Behind The SpotLight

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 40

"This is it..." Lawrence whispered under his breath.

Lawrence stared at the line of actors waiting in the hallway just outside the audition room, their anxious energy thick in the air. He had just arrived and found himself standing at the end of the narrow, echoing hallway.

He suddenly recalled the time when he first auditioned for The Accidental Wedding Crashers. The pressure was the same, heavy in his chest, but the atmosphere felt different now.

Unlike The Accidental Wedding Crashers, which held its auditions in a dusty old building in an obscure part of Los Angeles, this project was being held in a proper building, with polished floors, security at the entrance, and elevators that actually worked.

If he was right, this building belonged to Fair Amount Pictures, a studio every aspiring actor in Hollywood dreamed of setting foot in. Fair Amount Pictures was also one of the Big Six, a major studio with global distribution channels spanning continents. In short, it was a titan in the film industry with deep pockets and deeper influence.

This project had a budget of at least $35 million, being backed by a major studio, which meant top-tier production quality and even higher expectations. It also meant they had the power to hire expensive actors with household names.

Lawrence was actually surprised when Collin called him a week ago and told him there was a role for him. Well... not exactly secured, but still, the call was exciting enough.

After receiving the first half of the script, Lawrence realized that the project was a romance and not just any romance. It was a historical love story set during the Renaissance era, about a man and a woman who fall deeply in love despite their families being bitter enemies. A tale echoing with old-world passion and forbidden devotion.

Lawrence prepared his resume and a videotape of his acting and submitted them for the first round of auditions. He didn't use the actual script for his tape, knowing it was obtained without a non-disclosure agreement, a legal disaster waiting to happen.

Instead, he selected a scene from a movie with a similar theme and mood. He even dressed for the part, frilly shirt, leather boots, and all. Fully embracing the Renaissance look.

At first, he thought he wouldn't pass the first round due to his lack of fame and industry connections. To a big studio, he was just another nobody.

The first round was usually handled by the casting director, who filtered out applicants based on their resumes. A brutal process where visual appeal and typecasting took center stage. If the casting director was being picky, he might also dig into credentials to gauge experience and rookies usually didn't stand a chance.

Thankfully, despite his limited experience, Lawrence made it through the first round with a bit of unexpected luck.

The second round judged performance. The casting director would watch each actor's submitted videotape and silently critique their acting. If the performance didn't match the vision they were looking for, that was the end of the road.

Now, Lawrence had made it to the third round, the final stretch, the make-or-break moment. He was surprised, yes, but trying to remain composed.

'Maybe Collin pulled some strings?' he wondered.

Lawrence wasn't sure if any behind-the-scenes influence was involved. But Wyatt had mentioned that Collin was actually the agency's hidden ace, a secret dark horse. Apparently, he was also close to the new CEO, which raised a few eyebrows.

Lawrence was stunned by that revelation, and even Jennifer and Axel were equally surprised. But when they saw the CEO patting Collin's shoulder during the screening, it started to make sense. Maybe Wyatt was right, and they had underestimated Collin all along.

When Lawrence saw that scene, he was so elated he could hardly sit still. For the first time, he realized his agent was more than just talk. With Collin by his side, stardom might no longer be a pipe dream. Lawrence had been grinding in Hollywood for a while, and his parents had grown worried about his future. He wanted to prove that his decision to chase acting wasn't a mistake. That he had the talent and the backing to succeed.

Because of this misunderstanding, Lawrence believed Collin had helped him pass the auditions behind the scenes. He didn't think that it was actually his performance that got him through, which, ironically, it was.

Well, neither Lawrence nor Wyatt really understood how the industry worked behind closed doors. So they let their imaginations fill in the gaps.

After more than three hours of waiting, Lawrence's name was finally called by a production assistant. He nervously entered the room, where a panel of professionals stared at him with unreadable expressions.

"You're Lawrence Terrence, right?" one of them asked, flipping through a stack of documents.

"Yes. That's me," he replied, trying to stand tall.

He was a bit surprised that one of the judges knew his name. What he didn't know was that this man was the director himself.

"Well then, Mr. Terrence. I want you to perform the scene on page 15, where the male lead declares his love," the director instructed without lifting his eyes from the script.

Lawrence was handed a script printed on thick paper, stamped with the studio's watermark. He was already familiar with the scene but read it again just to make sure he had it down. There was no room for mistakes.

He took a breath. His heart pounded as he began.

......

...

...

"Such a waste of talent."

The director shook his head in regret as the door quietly closed behind Lawrence. His performance had just ended, and he left the audition room without knowing the impact he had made.

"If he were even a little bit famous, I might have chosen him. But he's a nobody with no box office appeal. His resume is basically empty. I don't even know what the hell The Accidental Wedding Crashers is. Such a waste... such a waste of talent of someone who clearly has it."

The director didn't hide his disappointment, leaning back in his chair. The others in the room felt the same. Lawrence didn't just fit the role, he elevated it. His performance was better than what they had hoped for. He brought sincerity, depth, and something raw. Something real.

When he confessed his love in the scene, the panel felt it. It was like watching a moment from a true love story unfold, centuries in the making. For a brief moment, they forgot they were watching an audition. Some even had to hold back tears. It was a performance that would linger with them.

"That guy could be a heartthrob. He'll break a lot of hearts... if he ever gets cast." The director sighed.

Even though he wanted to cast Lawrence, his unknown name could sabotage the project's profitability. Fair Amount Pictures would never approve the casting of a no-name actor. As the director, he still had to answer to the investors or risk getting replaced himself.

In the end, they went with a more famous actor, one who had several box office hits. In this industry, names sold tickets. They couldn't afford to gamble on raw talent. Not in this business. Not on this scale.

Lawrence had no box office appeal and that mattered.

Despite his extraordinary performance, he wasn't chosen. And it wasn't even his fault.

His resume landed in the trash can with a quiet thud.

That night, Lawrence and Collin stayed up late in their respective apartments, staring at their phones every five minutes, hoping for a call or a message.

Nothing came.

Their hopes slowly faded into silence.

Sometimes, life gives you lemons and you don't even get the chance to make lemonade. You just have to accept the sourness, even when you did everything right. Even when you didn't deserve it.

In this glittering yet cruel industry, rejection doesn't always reflect your worth.

Even the talented suffer.