Something to strive for

Hugo's honesty brought silence to the conference room. Although he chose to speak the truth, the remorse in his heart was already tumultuous. Hugo realized that he still lacked experience and was controlled by his nervousness in the face of a real opportunity. He inexplicably took this step, which made him feel helpless.

He knew that "Scent of a Woman" was a great opportunity and he yearned to learn from Al Pacino in a close-up scene, but the result was still disrupted by nervousness. Only God knew when the next opportunity would come, even if Hugo knew what work was the real prize, it would all be in vain if he couldn't seize it.

Ellen was somewhat surprised by Hugo's honesty, especially when she saw the regretful expression on Hugo's face. She couldn't help but smile. This was very different from the Hugo she had seen in the media over the past three years. The Hugo in front of her was more like the big boy before he starred in "Dead Poets Society". He was young, sincere, and earnest but full of fighting spirit and yearning. You could clearly feel his vitality.

In fact, Hugo's performance just now was very good, even excellent. Otherwise, they would not have given him time to talk at length, and the director and screenwriter would not have spoken either.

Hugo didn't just come for a movie audition, he had his own understanding of the script and the character. However, he didn't blindly try to override the script, instead, he was aware of his own limitations and strengths and was able to apply them throughout the audition process. Ellen could see Hugo's nervousness, but his confidence, which seemed instinctive, made him look like an uncut gem waiting to be carved, arousing great expectations. This kind of Hugo had already achieved a certain spiritual connection and similarity with the character of Charlie in his innate nature.

Although Hugo's audition content was only a short 30 seconds, as he said, it fully showcased the essence of Charlie's character. His honest, kind, and fresh image was full of the scholarly aura of a student, which was eye-catching. This kind of Hugo once again reminded Ellen of the rising star actor full of infinite possibilities before "Dead Poets Society".

Presumably, director Martin and screenwriter Bo both saw this point, which was why they asked their first question today, signaling their satisfaction with Hugo.

Ellen lowered her head and saw Bo draw a tick on Hugo's resume next to her right hand. She glanced at Bo and knew that he was satisfied with Hugo. Then she looked over and saw the densely packed records on the resume in front of Martin, indicating that Martin had been thinking about Hugo's appearance on set during the entire audition process. What did that mean? It meant that Martin was already thinking about the situation when Hugo appears on the set.

Sure enough, as Martin looked up and met Ellen's gaze, and a smile drew an arch on his lips. Then Martin nodded slightly and pointed at Hugo's resume, indicating "this is the one". Martin believed that Hugo had successfully impressed him with his demeanor, attitude, and sincerity, all of which were the potential qualities of an excellent actor. The rest would depend on the sparks that the director and crew could create during the collaboration.

However, Ellen still had some hesitation, which was about Hugo's Golden Raspberry Award. Although the Golden Raspberry Award was only an entertainment award and did not have real authority, it could still be a deduction factor for filmmakers. And since Hugo did not have many points to begin with, being affected by the Golden Raspberry Award would likely make the production company, Universal Pictures, somewhat unhappy.

If this were a commercial film, the Golden Raspberry Award might be a factor in promoting it. But "Scent of a Woman" was not, and the worst actor award would certainly be a hindrance. Moreover, Hugo's poor performance in his past three works would also shake people's confidence in his acting skills. Who could guarantee that Hugo's outstanding performance today was not just a one-off and that his acting wouldn't revert back to Golden Raspberry Award-level bad after "Scent of a Woman" began filming?

Ellen circled the "Hudson Hawk" position on his resume and showed it to Bo and Martin, indicating for them to take a look. Sure enough, the two hesitated a bit and paused as they exchanged glances with each other.

Looking at the four people in front of him, no one spoke, they just silently exchanged glances while their pens were moving on their resumes. Hugo realized that he really wanted to seize this opportunity, even though he made some mistakes earlier due to nervousness. At the same time, Hugo also knew that he stood out in certain areas, otherwise Martin and Bo wouldn't have spoken up on their own.

Hugo knew that he couldn't give up. Since he had decided to do his best, he had to "pull out all the stops". Giving up now was not his style.

"Ahem... ladies and gentlemen," Hugo spoke again, capturing the attention of the four people, including Lily, the representative of the Screen Actors Guild. He took another deep breath to calm his nerves and returned to the state he was in when he first talked about the character of Charlie. Because Hugo knew that this was what he desired and what he wanted to do, he would not give up easily.

"I want to talk about my understanding of the movie "Scent of a Woman". I know it's not my job, but it's the reason why I love this movie and why I want to be in this movie so much." Hugo didn't know if his explanation would be useful, but he knew that he wouldn't have had this opportunity before when he participated in supporting role auditions. But now, he was in Hollywood in 1992, why not try his best? At least, the four people in front of him didn't interrupt him, which was a good start.

"I really like the movie "Dead Poets Society" because it teaches us to have free thinking, to strive for our dreams, to make our lives more meaningful, so as not to find out that we haven't really lived when our life is over." Hugo's tone was so firm because he was so eager for today's opportunity, and he would never surrender. He would rather fight until the last moment and fail than give up without trying.

"And "Scent of a Woman" teaches us to stick to our principles, not to change our beliefs because of social pressure and too much pragmatism, otherwise, you will no longer be yourself." Hugo spoke very quickly, not only because he urgently wanted to express his thoughts, but also because his brain was filled with this firm belief at this moment. There was no nervousness, no panic, no hesitation, only a firm conviction. "Both movies feature students in preparatory schools who face scenes of intimidation and temptation from the school, causing them to do things that go against their will!"

"In "Dead Poets Society", those kids reluctantly accused John Keating, but in "Scent of a Woman", Charlie stood by his principles and absolutely refused to betray his friend!" Hugo said quickly. When he spoke passionately, he didn't raise his voice, but his light brown eyes sparkled with a bright light, and his smile was proudly radiant, making people involuntarily enter his rhythm of speech. "I know that the whole movie "Scent of a Woman" explores much deeper themes, but from Charlie's perspective, the story is about principles. Perhaps in the future, he will face countless difficulties and darkness, because the sheer scope of society will always exceed his imagination. But only by sticking to his principles, he will not lose himself in this vast world."

"So..." At this point, Hugo finally paused and took a breath. "So I really want to be a part of this movie, no, I want to be Charlie, just like I wanted to be Neil from before."

Hugo finished his long speech and breathed slightly, not because he was tired, but because he was excited. He looked at the four interviewers in front of him with his sparkling eyes. Hugo knew that he had done his best, and the rest was up to them to decide. If he succeeded, he would cheer; if he failed, he would have no regrets.

Looking at Hugo in front of him, Martin showed a big smile, but he didn't say anything to Hugo. Instead, he turned to his two companions on his left side and asked, "So, are you willing to bear the consequences?"

Both Bo and Ellen knew what Martin meant. If they chose Hugo to play the role of Charlie, it would mean that they would have to bear the serious negative impact of the 12th Golden Raspberry Awards. Although the Golden Raspberry Awards had passed for some time, once "Scent of a Woman" became Hugo's first work after "Hudson Hawk", it would inevitably become a huge target. This risk must be borne by the director, producer, screenwriter, and the entire team of the production company.

This was not easy, it required courage, a great deal of courage.

It had to be said that from the moment Hugo entered the room today, he had attracted the attention of everyone present and convinced each interviewer's heart in the most direct and sincere way. Bo shrugged and smiled, "As a screenwriter, I vote in favor. After all, this script has not been favored by Universal Pictures since its preparation, and even Al's joining has not changed anything. Now adding a little burden means nothing to me now."

Ellen, as the casting director, ultimately had to serve the production team. Naturally, she had no objections and had already agreed in her heart. Therefore, after receiving confirmation from the director, producer, and screenwriter, Ellen turned to the nervous Hugo and smiled, saying, "Hugo, your performance today was particularly brilliant. We appreciate your visit very much. If we have any news, we will inform you as soon as possible."

Hugo was still waiting for more information, but Ellen had already stood up and walked towards the door, indicating that the interview was over. What? Was that it? He had heard that conversation just now and thought he was about to succeed, but now it seemed like he didn't.

Was it really that difficult to break through the odds of one in three hundred?