Behind The Spotlight Chapter 68
Well, appearance was an important part of the modeling and film industry, a superficial but undeniable truth that shaped casting decisions. It was understandable why actresses had to maintain their figure. Ugly people had no place in this industry, unless you're looking for ugly roles.
When an actress came out of the audition room, Collin took the chance to enter quietly, blending into the background as much as possible.
He saw Wyatt and Henry deep in conversation, reviewing the last actress's performance and notes.
"She doesn't have an ass at all, so she can't be the stripper. But her acting as an irritating wife is spot on. It's borderline annoying in the best way possible. We can put her on the list for now."
"I agree completely."
When Wyatt and Henry saw Collin, they gave a nod of acknowledgment but didn't get up. They remained focused on their discussion, not skipping a beat.
Collin had his reasons for coming to Uni-versus Pictures that day. The most important was to negotiate with Henry about Axel's contract, a matter that needed to be handled in person.
He found a seat in the corner and kept his presence low so he wouldn't disrupt the audition flow. Still, several female crew members kept glancing his way as if he were a celebrity himself. Some were part of the old team that worked on The Accidental Wedding Crashers and recognized him, while others were new and simply curious about the guy sitting quietly at the back.
The audition continued, and just as Collin expected, the ten actresses auditioning for the stripper role had to wear skimpy outfits, usually bikinis or lingerie.
For clarification, the production wasn't forcing anyone to wear anything against their will. It was up to each actress to decide based on their comfort level. However, if they chose not to wear the outfit, they were essentially disqualifying themselves from the role, since visual appeal was a required element.
The stripper character in this movie served as eye candy, the visual treat meant to attract viewers and spice up the scenes. That was the point of the wardrobe requirement: to determine if an actress could be seductive on screen.
Fan service had always been part of many films, regardless of genre. Some people criticized it for objectifying women, while others embraced it as part of the entertainment. As long as there was an audience for sex appeal, it wasn't going anywhere.
Let's be honest, there are millions of horny bastards in the world, regardless of gender, who'll happily watch fan service in a movie no matter what the plot is.
The production team behind Week On A Cruise Ship understood this well and planned to use it. They needed to draw attention and fill seats. Of course, no one was naked or doing anything indecent. The actress had a private changing room to preserve professionalism.
The next actress walked in and Collin recognized her.
'If I'm not mistaken, that's the woman Wyatt met at the celebration party...'
It clicked instantly. This woman and Wyatt had some sort of relationship. How deep it went, Collin didn't know.
Wyatt noticed Collin's stare and likely picked up on the disappointment in it, but he kept his composure like a pro. He didn't react to the actress, even though she kept throwing flirty glances his way from the moment she entered.
'I might be in trouble...' Wyatt thought, keeping his expression neutral.
The actress performed both roles: first, the nagging wife with exaggerated frustration, then the sexy stripper with practiced sensuality.
Wyatt avoided eye contact as much as possible. He was still new to the industry and hadn't yet mastered how to separate personal matters from professional ones. The actress left the room disappointed, her attempts at seduction had clearly failed.
After a few more auditions, it was Jennifer's turn.
Collin watched his client without lust or inappropriate thoughts. Jennifer was too savage to turn him on, no matter how stunning she looked.
Jennifer entered confidently, wearing lingerie as if it were her regular outfit. She walked with a hypnotic sway that was hard to ignore... Unfortunately, her mouth was the kind of red flag that could clear a room in seconds.
She danced with provocative precision, nailing the sensuality written into the audition script.
Some men who didn't know Jennifer's true personality couldn't help but squirm in their seats. Even Henry had to swallow hard while trying to maintain his professionalism.
The production team admitted she exceeded expectations. Wearing two tiny pieces of fabric, she delivered a performance with unapologetic confidence. She danced like she owned the scene and easily passed the sensuality test.
At last, they had found an actress who could serve as the movie's eye candy and potentially steal the scene.
When Jennifer exited the room, she saw Collin and Wyatt give her subtle grins and a thumbs-up. She smirked. That meant her performance stood out. She figured they were probably talking about her nagging wife act, right? After all, she was a natural nagger...
More actresses followed Jennifer until Madison's name was called.
The 20-year-old Latina entered with radiant confidence. She had to. This was her only shot at joining the cast, and she knew it.
Madison smiled sweetly at Wyatt and Henry, then gave Collin a hopeful look from across the room.
Just like everyone else, she performed both roles with as much passion as she could manage. But unfortunately, she lacked the sex appeal to pull off the stripper role even with perfect makeup. And she didn't have the bitterness or venom needed to portray a convincing nagging wife.
Madison gave it her all... but it wasn't enough to stand out. She simply didn't have the experience to be seductive on command, and her frustrated-wife persona didn't feel real.
'In my opinion, Madison should look for younger roles that suit her natural image. High school students or fresh-faced characters. Her part in My Pure Innocent High School Love worked because it matched her age, look, and aura of innocence.'
The only reason she auditioned for this movie, despite the roles not matching her at all, was because of Collin. She hoped he might help her or convince his client to give her a shot.
But based on their earlier conversation, that hope was already dead.
Madison left the room with no idea that her chance was zero and her performance left no impression.
The auditions continued as the hours passed. Wyatt and Henry crossed off names to narrow down the shortlist.
Collin thought the day was winding down. No more surprises. But he was wrong, badly wrong.
He didn't expect the final actress to be someone he knew all too well.
"Hello, I'm Dee Ceitful, and I'm here to audition for the role of the female stripper."
"...What the fuck?" Collin muttered weakly under his breath, thankfully from the farthest corner of the room where no one could hear him.
Dee spotted him and blew a dramatic flying kiss in his direction. Collin didn't react visibly, but Wyatt and Henry noticed the interaction and exchanged curious glances.
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