Zeng Xiumin glanced at Tang Shu’s sportswear and chuckled softly, feeling even more confident about securing the role.
A total of eight actresses were there for the audition, with one going in nearly every 20 minutes since eight in the morning.
When it was Tang Shu’s turn, it was already 10:30.
"Next, who is Tang Shu?"
The door to the waiting area opened again, and a man with a work badge hanging on his chest came in.
Tang Shu stood up, handed her script to Yang Tiantian, and headed straight out.
The audition interview area.
The director, screenwriter, and producer each took a seat in the front row, thick resumes in front of them, occasionally exchanging opinions.
When Tang Shu walked in, all heads lifted to look at her.
"Is this the newcomer from Starshine Media?"
The screenwriter’s eyes lit up at the sight of Tang Shu.
The director’s reaction was lukewarm; he stared at the delicate face before him, paused, and slowly shook his head.
"She’s indeed beautiful, but she seems to overshadow the protagonist. Why did you specifically ask for her to play Shen Siyi?"
"A friend showed me a few of her dark-themed photoshoots; they were very much in the style of Shen Siyi."
The screenwriter was the only one among the seated who remembered Tang Shu; the previous actresses hadn’t caught her attention much, so she was somewhat looking forward to this audition.
"Let’s give her a try, but her face is too conspicuous."
The director was quite skeptical. Pinching Tang Shu’s resume in his left hand, his expectations faded even more when he saw the character "Lin Yiyi" in her list of roles.
The character of Lin Yiyi was very different from Shen Siyi; if the acting was poor, it would be difficult to handle the stark contrast between the two roles.
Moreover, Tang Shu wasn’t formally trained.
"Hello, teachers, I’m Tang Shu."
"Hello. You must have read the script. Tell us about the character Shen Siyi. Which scene made a deep impression on you?"
"The horse race at the racetrack."
The director paused, intrigued, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
The previous actresses had all answered this question with more or less the same responses, but none had mentioned the horse race at the racetrack.
Tang Shu took a moment to recall the scenes involving Shen Siyi from the script and shared her understanding.
"Shen Siyi comes from a distinguished family and has been well educated since childhood. She has her pride and assets, as seen from her choice to let go with grace when she could not get the love she wanted, showing her broad-mindedness. Such a carefree person wouldn’t place love first, and the horse racing scene had already revealed some of her character, which led to her later decisions."
The screenwriter smiled, her eyes sparkling, and she gave the director a knowing look.
See, I didn’t choose the wrong person, did I?
The director curled his lips without responding, but he had a newfound understanding of Tang Shu.
"Then use this scene for your audition."
Tang Shu nodded, closed her eyes to compose herself for a moment, and when she opened them again, she had transformed into someone else entirely.
Her eyes were no longer dull but shone brightly, full of spirit and vigor.
All the interviewers felt a change in the atmosphere around Tang Shu. They seemed to see a young lady from high society stepping out, and her sportswear added a touch of casual elegance to her demeanor.
The director raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised, and his interest in Tang Shu was piqued.