Chapter 193: The Departed

Tuesday, a rather unremarkable morning.

Jessica accompanied Martin out of the apartment, where they climbed into Bruce's Volkswagen, preparing to head to Burbank for the audition.

They hadn't driven more than a kilometer when they turned into the adjacent underground parking lot, where Mene awaited in another vehicle.

Martin removed his hat, placed it on Jessica's head, and said, "Take care."

Under the fluorescent lights, Jessica's fair skin practically glowed. She questioned with a hint of amusement, "Do I really need to be this cautious?"

Bruce chimed in, "Absolutely."

Martin hopped into Mene's car, waiting until Bruce had left the scene before pulling out and following suit.

It wasn't that Martin was overly cautious, but he remembered the auditions at the House of Wax last year. Adrian had targeted Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend, who had been the top candidate at the time. Today, Martin was in the same position, being the frontrunner for the audition.

Their journey proceeded without any surprises, and they arrived at Warner Bros. Studios. There, they met up with Thomas and proceeded to enter the office building.

The crew of "The Departed" had secured a half-floor office space at Warner Studios.

For today's audition, Martin was in makeup. A production assistant led Martin and Mene into the dressing room.

Bruce stood guard at the door.

Thomas remarked, "The lengths you guys go to are quite something."

Bruce nodded, affirming, "It's necessary. People who've engaged in enough wrongdoing find it hard to relax unless they take precautions." It wasn't just Martin; Bruce recognized the wisdom behind such precautions.

Thomas watched Bruce, then glanced toward the foyer through the glass door of the dressing room. He couldn't help but think that these two were born to be perfect partners.

Bruce pointed toward the kettle that Jessica was carrying, emphasizing, "Don't let it out of your sight."

Before becoming an assistant, Jessica had also worked in the entertainment industry. She nodded knowingly, saying, "I understand."

Thomas finally understood that Martin and Bruce approached auditions like a military operation or a covert CIA mission. Considering their extensive experience, it wasn't an overstatement.

An hour later, Martin donned an old-fashioned suit and entered the audition room.

Inside, casting director Allen, director Scorsese, and a group of executive producers including Louise were seated. Five other individuals related to the production, including Warner Bros. and Screen Actors Guild representatives, sat in the room, each absorbed in their handheld game consoles.

An assistant stepped forward to set up the scene for Martin, and the audition focused on the confrontation between Colin and his boss, Franco.

In less than a minute, the audition concluded.

Scorsese didn't immediately dismiss Martin but rather signaled for photographers to take several makeup photos.

The difference between what the human eye saw and what the camera captured was significant.

Scorsese examined the audition video and makeup photos, growing increasingly satisfied with each passing moment.

Martin possessed top-notch acting skills, a compelling image, brought financial backing to the project, and was highly dedicated. Besides not being as famous as some other actors, he had no notable shortcomings, meeting Scorsese's requirements for the role.

"All right," Scorsese announced, calling for the filming to stop. He addressed Martin, saying, "Return to the dressing room and wait for a while."

Martin knew that the decision about his audition was about to be made, so he responded, "Of course."

As he left the audition room, Scorsese glanced around at the others, soliciting opinions from the investors. "For the role of Colin, I've chosen Martin Davis. What are your thoughts?"

"Agree," Daniel, the Warner Bros. representative, chimed in.

Louise from Pacific Pictures also expressed her approval. "Agree."

Casting director Ellen affirmed, "I'm in favor."

Producer Graham King, who had Scorsese as his main actor, raised his hand enthusiastically. "Agree."

With the majority in favor, Doug from Dyson Film and Television Professionals eventually voted in agreement as well.

The five spectators engrossed in their game consoles had no say in the matter.

Scorsese, after observing the collective agreement, gestured to Ellen. "Go ahead and inform him."

Ellen stood and exited the audition room, heading toward the dressing rooms.

Seeing her approach, Thomas stood up.

Bruce knocked on the door, and Martin emerged from the dressing room.

Martin wasn't the only one to emerge; Mene, a favorite of Ellen's, exited at the same time.

Ellen nodded discreetly at Mene and then approached Martin with a warm smile. "Congratulations, you've secured the role of Colin Sullivan."

Thomas couldn't contain his excitement and pumped his fist in the air.

Martin extended his hand to shake Allen's, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you! Thank you, Director Allen."

"You're welcome." Allen offered a piece of advice, "One thing to remember: when you get back, study your character and the script meticulously. Avoid watching the original film; don't let it influence you. What we're producing is an entirely different take."

Martin nodded earnestly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Just then, footsteps could be heard from the hallway, and Matt Damon entered, flanked by two individuals. Martin caught Damon's eye, and Damon certainly noticed Martin.

Damon approached Ellen, greeting him with a friendly, "Hi, Director Ellen."

Martin glanced back and retreated into the dressing room to remove his makeup.

As Damon exchanged pleasantries with Ellen, he instinctively turned to catch sight of Martin, only to find himself locking eyes with another individual. Those eyes were fixated on something behind Damon.

Possibly due to an instinctual stress reaction, Damon unconsciously extended his gut and tightened his rear, hoping to appear as inconspicuous as possible.

Bruce, who was growing bored, looked away and returned to the bench by the door.

Thomas couldn't help but cheer Damon on, proclaiming, "Martin will definitely catch up with him!"

Bruce couldn't help but think that if Matt Damon wasn't as bad as Martin, he would indeed be left in the dust.

Soon, the makeup artist finished and Martin emerged from the dressing room. He proceeded to hug Bruce, Thomas, and Jessica one by one, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you, each and every one of you."

His words were heartfelt and sincere, recognizing that his success wasn't solely achieved in the audition room; it was a team effort.

Before noon, the results of Mene's audition were announced.

Uncle Mene had charmed the casting director, and the audition had been more of a formality. He successfully landed the role of a black police officer working alongside Colin Sullivan.

Given the time frame, the Irish gang led by Frank wouldn't have had a black member. The character fit within the police department, and that's where Mene's character would shine.

At lunchtime, Martin called Emily, who was busy in the wanted studio, along with Thomas, Bruce, and Mene. He invited them to have lunch together.

This was his Los Angeles team, and Martin raised his glass for a toast, saying, "Winning the role in 'The Departed' was a collective effort. Each of your contributions was essential. We're a team, and this is a team victory. Thank you all!"

Bruce initiated the toast, and everyone clinked glasses with Martin.

Once the meal was served, Martin added, "Feel free to dig in."

Thomas refrained from diving into his meal right away and took the opportunity to provide some guidance. "I won't go into detail about 'Wanted'; that's your project, and you have free rein there. However, when you step into 'The Departed,' be vigilant. Matt Damon may not pose any problems, but Leonardo is not easy to work with, and there's another individual you need to be wary of."

Martin listened attentively, well aware of the fierce competition in Hollywood, especially among actors.

Thomas mentioned a specific name, "The actor likely to play the main antagonist is Jack Nicholson. He's notorious for being difficult to handle."

Martin nodded and shared his knowledge, saying, "I'm aware; he's famous for his temper. There's that incident where he smashed a car's window with a golf club because it blocked his path, costing him $500,000."

Mene chimed in with another rumor, "I heard he's been with 2,000 women in Hollywood?"

Thomas confirmed, "Nicholson, Marlon Brando, and Warren Beatty are often referred to as the three Hollywood playboys, and they've certainly lived up to the title."

Mene was fascinated, musing, "I wonder if I'll have as many when I reach my 60s."

Bruce, with a hint of sarcasm, chimed in, "But are there even that many female casting directors in Hollywood?"

Martin raised his glass once more, toasting his team, "Rest assured, I'll do my best to maintain a peaceful coexistence with everyone."

Bruce's senses were immediately heightened, sensing that Martin might be facing a tough journey ahead.

After lunch, Martin had a private conversation with Thomas, asking him to gather information about Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson.

"Don't worry; I'm not planning to start any trouble," Martin reassured Thomas. "Just in case."

Thomas had no choice but to trust him.

For Martin, Jack Nicholson was remembered more for Hollywood scandals than his films, such as being involved with Meryl Streep and having a reputation for pursuing younger women to secure higher positions.

Since coming to this world, Martin realized that Hollywood didn't pay much attention to such scandals. In most cases, the rumors and gossip were true.

Following his audition for "The Departed," Martin also auditioned for "Wanted." The difference was that in the former, he was an actor, while in the latter, he held a decision-making role.

Inside the audition room for "Wanted," along with Louise, Martin, and director Leterrier, there were several influential individuals who had been invited.

Their professionalism was visibly lower, and they whispered amongst themselves during the auditions.

During breaks between actors entering and leaving the room, Martin inquired of Louise, "Where did they come from?"

Louise explained, "Warner Bros. and the Screen Actors Guild routinely send representatives for such auditions. It's standard practice."

Martin called Jessica over and instructed her to find four handheld gaming devices for these individuals.

Jessica promptly carried out his request. By the time the next actor entered the room, she had located four handheld devices and handed them to the respective representatives.

With the devices in hand, the professionalism of these four representatives seemed to improve as they played games without much chatter.

The "Wanted" cast included Morgan Freeman as the antagonist. Other actors were being recruited gradually.

In addition, both Martin and Angelina Jolie required stunt doubles. Angelina reached out to the actor who had served as her stunt double in "Tomb Raider 2."

On Martin's end, he contacted the three stunt doubles from "The Hills Have Eyes." Bald Buck and Lewis were available and agreed to join the crew.

Simultaneously, Thomas negotiated Martin's salary for "The Departed." While it was relatively low, just one-tenth of the lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio's pay at $2 million, Martin received top-tier treatment in all other aspects, solidifying his status as a central character in the film.