**Chapter 96: Retro Style**

The audition began the moment they entered the room.

Marcia was deep in thought.

Gary was deep in thought.

Perhaps the most relaxed and at ease person in the room was Anson—

"Prepare for anything that comes your way."

As Marcia pondered, Gary's voice interrupted her thoughts. Clearly, he was considering the same issue and was trying to find an entry point.

"Besides skateboarding, what other sports do you like?"

In general, people think of auditions as a chance to showcase oneself, to test one's acting skills, and this is indeed the core of it; but there's another aspect where the conversation and dialogue are used to understand the actor's charm and explore the sparks between the actor and the character.

From the previous opportunity with "Friends" to this one, it was just the same.

"Basketball. Swimming. A little martial arts. Also, I've always wanted to try surfing," Anson said calmly, having already gone through one audition and feeling much more at ease.

Gary tilted his chin slightly, "What else? Any other hobbies?"

"Painting. Reading." Anson shrugged lightly, revealing a self-deprecating smile. "If you need, I can keep listing them. Haha, I'm the typical 'three-minute passion' type, enjoying trying different things, but I'm not particularly good at any of them. My mom really dislikes how I never follow through with anything. She says maybe acting will be another three-minute thing."

Half-truths.

The first part was his situation; the latter part referred to the original character's circumstances.

Gary showed a hint of interest, "So, do you still find acting interesting?"

Anson looked serious and glanced at his wrist, where no watch actually existed. "At this moment, I certainly do."

"Haha." Gary laughed out loud, "But being a jack of all trades, master of none, isn't a good thing."

"If needed, I could try to delve deeper into something and maybe even discover a whole new interest. I believe that experiencing and trying new things is a lifestyle." Anson kept the possibilities open—there was no need to hold back in this second life.

Gary tilted his chin slightly again, showing a hint of interest. "For ordinary people, that might not be a good thing; but from another perspective, for an actor, it could be an advantage because an actor's job is to try different lives and continually explore new possibilities within their abilities."

That was a fresh perspective.

Anson smiled, "Maybe acting is my destiny? Born to be an actor?"

"Ha." Gary chuckled, his eyes revealing a deeper meaning. "We'll find out soon enough. So, how about music? Are you interested?"

Anson blinked—

Michael.

He realized which character he was auditioning for.

"The Princess Diaries" was based on a novel, and in the original story, Michael, who had a crush on Mia, had a band and was the lead singer.

In his previous life, this character was played by Robert Schwartzman, whose mother belonged to the famous Coppola family of Hollywood—yes, that Coppola, the one related to "The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, and Nicolas Cage was his uncle.

However, "The Princess Diaries" was Robert's only mainstream film because he was passionate about music and had his own independent band. After the movie, he went on tour with his band and pursued his music career, never acting in another movie again.

But now, Anson was auditioning for this role.

Anson was unsure of the situation:

Maybe Robert hadn't auditioned yet, and Anson's audition was just a trial error for Marcia and Gary before they got to Robert; or perhaps Robert had already auditioned, but due to Anson's presence, a butterfly effect occurred, and the timeline deviated, leading to another parallel universe.

Nonetheless.

Anson had his own thoughts—his first movie, his first opportunity for a male lead, everything came faster than expected. But since the opportunity was in his hands, he had no reason to let it slip away.

"Guitar." Anson remained honest, "I once taught myself guitar at home for two months and believed it could be a weapon to attract girls."

"Ha." Gary laughed out loud again, "Trust me, you don't need a guitar to do that."

Anson spread his hands, "Mr. Marshall, you should see how reckless teenagers are—strange hairstyles, stubborn acne, and odd outfits. When all the girls are screaming for the quarterback, we're still fuming over why we don't get the attention."

"Haha." Gary burst into laughter. "Hahaha." He even felt like applauding Anson.

Marcia was no exception. She shook her head slightly, but the smile on her lips remained, "Hey, kid, you're still a teenager."

Anson's smile slightly faded, "Ah, I keep forgetting that."

He was serious.

But then—

Poof.

After Gary, Marcia couldn't help but laugh out loud as well. Anson's easygoing, confident, and straightforward demeanor was truly refreshing, and without realizing it, Marcia found herself liking him.

Perhaps Anson's charm really could captivate audiences on the big screen.

Then, a sudden inspiration flashed through Marcia's mind, and she seized it tightly.

"Wait."

"Wait!"

"Anson, have you ever experimented with different hairstyles?"

Gary and Anson both turned to look at Marcia.

Anson wasn't aware of their thoughts, so he naturally had no idea what Marcia's inspiration was. He raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't give a direct answer. "A series of disasters."

Marcia wasn't concerned about his answer because her focus wasn't on Anson's response; it was just a segue to her idea. "Have you ever tried John Lennon's hairstyle?"

John Lennon?

Anson couldn't quite react. Since when did John Lennon become a fashion icon?

But Gary, who had lived through that era, immediately understood what Marcia meant. "You mean the Beatles' mop-top?"

In the 1960s, the Beatles crossed the ocean to develop in America, sparking a frenzy—not just in music but also in fashion. Countless young people began imitating their style and outfits—

Mop-top haircuts. Bell-bottoms. Sweaters.

And so on.

That was during Gary's youth, and he had once tried the Beatles' look. Even now, he could still see the influence of the Beatles on the younger generation.

Marcia nodded. "Michael is in a band, so we can define him as someone who loves British rock and embraces a 1960s retro style. He could have a mop-top haircut, wear a suit with bell-bottoms, and be seen around campus either carrying a guitar or holding a copy of 'Ulysses.'"

"To others, he would be a freak, an outsider, someone completely overlooked."

"And the mop-top has a benefit—it covers the eyes. If you can't see someone's eyes, their charm diminishes significantly. It's also a way to keep him hidden."

As Marcia spoke, she became more and more excited, her entire thought process coming together.

"While other high schoolers judge people by their looks, completely dismissing Michael, Mia knows Michael's talent. She's just like any other teenage girl, falling for the handsome guys, only to get hurt in the process, realizing afterward that talent is more valuable than appearance."

"But she never expected..."

End of the second update. More to come tonight.