Chapter 119: Female Lead Confirmed
Chapter 119: Female Lead Confirmed
Although the twenty-four-year-old Brooke Shields was breathtakingly beautiful at this time, and although she had already acted in several films since debuting at twelve, the string of “glorious” achievements in her previous-life résumé made Eric unable to praise her. This great beauty was the very first Worst Actress winner after the famous Golden Raspberry Awards were established, and afterward she repeatedly visited the second, fifth, and tenth Golden Raspberry Worst Actress categories. Later, she had even received nominations for Worst Actress of the Decade and Worst Actress of the Century. If there was one Hollywood performer who could be considered “equally famous” with Brooke Shields in that regard, only Madonna Ciccone, who fought on despite repeated defeats, could compare.
If the woman from the bus encounter did not require much acting skill, Eric would not even have had the desire to audition this great beauty before him. He was not yet at the point of gambling with a major production just for beauty.
Because the audition role was set as an office worker, most auditionees had deliberately changed into office-lady attire, and Brooke Shields was no exception. Therefore, Eric did not get to admire the tempting sight of the woman’s long legs tightly wrapped in jeans.
After greeting her and chatting casually for a while, Eric asked, “Miss Shields, what we need is an actress with a softer temperament, like the girl next door. But your aura is too sharp. If you get this role, would you mind if the makeup artist made some necessary adjustments to your face?”
Brooke Shields asked, “Mr. Williams, could you be more specific?”
Eric carefully sized up the woman and said, “For example, your eyebrows are too thick. If they’re trimmed thinner, your entire look will appear softer. Of course, this is only my personal opinion. The specific makeup plan will still need to follow the advice of professionals.”
After hearing Eric’s explanation, the woman nodded without hesitation. “No problem. If I can get the role, I’m willing to follow the makeup artist’s suggestions and make some necessary changes.”
“Oh.” Eric responded somewhat listlessly, inwardly muttering, Promotional interviews are all lies.
Although Eric lowered his head and wrote something on the file, Brooke Shields still keenly caught the subtle change in Eric’s expression. She did not know where she had made a mistake, but the young director before her clearly did not like her answer just now.
A moment later, Eric looked up again and said, “Then, Miss Shields, let’s try a few shots next.”
“Alright.” Brooke Shields quickly stood up, only to discover that no staff member handed her any shot script. Eric did not pay attention to her brief helplessness and slowly said, “Miss Shields, listen carefully. Right now, you are an employee at a Los Angeles… hm.” Eric pondered briefly and immediately invented a background for the role. “A junior employee at an architectural design firm.”
At this point, Eric suddenly stopped and said to Alan Fisman beside him, “Alan, write down what I’m saying.” After seeing his assistant pick up a pen, Eric continued, “She is a junior employee at an architectural design firm. Every day, she lives a dull nine-to-five life. But by chance, the woman falls in love with a mysterious man she encountered on a bus. After meeting several times, the man completely disappears. But the woman remains devoted and takes that same bus again and again, hoping to meet that mysterious man once more.”
After saying this, Eric stopped. Seeing the woman standing there blankly, Eric said, “Miss Shields, do you understand what I just said?”
Brooke Shields quickly nodded.
Eric pointed at the small door beside the audition room. It was a temporary changing room. “Miss Shields, the shot you need to perform is this. After a busy day, the female lead once again takes that bus home, but she still fails to see the mysterious man. Pretend that is the bus door. Now you get off the bus. Carefully experience the woman’s feelings as she gets off. I hope you can express them.”
Brooke Shields hesitated, then still asked, “Director Williams, could you… explain it a little more clearly?”
As the woman spoke, she revealed a pleading expression that was difficult for any man to resist. Even Eric’s steady heart involuntarily skipped twice, and he instantly could not bear to make things difficult for her anymore. He explained in detail, “Alright. You need to show exhaustion after getting off work, disappointment after once again failing to meet him, and loneliness as you walk through a busy street filled with cars and people. That’s roughly it.”
Brooke Shields said nothing more and obediently walked into the changing room. A moment later, the door opened. The woman lowered her head slightly and walked out of the room. Her steps were very slow, but she clearly had not entered the right state. She carefully lifted her feet as if walking a tightrope. Her exquisite face was tense, and there was only one emotion visible: discomfort.
The small door of the changing room was seven or eight meters from the opposite wall. Brooke Shields quickly finished walking the distance, and the woman also knew her performance had been terrible. She took the initiative to say, “Mr. Williams, can I try again?”
“Of course.” Eric nodded and made a casual gesture.
Brooke Shields hurried back. This time, she took a full minute to prepare before the small room’s door opened again. Although her steps were much more relaxed this time, the result was still unsatisfactory.
Naturally, the woman looked toward Eric again.
“Try again,” Eric said.
…
“It’s fine. Relax. Try again.”
…
“The last one was decent. Again.”
…
“Good. There’s a little feeling now. Relax your expression a bit more. Again.”
…
“It was originally decent, but why did you brush your hair back? You’ve worked for an entire day. Do you still have the energy to care about your image? Again!”
…
“Make the arm swing smaller. Don’t carry the bag over your shoulder. Hold it in your hand. Again!”
…
At the beginning, the woman had still been the one asking to repeat the performance, but after several rounds, Eric seemed to enter a director’s state. Without realizing it, he stood up, holding a paper tube in his hand as he waved it and roared, mercilessly ordering the woman to repeat the performance again and again.
Brooke Shields was completely intimidated by Eric’s momentum and almost forgot that she still had the right to refuse. After more than ten attempts, the woman was practically performing according to Eric’s demands with tears in her eyes.
After nearly twenty rounds of torment, Eric finally saw the woman walk out of the small door with her head slightly lowered, a lock of long hair drooping over her brow, her face filled with desolation. There was no longer the slightest artificiality in her expression. She simply walked forward, her whole body seeming almost weightless, radiating a faint loneliness and solitude.
If Brooke Shields’ earlier appearance could only stir desire, her current state would arouse most men’s urge to pity and protect her.
“Cut! Excellent. Everyone, prepare for the next shot!”
Eric’s habitual line from the set almost instinctively slipped out.
Brooke Shields froze. Everyone else in the audition room froze as well. Eric, who reacted almost at the same time, also froze.
After a brief silence, someone finally could not hold back the first soft laugh. Immediately afterward, everyone burst out laughing.
Brooke Shields, standing by the opposite wall, also let out a laugh while covering her mouth. At the same time, the tears she had been holding back because of Eric’s scolding slid down without obstruction.
Eric awkwardly relaxed his body and sat back down.
He did not know what exactly had come over him just now. Perhaps after seeing Brooke Shields’ terrible acting, he had involuntarily developed a strong impulse to knead it into shape. It was like certain severe obsessive-compulsive patients who, upon seeing fruit pieces in a platter arranged unevenly, would repeatedly adjust them until they matched the perfect arrangement in their mind.
“Alright, that’s enough, Miss Shields.”
“You can call me Brooke, Mr. Williams,” the woman said after sitting back down in that chair, leaning forward slightly and taking the initiative.
Eric raised an eyebrow. “Then, Brooke, that’s enough. You see, you still have great potential. Perhaps your performances in those previous films weren’t outstanding only because those directors cherished beauty too much and couldn’t bear to torment you.”
“Then, Eric, do I have hope of getting this role?” The woman followed Eric’s words and climbed closer, her bright eyes staring fixedly at him. A seductive smile curved her lips. “I also hope you can properly ‘torment’ me.”
All the surrounding staff unconsciously turned their gazes toward Eric. They did not know what had happened last night and still believed Eric had internally decided Jennifer Connelly for the lead role. Therefore, they were very curious how Eric would respond to Brooke Shields’ slightly teasing words just now.
Eric picked up the pen beside him, spun it twice, and gently nodded. “You can go back now, Brooke. Someone will notify you of the good news very soon. But you should also think it over carefully. Although you don’t have many scenes, my requirements will still be very strict. I hope when we’re on set, you won’t tear up in grievance like you did just now. If your crazy fans find out I made the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ cry, they’ll kill me.”
“Of course. I won’t,” the woman promised happily, then stood up and walked out of the audition room.
“Hey, Eric, what about that little beauty from yesterday?” After Brooke Shields left, the gossiping Nickel immediately leaned over.
Eric shrugged without explaining and said, “Alright, continue the auditions. Call the next one.”
The following auditions brought no more surprises. Eric ultimately confirmed Brooke Shields for the role of the woman from the bus encounter. After completing the day’s work, the workweek was also considered over.
Coincidentally, today was March 17 as well, the first weekend of the Easter season. Many new films were released on this day, naturally including Road House, which had already undergone a series of publicity stunts. United Artists had secured 1,927 opening screens for the film, several dozen more than Pretty Woman had received when it opened over a month ago. Previously, because it had not yet been widely released, United Artists had continued guiding the film’s word of mouth in the media, and most coverage had been mainly praise. But after opening day, by the next day, the film almost immediately faced one-sided criticism.