"What did you think of the audition?" Anson asked, quickly changing the subject.
Marcia, experienced as she was, immediately noticed Anson's hurried attempt to shift the conversation. She was about to call him out, but a third party interrupted her.
Nicholas, finally finding an opportunity, couldn't contain his excitement, "The air was practically on fire, wasn't it?"
Marcia shot Anson a knowing glance. Nicholas's interruption had given Anson a chance to catch his breath, and pursuing the matter further wouldn't yield any more information.
With a sigh, Marcia switched topics, nodding, "No doubt, the chemistry between you two is something to look forward to."
"But?" Anson caught the implication in her tone.
Marcia didn't deny it. "But, I think Rachel might be a better fit."
"Rachel McAdams..." Marcia began to explain, but Anson cut her off with a nod, "I know which Rachel you mean."
Marcia continued, "Eva's boldness, courage, and intensity are undoubtedly sexy. She would light up the screen, and I can imagine why Evan would fall for her—she's a beacon of light."
"But."
"For most of the movie, she's supposed to be disheveled, broken, even dirty. There should be a beauty in her brokenness and resilience."
"Eva... she's too strong, too vibrant, too dazzling."
"Of course, if she were a skilled actress, maybe she could pull off the role, but clearly, she lacks experience. Right now, she can only show one side of the character and can't fully embody the different facets written in the script."
"If we go with Eva, I personally think Claire Danes might be a better fit."
A professional always has a professional opinion. Even though casting directors and actors have different roles, Anson respected Marcia's professional interpretation, recognizing the overlap with the actor's craft.
Anson didn't give his opinion. "And Rachel?"
Marcia elaborated.
"Rachel has the potential. Her presence can convey both brokenness and scars, but as I mentioned earlier, we need a director who can capture that."
"Rachel isn't an experienced actress either, and if the director's lens fails to interpret her performance, the character could turn out to be a disaster."
Her words trailed off there.
Nicholas pondered over it and could understand Marcia's point, but he still couldn't help expressing regret, "I love the tension between Anson and Eva. That chemistry could really make the audience feel the heat."
"It would be such a shame to miss out on that."
The scene that had just played out was still vivid in his mind—it was extremely impactful, making one blush, with a racing heart and dry mouth.
Marcia agreed—
The sparks between actors are a mysterious thing. The actors themselves might not even feel it, but they can easily captivate the audience.
Take, for example, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, or Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.
These actors might be friends, mere colleagues, or even enemies off-screen, with no romantic ties whatsoever, but the chemistry they create on-screen is intoxicating.
However, Marcia had a different perspective, "Anson and Rachel also have sparks. To be honest, this handsome guy just seems suited to romancing different beauties. I'm not worried about the chemistry at all."
"In 'The Butterfly Effect,' the chemistry between Evan and Keller shouldn't be earth-shattering. It should have the innocent, romantic idealism found in a Nicholas Sparks novel. It shouldn't be tainted, flawless, and perfect because it's everything Evan dreams of—a hundred percent perfect."
"So, I actually think Eva isn't quite right. She should be starring with Anson in an epic love story or a Shakespearean tragedy—a love so profound that it ends in heartbreaking sorrow."
"From that perspective, Rachel is more suitable. She's purer, simpler, sweeter. She often represents a pure, innocent fantasy of first love and happiness. If the director can capture the fragility and sadness in Rachel, I believe she and Anson can take the movie to another level."
Nicholas Sparks is best known for The Notebook—in simple terms, he's the "American Qiong Yao."
Anson looked at Marcia in astonishment, "Wait, Nicholas Sparks isn't intense enough for you?"
His question made Nicholas chuckle quietly to himself. Marcia opened her mouth slightly, about to explain herself, but seeing Anson's smile, she realized he was joking.
So, Marcia ignored him, deliberately turning away to avoid his gaze. Taking a deep breath, she refocused on Nicholas.
"I think we should see more."
"It's too early to make a decision... There might be even better choices later on."
Marcia paused briefly before adding one last sentence, which made Anson look at her with a faint smile as if to say, "That's it?"
Marcia, however, was unfazed.
"Now you understand how tough my job is, right?"
"To be honest, the work we spend ten days, half a month, or even longer on can be easily overturned by a single word from the director or producer."
"That's what happened with The Princess Diaries too."
Anson innocently pointed at himself, "Are you complaining to me? I swear I've never made things difficult for any casting director."
Marcia shrugged it off, "Of course, it's your first time as a producer. If I don't give you a hard time now, I might never get another chance."
Well... that's one way to look at it.
Anson couldn't help but chuckle, "Tom Hanks told me that as a producer, I should learn to respect the professionals. So, does that mean...?"
Marcia smiled, nodding repeatedly, "Tom, oh dear Tom, that's exactly why Tom is so well-liked. Who could refuse him? Dear Anson, please, do trust Tom's golden rule—it'll make your life in Hollywood much smoother."
"And what about the other Tom?" Anson asked, following up—
Tom Cruise.
A subtle, meaningful smile appeared on Marcia's lips, "Well, that's a different story."
Though she didn't reveal any secrets, Anson still caught the undertone.
From an outsider's perspective, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Leonardo DiCaprio might all seem like top-tier actors, with no real difference between them. They're all megastars, commanding storms and armies, standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid.
But in reality, things aren't so straightforward.
Within Hollywood, there's a clear distinction between actors, and the crew members have strong preferences regarding who they enjoy working with. Even though they might just be workers with no power to change or shake up the worlds of these superstars, never forget:
It's the little guys who are the toughest to deal with.
Even if they're just workers, they are still the foundation of the industry.
From what Marcia just said—
Let's set aside how the rest of the crew feels about Tom Cruise, but it's clear that casting directors don't like him.
Now, that's an interesting tidbit.