Not the priority choice

"The name of the script is "Sleepless in Seattle". I heard the inspiration came from "An Affair to Remember", which also marked the beginning of chick flicks." Joseph introduced the details of the audition, but Hugo immediately understood what kind of movie it was, and his initial reaction was astonishment. Joseph didn't notice Hugo's surprise and continued, "The story is about a widower and a female journalist who accidentally connect through a radio station and eventually fall in love."

"Sleepless in Seattle" is one of the most famous works in the history of chick flicks. How could Hugo not know about it? This movie tells the story of a radio host who receives a call from a child on Christmas Eve. The child, named Jonah, makes a wish for his father to remarry because his mother passed away a year and a half ago, leaving his father living in loneliness and sadness. At the same time, a female journalist heading to Washington overhears the story on the radio. Especially when Jonah's father answers the call, it unexpectedly connects the female journalist and Jonah's father.

After its release, this movie received widespread acclaim and became a defining work for the on-screen couple, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

Although Tom Hanks wasn't the most influential leading man in Hollywood when "Sleepless in Seattle" was released, he had already gained considerable attention through works like "Big" and "Splash". "Sleepless in Seattle" elevated Tom Hanks' image as a good guy to a new level. Afterward, he embarked on his path to stardom with the film "Philadelphia". Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise became the two most famous Toms in Hollywood.

In the early 1990s, Meg Ryan rose to stardom with "When Harry Met Sally" and became one of America's sweetheart alongside Julia Roberts. However, during those three years, Meg Ryan's works were merely average and she couldn't surpass the peak of "When Harry Met Sally".

Tom and Meg joined forces in "Sleepless in Seattle", making the film a classic representative of romcoms.

Hugo never expected that the script of "Sleepless in Seattle" would come to him through Robert's introduction. It was a surprising delight, but this time, the surprise outweighed the joy. After Joseph finished speaking, Hugo raised his question, "Joseph, are you sure Rob said this role is very suitable for me?"

"Yes," Joseph nodded.

"But haven't you noticed that it's a widower's role, and he also has an eight-year-old child?" Hugo looked at Joseph with a serious expression and said, "I'm only twenty-five this year. Do you think it's convincing?" Hugo knew that "Sleepless in Seattle" chose Tom Hanks because he was the right age and had the charm of a mature man, making him perfect to play a widower with an eight-year-old child. But if it were played by Hugo, it would seem somewhat forced.

Joseph was taken aback for a moment, then he realized, "But... isn't that an actor's job? To portray characters that may not necessarily align with their own personality, even the opposite?"

Actually, Joseph's statement was not entirely correct. While actors rely on their acting skills to convince the audience, if their appearance is not convincing, even with outstanding acting skills, they will inevitably be discounted. For example, imagine Arnold Schwarzenegger with a face full of sadness, pity, helplessness, and teary eyes seeking sympathy and forgiveness. It would feel awkward no matter how you look at it. That's why throughout Arnold's acting career, he has played many different types of roles, but he has never played a deeply tormented character, or if he did, it was not widely known because the audience didn't buy it.

This is the limitation of actors. Appearance easily confines an actor's range of roles. Further development reveals the hardships faced by handsome men and beautiful women on the path of acting.

Although Joseph's statement is not absolutely correct, his next sentence left Hugo speechless. "I thought you would want to challenge yourself with different roles, break free from your established image, and strive for further breakthroughs in acting."

In fact, Joseph's intention was not to provoke, but to seriously consider. After he finished speaking, both Hugo and Joseph fell into deep thought.

Hugo knew that to become an outstanding actor, sticking to a fixed range of roles would never work. Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts were two good examples. Both were American sweethearts, but in the late 1990s and early 21st century, they embarked on completely different career paths.

Meg's acting career was confined to her sweetheart image. Even though she tried to seek breakthroughs, unfortunately, she was unable to achieve success and gradually declined. Julia, on the other hand, boldly embraced change. Her performance in "Erin Brockovich" earned her an Oscar, and although her subsequent career was unable to replicate the glory of the 1990s, she still firmly held her position as America's leading actress for over 20 years. It wasn't until Sandra Bullock emerged with successes like "The Blind Side" and "The Proposal" that she posed a threat to Julia's position as the Hollywood queen for two decades.

And it was not just Meg and Julia. Look at those top actors: Tom Hanks, Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Penn, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, and many others. They constantly challenged themselves, explored different roles, and eventually found their own path in acting.

Therefore, in the pursuit of acting, being afraid of challenges will never lead to success.

Hugo was afraid just now. When he heard about the role in "Sleepless in Seattle", his immediate reaction was "I can't do it". That was fear. Not every actor is suitable for every role, but after receiving the script, they must think carefully and evaluate whether they are suitable or not. That's the correct approach. Hugo didn't even take the time to think, and he immediately concluded that he couldn't do it. That's not the attitude of an excellent actor.

So, was Hugo suitable for the role in "Sleepless in Seattle"?

"Hugo, we have never discussed what kind of actor you want to become, and I haven't made any plans for your acting career. I've always been happy whenever we get an audition opportunity, without considering whether it's suitable or not."

Joseph was also self-reflecting. As a manager, he should possess not only a broad perspective but also a clear vision to make accurate arrangements based on an actor's characteristics and needs. Otherwise, a manager would forever remain an intermediary and never become part of the industry's decision-making echelon.

Although Ron Meyer was a profit-driven businessman, he did have the capability as a manager. He meticulously planned Hugo's path as an actor, and even though he didn't reach the ultimate goal, his efforts were still admirable. Joseph currently lacked this kind of broad perspective because he was still too immature and didn't have a profound understanding of the industry. However, he should at least possess preliminary judgment skills when it comes to scripts, which would be crucial for Hugo's future development.

"Actually, on my way back, I inquired about it, and Nora doesn't have high hopes for you either. You are not her first choice, even with Rob's recommendation." Joseph hesitated for a moment but ultimately spoke the truth. He also began to wonder if Hugo's thoughts were indeed correct. Perhaps Hugo truly wasn't suitable for the movie "Sleepless in Seattle". "On one hand, she thinks you are too young, and on the other hand, she thinks you are too handsome."

This is the limitation of an actor. Hugo's appearance was fully utilized in "A Few Good Men", but it wasn't as effective in "Sleepless in Seattle" because the movie emphasized a mature and considerate personality rather than the male lead's appearance. If Hugo were to play a role in "Pretty Woman", his appearance wouldn't have been an issue.

"Then who is her first choice?" Hugo asked casually.

"Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid," Joseph replied. The former wasn't surprising, while the latter, although not an ideal choice, was within reason.

Dennis Quaid had been in the acting industry for thirteen years but had never achieved great fame. Currently, his most famous work was "The Right Stuff" in 1983, and he also married America's sweetheart, Meg Ryan, in 1991. However, Dennis had always portrayed an image of a handsome, reliable, and masculine man on screen. Therefore, to some extent, it was not a problem for him to appear in "Sleepless in Seattle".

"But why did they refuse?" Hugo knew that if Julia and Dennis hadn't refused, Rob wouldn't have recommended him to Nora.

Joseph shrugged. "Julia doesn't want to work with Dennis? I don't know." Julia and Meg were direct competitors, and Meg was Dennis's wife, so it was understandable. "But now Nora is mainly focused on the selection of the female lead. Goldie Hawn, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Jodie Foster are all on the list."

Hugo was somewhat surprised because the final leads of "Sleepless in Seattle" were not on the list. He fell silent, realizing that most characters were originally fictional. Unless it was a biographical film, there was no definitive image for a character. The reason a character had an image was because the actor infused the role with their soul. For example, when people mentioned "The Silence of the Lambs", they would think of Anthony Hopkins. It was the same for "Sleepless in Seattle". Hugo's rejection of the male lead was because he had Tom Hanks' image in his mind, and his current image was far from that of Tom Hanks. Therefore, his initial reaction was that it was impossible.

However, now it seemed that wasn't the case. Nora hadn't made a final decision on the male and female leads yet. She just instinctively believed that Hugo was too young and too handsome, so he wasn't suitable. But was that truly the case? Then why did Rob believe that Hugo was suitable for this movie?