Anne. Despite being just as attractive and even younger, Anne had still lost out to her in the casting competition.

Even during the *Mulholland Drive* casting, while her agent had gotten her the audition, they hadn't provided any connections to smooth things over.

Even if Naomi had wanted to build rapport with the director or producer, she hadn't had the chance.

She had landed the role solely based on her look, vibe, and acting, as she had been the most fitting of all the candidates. 

That's why, in addition to changing agents, Naomi also planned to continue improving her acting skills by attending acting classes.

Though she had been in the entertainment industry from a young age, she had always been strapped for cash, and her acting had been self-taught.

This method wasn't bad, but wouldn't formal training take her to the next level?

After chatting for a bit longer, the two quieted down to focus on preparing for their upcoming auditions.

Meanwhile, things were very different for Liu Tianxian and Megan, who were not far away.

Perhaps it was because Megan had played a similar role in *Accepted*, but she was completely relaxed about the upcoming audition. She even initiated a conversation with Liu Tianxian, bragging about her "close encounters" with Wayne during the filming of *The Bourne Identity* and complimenting his great physique.

On the other hand, Liu Tianxian, participating in such a "formal" audition for the first time, was incredibly nervous. Megan's bragging helped distract her and ease her tension.

At the same time, Liu Tianxian was able to glean some insights from Megan, learning what to expect and how to approach the audition. The two kept chatting until a tall woman with dark brown curls, dressed in a stylish coffee-colored trench coat, arrived in the backstage area with her agent.

"Look! Megan, look! It's Susan Sarandon! It really is Susan Sarandon!"

Perhaps due to some prior research, Liu Tianxian recognized Susan Sarandon at a glance. She was so excited she grabbed Megan's arm, breathing heavily like a fangirl meeting her idol.

In contrast, Megan's reaction was much more subdued. She barely glanced at Sarandon before looking away indifferently, turning to Liu Tianxian with a look of disdain.

"It's just Susan Sarandon. Why the big fuss?"

"???"

Liu Tianxian turned her head, looking at her new acquaintance in shock, thinking, *What's wrong with this girl's brain?*

"Oh my god! Megan, what are you saying? That's Susan Sarandon! *Oscar-winning* Susan Sarandon! This is the first time I've seen an Oscar winner up close!" Liu Tianxian exclaimed in an exaggerated whisper.

Though she didn't want to admit it, at this time, the Oscars were still universally recognized as the highest award in the film industry. And winning Best Actress was considered the pinnacle of achievement for any actress.

To put it simply, an Oscar win had the same prestige as a Grand Slam victory at Europe's top three film festivals!

Seeing an Oscar winner up close for the first time in her life, Liu Tianxian couldn't help but feel excited.

Yet Megan remained indifferent.

"Just an Oscar winner? In my last movie, the one currently in theaters, *Happy Death Day*, with over $100 million at the North American box office and $220 million globally, I worked with Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins."

—Please recommend, and vote for this chapter~~