Hollywood: Behind The SpotLight Chapter 46

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 46

Lawrence stepped out of the restroom with slow, steady steps after completing a ritual in front of the mirror where he hypnotized himself with affirmations that he was an amazing actor. Today was another audition, a potential turning point for the next chapter of his career.

"Phew, that felt so good~~"

As he stepped into the hallway, he heard a voice echo faintly from the won's restroom. Turning his head, he caught sight of a man in his 40s exiting the won's restroom without a hint of sha.

The middle-aged man sighed in satisfaction as he adjusted his crotch and walked away without a backward glance.

"...Isn't that Mr. Harper, the producer of the project I'm auditioning for?" Lawrence whispered to himself, narrowing his eyes.

He recognized the man from the reference materials Collin had shown him. The key people involved in the project, especially the director and the producer, who had final say in the casting decisions.

Collin had originally offered to accompany him to the audition for support, but Lawrence decided to go alone to build independence.

He feared this audition might end in failure, and he didn't want to waste Collin's ti or appear overly reliant. He knew Collin had other clients who might need more urgent attention. Lawrence was already deeply grateful that Collin had opened doors for him in an industry that had ignored him.

Now, it was ti to stand alone and prove he could make it on his own.

As Lawrence walked forward, he heard the rhythmic tapping of high heels behind him. He turned and saw a beautiful woman erging from the won's restroom with poise and elegance. She lightly fixed her hair, her cheeks freshly powdered, and her lips glistening with a fresh coat of gloss.

What caught Lawrence's attention, however, was sothing quite distracting, a single strand of pubic hair beneath the woman's chin. It appeared she hadn't noticed it while fixing her appearance.

He recognized her but couldn't quite place where or in which project he had seen her, possibly a TV series?

The woman noticed Lawrence staring for a second too long and offered a confident, charming smile.

"You're also here for an audition, right?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Uh, yeah. You're also auditioning for Passionate Island?" Lawrence replied with a polite smile, doing his best not to glance again at the stray pubic hair under her chin.

Passionate Island was the na of the romantic drama they were both auditioning for. A story filled with beauty, heartbreak, and natural disaster. It revolved around a couple who fell in love on a paradise island in the Pacific, only to have their romantic getaway destroyed when a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit. In a tragic turn of events, the male lead sacrificed his life to save the female lead. A heartbreaking story designed to leave audiences in tears.

"That's right, I'm going for the female lead. But if I don't get it, I'd be fine with a supporting role, it's not a bad consolation. How about you?" she asked, walking alongside him with practiced grace.

"I'm auditioning for the lead role Jacky, the male protagonist."

"Let's give it our all and hope for the best," she said with a warm smile, still unaware of the hair waving gently like a tiny flag under her chin.

"Yeah." Lawrence nodded, maintaining a composed expression.

He was already drawing on his acting skills to remain natural and composed. He smiled back professionally, not letting his internal reaction show.

"I saw your movie. You were in that cody, right? The Wedding Crackers?"

"It's The Accidental Wedding Crashers, but thank you for the complint either way," Lawrence said graciously. "I think I recognize you too. You're from..."

"I'm Kayla Martin, a model. I was featured in Vague and Kosmopolitan last year. Oh, I'm heading to see my agent. See you next ti and good luck."

They exchanged polite nods and parted ways. The male lead auditions were scheduled before the female auditions.

Lawrence returned to the waiting line where the other hopeful actors sat in contemplative silence. Only seven actors remained.

He pulled out a folded copy of the script from his pocket. As always, his agent was prepared and one step ahead. Lawrence considered himself lucky to have Collin on his side in this industry. No wonder Collin was known as the hidden ace.

Soon, Lawrence's na was called. He stood up without hesitation, his deanor calm and confident, like a seasoned professional. He wasn't just an unknown actor anymore. He was Lawrence Terrence, one of the stars of The Accidental Wedding Crashers, a film that beca a surprise box office hit.

He entered the audition room and found a long table where eight individuals sat, assessing him with a mix of fatigue and curiosity. Just as he expected, the man he had seen earlier was there, Mr. Harper. The sa man who had exited the won's restroom.

"Let's see... Your na is Lawrence Terrence. You starred in The Accidental Wedding Crashers, a box office hit from last month. Not bad."

Producer Balthazar Harper praised him casually, and Lawrence nodded modestly in response.

"You probably have a copy of the script," Harper continued, "but too bad. Our director's kind of a bully, he loves surprising actors. You won't be performing any scene from the version you received. That script is outdated. We've kept the latter half a secret. Instead, you'll be performing the scene where the male lead dies."

"Excuse ?" Lawrence blinked in surprise.

He had read the first half of the script and knew about the tsunami, but he hadn't expected Jacky, the male lead, to die. He thought the story would show how the couple survived the disaster and erged stronger.

An assistant handed him the updated script, printed on crisp white pages. He read the portion where Jacky sacrificed himself by letting go of a rope tied to a tree so that the female lead could survive.

Lawrence absorbed the scene's emotional gravity and looked up at the panel. The director appeared bored and was chatting with a staff mber like this was just another routine audition. He didn't even seem interested in watching Lawrence perform.

Still, Lawrence knew what he had to do, with or without an attentive audience.

The production crew had prepared a long kiddie pool filled with cold water and floating props to simulate an imrsive and realistic setting. Without being told, Lawrence removed his clothes, leaving only his shorts, and stepped into the water.

Then he began his performance.

"Rosy, this rope will snap if both of us hold on... I'll let go so you can live."

The imaginary waves crashed against them with invisible force. The couple clung to the rope tied to a tall tree swaying in the violent tide.

"Jacky! No, don't do this!"

"Rosy, don't worry about . I'll survive. I can swim through anything. We'll see each other again, I promise."

Jacky smiled softly despite the crashing waves. He kissed his lover one final ti before letting go of the rope and of his future. His expression was calm, loving, and brave. He sacrificed his life without hesitation, believing it was the best decision he could ever make.

"Jacky!"

Jacky's body was swept away by the churning waters until his silhouette vanished beneath the ocean's wrath. Even in death, he was smiling. Assuring Rosy that sohow, sowhere, they would et again.