In the somewhat hesitant and not-so-enthusiastic applause, the exchanged glances conveyed admiration and recognition, even tinged with a bit of astonished surprise—
No one expected Kate's audition to completely fall apart, and even more so, no one anticipated that Anson could pull off such a remarkable performance despite his scene partner's complete breakdown.
The first shot was fired, establishing a formidable benchmark.
If anyone wanted to win the role of Peter Parker, they would have to surpass Anson, and clearly, that wasn't going to be easy.
The other actors took a sharp breath, once again looking at Anson with different eyes, including the actresses—
Kate's performance was a disaster, but the key point was that neither the producer nor the director interrupted the filming. Perhaps Anson's performance even earned her some points.
So now, the actresses had to be wary of repeating Kate's mistakes while also keeping her in mind as a potential threat. This meant that the choice of scene partner was crucial; otherwise, if they ended up with another case of mismatched performances or a lack of chemistry, would they be able to turn the situation around?
As they exchanged looks, the atmosphere grew slightly tense.
She strutted back to her seat like a proud peacock, her head held high, with an air of arrogance, interpreting the swarm of gazes around her as filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. She believed everyone was trying to outdo her, but she wouldn't back down. She would smile as they wept.
However, there was one small problem— ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ NovelHub(.)net
Peahens, unlike peacocks, don't have tail feathers, so there's no way to fan them out. Kate thought she was displaying her charms, but in reality, it was just her bare backside on display.
The afterglow rippled through the room.
Anson exhaled a long breath, turned to return to his seat, and noticed a subtle smile in James Franco's eyes. Although he wasn't as boisterous as usual, he quietly raised his right hand on the armrest, waiting for a celebratory high-five with Anson, and secretly gave him a thumbs up.
Ian didn't pause, "Alright, next group, who's ready?"
Unlike the first group, this time it wasn't a name being called but rather volunteers stepping forward. But after Anson's performance, would anyone dare to go now, only to end up as cannon fodder?
The actresses were in a similar predicament. Following Kate's disastrous performance might seem like an opportunity, but was it actually a trap? Would they be caught in the negative impression Kate left, with the producer and director viewing everyone through a more critical lens, tearing apart even a good performance?
For a brief moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Ian was a bit surprised—
He admitted that choosing Anson and Kate to go first was a result of his personal bias.
In Ian's mind, Anson and Kate were the top choices for their respective roles. He wanted them to make the first move and leave a strong impression.
Though Kate's audition went off the rails, it unexpectedly highlighted Anson's shining moment, turning a loss into a gain.
Ian didn't plan to stubbornly stick with Kate, which meant the competition for Mary Jane's role was now wide open. He was willing to see what the other actresses could bring to the table. But to his surprise, one by one, they seemed hesitant, as if they had been intimidated.
A smile crept up the corner of his mouth.
"Hey, folks, Anson's not Jack Lemmon; there's no need to be so serious."
At the recent 52nd Primetime Emmy Awards, legendary actor Jack Lemmon won the Best Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie category, proving that legends never fade. Amidst all the buzz and news, Jack was still dominating headlines, earning widespread applause.
That was why Ian made the joke.
"In fact, if it really were Jack…"
Anson caught the hint, spread his hands, and flashed a grin, "Why so serious?"
Before Ian could respond, Sam quietly added, "That's a DC line."
One second, two seconds—
**Laughter erupted.**
Not just Ian, even Laura couldn't hold back, doubling over with laughter. She teased Anson, "Didn't you say you don't read comics?"
Anson protested: "Unfair!"
The last time he didn't answer the question because he knew his response wouldn't satisfy Sam; clearly, he wasn't familiar with Marvel, though DC was another matter. And now… did he just slip up?
Anson raised his right index finger to his lips, "Shh."
The laughter grew even more boisterous, including from Sam.
Sam quickly realized why Anson had avoided answering the question last time—it was because of this. This little detail endeared Anson to Sam even more—
A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one, right?
But that's how Sam is, always unpredictable, just like when he made "The Evil Dead," a gory yet hilariously twisted film.
To Sam, Anson's honesty, openness, and genuineness were rare qualities. In the midst of countless auditions, where everyone tried their best to fit the role, Anson managed to keep his own color and personality intact.
Anson never shied away from acknowledging that his appearance might not be the most fitting for Peter Parker, yet he cleverly turned that disadvantage into an advantage. That peculiar sense of humor was the cherry on top.
At this moment, Sam truly began to see Peter Parker in Anson. The comic book image that had formed in his mind slowly faded, replaced by a new vision, with Anson as the blueprint. Ideas flowed like a volcanic eruption, engulfing Sam in his thoughts.
Of course, no one else noticed, as Sam maintained his usual expressionless demeanor.
James Franco hesitated slightly—
He liked Anson and sincerely applauded his performance, but he still believed that he was the right choice for Peter Parker.
What he hesitated about was whether he should step up right after Anson.
Seeing the atmosphere increasingly favoring Anson, did this mean that the later he performed, the more pressure he would face?
After a brief internal struggle, James's rebellious spirit reawakened. Taking a deep breath, he stood up amidst the cheers and chatter.
"I'd like to give it a try."
With that, James glanced down at Anson, who responded by giving him two thumbs up and a fist pump for encouragement—
Yes, they were competitors, but it wasn't a matter of life and death; it was about fair competition.
James smiled back at Anson, feeling more resolute. "James Franco, I'm ready."
Before Ian could respond, two actresses stood up almost simultaneously, their voices overlapping by a fraction of a second.
"I can give it a try."
Alicia Witt and Eliza Dushku exchanged a quick glance; unlike the boys, there was a bit of a spark between them.
But without lingering, both looked at Ian, exuding confidence.
Ian welcomed them, "Excellent, we have volunteers now. Let's start with James and… Alicia."
Alicia clenched her fist in determination and strode forward confidently.
Eliza, left standing, showed a fleeting expression of disappointment. She withdrew her gaze, only to see Anson looking her way. His warm, bright smile enveloped her sinking, hopeless heart, gradually bringing light back to her world.