America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Burbank, Leonardo's Appian Way production company.

Martin arrived at the reception and met up with Thomas, who had been waiting there; together, they entered the makeup room.

In the same manner, he made a call to Robert in Atlanta.

The High Priest of the Cola Cult immediately sprang into action.

The audition room was temporarily empty. Thomas said, "While personal debts should be repaid, I will fight for your rightful salary and treatment."

Martin nodded, "Let's wait until the audition outcomes are confirmed, then you go ahead."

He was there to repay a favor, but his agent was not.

Besides, the script was quite explicit.

Martin didn't care about the explicitness; he had shed his clothes too many times on his journey thus far.

Each time he stripped down, he gained something, even if it was the simple act of shelling out several hundred million for sports, he reaped enjoyment and pleasure.

Hollywood had a very mature system for handling nude scenes, with specific prices and rules for how much to strip and exactly what to reveal.

These were aspects Thomas needed to negotiate with the crew.

Several stylists and makeup artists entered and began working on Martin's look.

Thomas left the makeup room, but Bruce stayed, his wolf-like eyes scrutinizing everyone.

Today was a makeup test audition.

Martin's beard was shaved off cleanly, and his long hair was restyled into an old-fashioned parting, making his already young and handsome face seem even younger.

The old-style clothing was brought in, and the costume designer, looking at Martin's large frame, said, "Get two sizes larger!"

The assistant hurried to fetch them.

The impression of a thinner and weaker youth could also be created through styling and camera work, and for a balanced and muscular build like Martin's, wearing oversized clothes was an option.

Of course, there was a limit; someone like Johnson who kept increasing muscle mass indefinitely would not do.

If it were O'Neal, there would be no way at all.

Under the meticulous care of several top industry makeup artists and stylists, Martin seemed to have reverted to his look from when he was seventeen or eighteen.

Meanwhile, many members of the crew began to enter the audition room one after another.

Director Sam Mendes, leading actress and producer Kate Winslet, investor Leonardo, original author Bernhard Schlink, and producer and screenwriter Anthony Minghella.

Then there were the representatives from the actors' union.

Kate asked, "Is the makeup done?"

An assistant replied, "About ten more minutes."

Casting director Gina and her team adjusted the camera smoothly.

Bernhard, the original author, said, "The time span is too large. Can one actor handle it? He's still a young actor from commercial films."

"Using two actors could easily solve that," Anthony shared a similar view but had reservations, "The only problem is, two different actors might create a disjointed feel to the character."

Kate, having found the suitable choice in Martin, said, "Let's first look at the audition before discussing further."

Leonardo sat on the side eagerly waiting to see the performance.

Anthony and Bernhard stopped talking as the audition was about to begin; they would soon see for themselves exactly how it would go.

The door to the audition room opened from the outside, and an assistant ushered Martin in.

Bernhard, the original author, scrutinized the actor carefully; he had a good appearance and a commanding presence, obviously someone very confident.

That did not fit the temperament of the young male protagonist.

Anthony also observed Martin but would not rush to judge, knowing talented actors could be chameleons; still, the age of 25...

Martin greeted Kate and the others one by one, deliberately looking back.

As expected, the dedicated gaming team members were absorbed in their handhelds, not involving themselves in the actual work, demonstrating extremely high professionalism.

Sam Mendes handed a script excerpt to Martin, "Let's begin."

Kate stood up and walked in front of the camera, "I'll act opposite Martin."

The audition scene was when the female lead Hannah changes her clothes, and the young male lead, Michel, sneaks a peek.

Casting director Gina glanced at the monitor of the camera and said, "Action!"

As she finished speaking, Kate, with her back to Martin, began unbuttoning one by one, slipping off her jacket.

Martin sneaked to the edge of the prop curtain, his face displaying shyness and naivety, which was slowly replaced by curiosity as he peered out, only to draw back due to the urge of his inner morals.

But the intense desire eventually overcame the restraints of morality and the youth's timidity; as if drawn by some magic power, Martin stepped out from behind the curtain, unable to help but watch as Kate removed her jacket...

The original author Bernhard stared at Martin, as if seeing a true incarnation of Michel Berg, the protagonist from his writing.

Across from him, the confident male actor vanished completely the moment the casting director called action.

It was still the same person, but the one looked upon through his eyes was no longer the same.

His demeanor had completely changed, gone was the self-assurance of a successful person, replaced by the innocence and restraint of a boy. When he emerged from behind the curtain in his uncertainty, one could keenly feel his curiosity and desire for mature women, and even in his eyes and expressions, there was that indescribable yet understandable greed for the flesh.

Anthony Minghella looked at the actor in front of the camera and for some reason, glanced at Leonardo instinctively, thinking that even Leonardo in his prime, in his thirties, was no better than this.

With just his gaze, subtle facial expressions, and minimal body movements, he perfectly captured the green and naive nature of a young boy.

At that moment, Kate, as if sensing something, turned her head.

Martin turned and ran, dashing past the curtains and hiding behind the wall, clutching his heaving chest before stepping out once again, one step at a time.

The conflict between ethical morals and primal desires erupted at that moment.

The unease and shame of peeking at the leading lady changing clothes couldn't withstand the temptation and desire. Knowing it was "dangerous" to return, he still struggled back.

At this moment, Leonardo cursed Martin a thousand times in his heart, then admitted in admiration: This pervert and scoundrel was indeed most suited to play a lecher.

The little pervert was a lecher too!

The audition scene ended, and Sam Mendes shouted, "Cut!"

The male and female leads in front of the camera still seemed trapped in their roles, unable to break free, slowly walking towards each other.

After a few steps, Martin was the first to break away, calling out, "Kate!"

Kate Winslet, seemingly completely engrossed in her character's emotions, just like what Hannah would do at that moment, reached out her hand towards Martin.

The script was bold in many ways, with numerous shots that went straight for the jugular.

And so did Kate's hand.

Martin stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, asking, "How did I do?"

Kate snapped out of her role, was silent for a moment, and then said, "Very good, you drew me into the scene."

Sam Mendes wasn't watching the scene in front but went with the producer Anthony to the monitor instead.

What the camera captured was different from what one saw with the naked eye.

Even Bernhard, a layman, came over to watch.

After rewatching the audition footage, Sam asked, "What do you think?"

Anthony said, "The audition was very effective. Martin portrayed the character's momentary psychological journey with just the right touch—naturally and fluently. I can't ask for more."

"Exactly, it's him!" Bernhard quickly interjected, "The Martin just now, that's the sixteen-year-old Michel I envisioned."

Casting director Gina commented, "Nearly a perfect audition."

The audition wasn't over. Martin left the audition room and returned to the makeup room for another round of makeup and styling.

When he reappeared in the audition room, he had transformed into a middle-aged man.

For a regular young actor, tackling a middle-aged role, especially complex psychological characters like Michel, would pose various problems, particularly in terms of mindset.

But Martin portrayed a middle-aged man with more ease than the youthful lad earlier.

Reserved, weathered yet tranquil, even somewhat reclusive.

The audition was over, and the original author Bernhard couldn't contain himself any longer. He stood up and stopped Martin, who was about to leave, "Mr. Davis!"

Martin still seemed not fully detached from his character, his eyes and expressions filled with desolation, and he simply nodded slightly.

"Thank you!" Bernhard's words were somewhat odd, the middle-aged German gentleman's face was full of sincerity: "You've brought the character in my book to life."

Martin merely said, "You're welcome."

Bernhard grabbed Martin's hand and gave it a firm shake.

Martin then left the audition room.

Bernhard turned to the crew's bigwigs, "I'm a layman when it comes to making films, but I can feel the resonance between the character and the actor. Martin Davis is very suitable."

Sam asked Anthony, "What's your opinion?"

"Individually, there are many actors who can play either the young or the middle-aged character," Anthony, also an Oscar-winning director, spoke from experience: "But to capture the essence of both roles across such a large time span, there are not many actors who can do that."

He stated directly, "I abandon my previous opinion. With an actor like Martin, why find two people to play Michel? That would only weaken the character and the film."

Sam looked towards Leonardo, one of the investors.

Leonardo said, "Martin is great, not just in acting. As a Cola Cult sect hierarch, his commercial appeal is strong too. We could also get sponsorship from Coca-Cola, Germany must have had Coca-Cola in that era, right? I remember America had troops there."

He considered from an investor's perspective, "With so many hierarchs in the Cola Cult, there will surely be a group that will contribute to the box office for their sect hierarch."

Kate, who had known Martin the longest among them and understood him the best, said, "I've said it before, Martin is very suitable for this role."

Leonardo reminded her, "That guy's a madman; when he's in the zone, he can match Nicholson. Kate, you need to bring your best game. The script is told from the male lead's perspective—if you even slightly underperform, you'll be overshadowed by him."

But Kate was full of confidence, "I won't. I just had a feeling that Martin can draw me into the scene."

Leonardo reminisced about his happy times with Martin, "That's true. The scenes I shared with him, my performance was always on point."

At that moment, Anthony rose to his feet and said, "Since we've decided on Martin, there's no need to wait. Go inform him and his agent."

Kate said, "I'll go."

Leonardo followed, "I'll go with you."