Actor in Hollywood Chapter 3: Show Time

David stepped aside from the doorway. "You must be Anson, right?"

"Anson Wood. It's an honor to et you, Mr. Klein."

His voice was deep and magnetic, like blue velvet. David turned towards the sound, his gaze naturally lifting—Anson was taller than expected.

With a tall and well-proportioned fra, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist, he had the perfect build for clothes. Surprisingly, he wasn't dressed in the typical, stiff shirt and suit. Instead, he wore a white T-shirt paired with gray cargo pants and a simple peacock-blue knitted cardigan. His handso, chiseled features carried a fresh and sunny, clean-cut aura. These contrasting qualities blended together perfectly, exuding a unique French charm in every gesture.

Though unassuming, he easily stood out from the usual stereotypes.

At first glance, David was impressed. On closer inspection, he couldn't help but take another look.

A smile tugged at the corners of David's mouth. "Sir? Ha, it seems Darren has painted quite the intimidating picture of ."

"Uncle Darren says it's called professionalism. After all, you're not here to make friends." Anson didn't follow the expected small talk.

David paused slightly, taking another look at the young man in front of him. Sotis, blunt honesty can be off-putting; other tis, it's refreshing. The tone, manner, and expression are also part of the art of conversation.

Clearly, Anson belonged to the latter category.

David gently raised his chin. "And what about you?"

Anson and David moved to the desk, but neither sat down. Instead, they remained standing on opposite sides of the desk. Anson t David's gaze calmly. "I'm here to make friends. After all, I'm not yet professional."

Was that... a double entendre?

David laughed out loud, looking into Anson's clear eyes, feeling relaxed and at ease. Then he sat down, and with a glance, invited Anson to do the sa.

David asked, "So, what did Darren tell you?"

Anson had to search his mory; after all, everything had happened so quickly today. But there was nothing in his mind. "He said to tell you that I really, really love 'Friends.'"

So straightforward?

David was amused again.

But Anson wasn't done. "However, I think you've probably heard that countless tis before. After all, I'm not the only one who loves 'Friends,' otherwise the show wouldn't have been number one in the U.S."

David crossed his hands over his stomach, leaned back in his chair, and gently lifted his chin, pride evident in his eyes.

"Personally, I found 'Dream On' interesting, and 'Veronica's Closet' probably gave Uncle Darren so inspiration." Anson finally concluded.

Both shows were produced by David.

"Veronica's Closet," in particular, told the story of a lingerie company's female boss and her employees, predating "Sex and the City." But in terms of success and reputation, "Sex and the City" far surpassed the forr.

David let out a hearty laugh. "Darren probably wouldn't like your perspective."

Anson disagreed. "Inspiration can co from anywhere, but not everyone can turn that inspiration into a great piece of work."

David's eyebrows lifted slightly as his expression suddenly turned stern, a cold snort escaping his lips. "Are you criticizing for not producing sothing like 'Sex and the City'?"

Was this... a test?

Anson didn't panic or shy away; he t David's gaze head-on. "I'm saying that both of you found your niches and created works that many people love."

The air grew quiet.

David didn't speak imdiately; instead, he quietly observed Anson.

There was a pure and comfortable aura about Anson. The way he spoke, sincere and straightforward, gradually lightened the atmosphere. Even soone as seasoned as David, who had spent years navigating the world of fa and fortune, couldn't help but be drawn to his eyes—there was none of the awkwardness of an eighteen-year-old.

Oddly enough, David was reminded of Alain Delon.

David's lips curled into a slight smile, the tension in the room dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. He changed the subject. "So, what have you prepared to show ?"

Initially, it was just supposed to be a formality; then, just a brief conversation. But now, David was genuinely curious—

He wondered how this young man's performance would turn out.

He wasn't exactly expecting a performance genius. Even if it turned out to be a disaster, that wouldn't be a problem—after all, Brad Pitt wasn't a star overnight; he was trained bit by bit. David was simply curious about which scene Anson would choose and how he would perform it.

Anson was a bit nervous. "Oh, right now?"

Finally, David saw so emotions on this kid's face that matched his age, and a trace of a smile appeared in his eyes. "What, do we need to schedule another ti?"

Anson quipped, "No, I was just going to suggest that I have a performance at a small theater in a few days. Maybe you could watch the whole thing there. But clearly, you're not interested."

David chuckled again. "You guessed correctly."

That small joke helped Anson calm down a bit—

Honestly, everything was happening so fast. It had only been five minutes since his ti travel. He originally thought this audition would be just a formality, but David had suddenly shifted gears, completely upending the situation. A thousand thoughts surged in his mind, making him naturally feel a bit flustered and nervous.

But only for a mont.

In his previous life, he had tried various jobs to make ends et, experiencing situations both big and small. He wasn't really an inexperienced eighteen-year-old.

Besides, he had just traveled through ti like The Flash. This was rely an audition—no need to lose his cool.

On second thought, this was his mont in the spotlight. He should be excited and thrilled.

So, what should he perform for the audition?

Generally, rookie actors often like to perform classic scenes in auditions.

For example, Robert De Niro's "You talkin' to ?" from *Taxi Driver*, the "To be or not to be" soliloquy from *Hamlet*, or the famous line from *Casablanca*, "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."

The reason is simple: classics evoke a sense of resonance and familiarity.

If you perform an obscure character during an audition, it's hard to capture the audience's attention, and a golden opportunity could be wasted.

But here's the issue: classics also co with fixed impressions. Any performance will inevitably be compared to the original. If it's too similar, it lacks originality; if it's too different, it's seen as heresy. No matter how you perform, it's hard to break free from the shadow of the original, and you might end up being just another forgettable face.

So, what should he do?

Anson had an idea.

Maybe, in the limited ti of an audition, the focus shouldn't be on showcasing dialogue skills, recreating classics, or demonstrating basic acting chops.

Instead, it should be on displaying his own personality and firmly grabbing the audience's attention.

Anson wasn't sure if this idea was the right one, but you never know until you try, right?

What if he fails?

If he fails, well, Uncle Darren can always make another call. If you can rely on your looks, why bother relying on talent? And if there's a shortcut, why take the long way around?

With that thought, Anson looked up at David, with no trace of nervousness left.

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