Chapter 9: Lead Actress Auditions

[Chapter 9: Lead Actress Auditions]

"Does this Brad Pitt seem a bit taller than Eric and a little older?" The last audition ended with Brad Pitt stepping out of the room, and with a pause in the auditions, James Brooks began discussing with a few of the heads in charge.

Penny Marshall commented, "Yeah, Blake Quinn from audition number seven was pretty good."

A few other heads chimed in with their opinions.

Eric glanced over Blake's materials -- he was a seventeen-year-old blond kid, standing five foot seven and a bit frail, which indeed matched the image of Alex from Eric's previous life, but he wasn't what Eric wanted.

Unable to hold back, Eric spoke up, "Penny, I feel like Blake Quinn looks too weak. While he fits that bullied high school student vibe early on, by the end of the movie, having such a frail kid shine on the basketball court would feel jarring, giving the audience a false impression. I just graduated high school, and I know for sure a guy like that wouldn't make it on a high school basketball team, much less get scouted."

James Brooks nodded in agreement with Eric's analysis. "You're right, Eric. Who do you think would be a better choice?"

"How about Brad Pitt?"

Penny Marshall responded, "But Brad Pitt is even a bit taller than you."

Eric shrugged. "Height isn't an issue; it's common for kids to be taller than their parents. Plus, his image could make Alex's transformation feel less jarring."

James asked, "How so?"

"First off, we know that Brad Pitt can act. Although he hasn't starred in any films yet, he's done quite a bit of television, and his audition was solid. He can absolutely portray Alex's insecure and timid nature early in the film. Then later, with Mike's encouragement and training, he can confidently showcase himself and pursue the girl he likes. You see, he already has that potential; once it's unleashed, the audience won't feel it's fake. They'll think, 'Oh, that's exactly how Alex is!'"

The others around nodded in agreement with Eric's viewpoint. Eric could tell that James Brooks was a bit interested, but he didn't decide immediately. Instead, he said, "Alright, let's revisit this issue later. Now, let's start the auditions for the actresses."

The first audition featured Angelina Jolie. The girl presented herself with confidence while answering questions, but when it came to acting, she didn't quite deliver. Her performance was filled with the exaggeration typical of stage acting, almost dragging Eric down with her. If he had total casting power, he might have given Jolie a minor role just for the fun of collecting future stars in his film. Alas, he didn't hold much sway at the moment.

After a few more girls had their turns, Drew Barrymore entered.

With her signature sweet doll-like face, she wore a white crop top, with the black straps of her bra subtly showing with her movements. Her lower half flaunted a knee-length white pleated skirt, revealing a glimpse of her fair calves and clad in black ankle boots. If someone only looked at her appearance, they would see a slightly precocious teen beauty, never associating her with words like alcoholism or drug abuse.

As Drew took a seat opposite the casting directors, she played with her bangs and noticed the young Eric sitting near middle-aged men and women. The stark contrast made Eric's youthful face appear exceptionally handsome to her. Drew's red lips curled into a flirtatious smile as she tossed a wink at Eric, an allure that felt far beyond her years, making Eric's heart flutter unexpectedly.

James and the others exchanged glances, frowning at Eric. He gazed back innocently, thinking, 'Hey, why are you glaring at me? I'm just being propositioned here!'

Finally, James broke the silence. "Alright, Drew, let's keep it together. Let's begin."

"Of course, Mr. Brooks," Drew replied sweetly, transforming into the innocent girl-next-door once more.

...

"Stop it, Maggie, I'm not that kind of guy." The scene shifted to Ned's bedroom, where Maggie and Mike were in another scene together. Mike kept dodging his daughter's attempts to pounce on him.

"No, you are."

"No, I'm not!"

"You're a good person; you're different from them."

"I am very different from them. I'm fundamentally different!" Mike fumbled his words.

A once frisky little lion suddenly realized something, sitting on the bed with a disappointed expression. "Oh, I... I get it now."

"What do you understand?"

"Your hair looks so tidy, and yet you want to make it more noticeable."

"What do you mean?" Mike asked, puzzled.

"I mean... dude, those jeans are way too tight!"

Mike glanced down at his jeans, suddenly blurting out, "No, I'm not gay! I was dating a girl when I was seventeen!"

Relieved, Maggie jumped up and quickly asked, "Is she from our school? Do I know her? What's her name? I want to know her name!"

"Okay," Maggie leaned closer to Mike, just like her mother, playfully pinching his cheek. "You'd better tell your girlfriend to keep a close eye on you. Ooh, ooh!"

...

In the room, everyone was engrossed in how deeply the two were performing together. Had it been in the right scenario, their acting could've been directly included in the movie.

Some couldn't help but think how unfair it was for God to gift these two such exceptional acting talent. The people in charge of casting had been in the industry for many years, witnessing numerous performances that still received harsh critiques as if cursed by the Razzies. Meanwhile, the talent of these young performers seemed innate and effortless.

They were unaware that Drew's talent was genuinely natural, while Mike was riding a wave of previous experience and vivid memories as if they were playing simultaneously in his mind. If he didn't perform well, it would be time for an IQ test.

"Eric, your performance was outstanding. I heard you're the screenwriter for this movie; that's incredible!" Once the scene concluded, Drew looked at Eric with curiosity.

Eric nodded. "Thanks, but you were even more impressive, Miss Barrymore."

"Thank you for the compliment," Drew readily extended her hand.

Eric reciprocated with a handshake, noticing her fingers lightly grazing his palm. He smiled faintly, not allowing himself to feel any special significance from it, thinking perhaps Drew just felt he had some say in casting and wanted to gently nudge him towards her when it came time for role selection.

But she didn't know he was only there to practice his acting.

After Drew Barrymore left, the heads felt a bit silent. They all knew how Drew's audition opportunity came about; initially wanting to test the waters, they had thought they'd eliminate her easily. Surprisingly, she had turned out to be the best performer so far.

As the next auditions continued, including Eric, everyone seemed a bit distracted.

Nearly an hour later, as noon grew closer, Eric finally realized there was only one audition sheet left in his hand. He casually peered at the name: Jennifer Aniston.

Wow, within a second, Eric's mind sprang into action, exclaiming silently, "The American sweetheart!"

...

James Brooks spoke up, "Miss Aniston, could you introduce yourself, please?"

Jennifer Aniston sensed that the only young person across from her had a rather intense gaze -- one that carried a hint of excitement -- making her feel slightly pleased yet a little shy. After introducing herself, the director asked the boy to perform a few scenes with her before wrapping up the audition.

It was clear that those overseeing the auditions were somewhat distracted; perhaps they had already decided on their choices. Aniston felt a wave of disappointment; both her parents were in the industry, keeping her more informed than outsiders. Still, she completed her performance, hoping to land one of the smaller roles.

...

Once Jennifer Aniston exited the audition room, Eric reluctantly pulled his gaze away. As the files indicated from his previous life, Aniston did indeed look a bit fuller at the time but not necessarily overweight. Standing at five foot six and wearing heels, she still presented herself as a graceful young woman.

However, due to on-screen weight perception, the cameras magnified this flaw significantly.

"What's up, Eric? Do you like that girl? I must say, her smile is quite sweet," Penny Marshall teased, her voice cutting through Eric's thoughts. The others noticed his moment of distraction and chuckled.

Eric snapped back to reality, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratching his head. "Penny, don't tease me! I'm just... just..."

James Brooks, sorting through his materials, laughed, "Oh, it's not teasing, Eric! If you like her, maybe you should run after her and walk her home. Look, auditions are over, but if you want to stick around and have lunch with us old-timers, I won't stop you."

"I think... I'll pass," Eric felt that acting on those thoughts would be a tad over the top, and he wouldn't want to come off as too eager to Aniston.

"Hey Eric, be bold!" James Brooks encouraged. "In a sea of faces, good girls don't come around often. Although she might be a little fuller on-screen, that sweet smile can make up for it. So if you go after her now, I could arrange a small role for her -- perhaps one of Maggie's three best friends? That would give you a chance to spend more time with her."

"Really? That would be amazing, James! I'll... I'll just head out then!" Eric had intended to request James give Aniston a shot, but he hadn't figured out how to approach it; now, Brooks had offered it himself.

Once Eric wrapped up, he quickly gathered his backpack and dashed out the door amidst the encouraging laughter of the others.

*****

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