Audition scene for "The Silent Man".
The waiting room was bustling with people, one after another going in and out.
Everyone had a different expression on their face when they came out, some excited and some depressed, but they all couldn't help but look away from a certain spot for a long time.
She was simply sitting there flipping through the script, yet she effortlessly captured everyone's attention.
"She's a natural-born star," someone murmured.
Another person pushed open the door and came out.
She looked dejected, clearly having received no good news.
"Number 37, it's your turn," a staff member in work clothes called out.
Zhu Yu glanced at the number plate in her hand—it was exactly 37.
Resigned, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up.
After she left, the others who remained in the waiting room started discussing it in small groups.
"Is she a newcomer? I don't think I've seen her before."
"She must be some rich girl out experiencing life. Look at her, she's dressed in all top luxury brands, and the bag she's carrying looks like a new product from L brand this season. I heard it hasn't been officially released yet, and only some top big shots can get their hands on it."
"She's so beautiful, I didn't dare breathe when I was sitting next to her."
"Me too, me too. I've never seen anyone's skin that's as smooth as an egg, it's practically glowing."
"I wonder what role she's auditioning for. I hope it's not the same one as mine, otherwise I'd have absolutely no chance of winning."
"Oh my god, I hope she doesn't end up like me. Just based on her face, even if she can't act, she would easily win."
"I think you're overthinking it. With a move like that, she's definitely either the lead actress or the second lead actress."
"I feel like she's the female lead. If she's playing the second female lead, what kind of person could possibly outshine her?"
——
After rehearsing the scenes all morning, the assistant director rubbed his head wearily, his face showing obvious signs of fatigue.
"The Silent Man" is a film adapted from the novel of the same name. While it already had a large following, it also inevitably put pressure on the production team.
The characters created in the original novel are so deeply ingrained in people's minds that it's extremely difficult to find actors who can portray the images in the readers' minds.
Actually, today is the third day of casting auditions.
Now, most of the minor supporting roles have been cast, but the most important lead role is still missing a suitable candidate.
The script revolves almost entirely around the female lead, Qiao Yuan. As the title suggests, the female lead is a mute woman who is very difficult to portray. She has no lines and can only rely on her eyes and body language.
If played well, this would undoubtedly be a very successful role, and could even become a classic that can sustain a person's career for a lifetime.
It's so hard to act well.
Newcomers lack acting skills, while veteran actors are unwilling to lower their standards to act in low-budget dramas, which puts the casting process in an awkward position.
Hearing the next person enter, the assistant director didn't even look up, mechanically following the procedure.
"Zhu Yu, number 37, auditioning for the role of Qiao Yuan, please tell us about the audition scene you chose."
After he finished speaking, he looked up and suddenly froze. The entire casting team seemed to fall silent for a moment.
It's so similar, so incredibly similar.
It's as if Qiao Yuan stepped right out of the book.
She simply stood there quietly, and people automatically imagined a whole story about her.
She wore a simple, well-fitting plain white cotton and linen dress, her black hair was loosely tied into a ponytail and hung down to her shoulders, her eyebrows and eyes were delicate, her nose was high and straight, and her lips were full like flower petals. Every feature seemed to have been carefully sculpted.
What's most special about her are her eyes—deeply affectionate, lively and clear, with a hint of melancholy hidden in her amber pupils, making one feel an inexplicable urge to protect her.
The assistant director slowly took off his glasses and mechanically wiped the lenses with the hem of his shirt.
This veteran television professional, with twenty years of experience, now resembled a novice production assistant, repeatedly adjusting the monitor's brightness.
He suspected that there was a problem with the equipment, otherwise how could someone look like they were being soft-lit from every angle?
Zhu Yu bowed deeply and said, "Hello, teachers. I have chosen the scene where Qiao Yuan confronts the leader of the human trafficking gang."
"Please begin your performance," the assistant director called out as if waking from a dream.
Zhu Yu took a deep breath and ripped off the hair tie that was holding her hair up.
When I looked up again, the beautiful and elegant newlywed had disappeared.
Instead, there is Qiao Yuan, who was poisoned and rendered mute by a trafficking gang at a young age, grew up among beggars, and fought to the death against her enemies.
She walked slowly toward the camera, her hair disheveled, each step seeming as if she were enduring immense pain. The originally ordinary white dress suddenly seemed to come alive on her, flowing with each step like a waving battle flag.
"Qiao Yuan, do you still want to rebel? If you stop now, I promise you, your performance target will be reduced by 30%, oh no, 50%! Your performance target will be reduced by 50%!" shouted the actor in charge of the scene.
Qiao Yuan suddenly smiled—this girl, who had been trapped in the dark room and tortured for seven days without any expression, now revealed her bloodstained tiger teeth, and her eyes burned with a chilling light.
She approached step by step, her eyes filled with determination and hatred.
The leader retreated step by step, cowering and saying, "Qiao Yuan... Qiao Yuan, have you thought this through? It's easy for you to kill me, but it won't be so simple for me to get out of here after you kill me."
Suddenly, Qiao Yuan lunged at the leader, grabbing his neck tightly with both hands, letting out an angry yet suppressed roar, like an untamed wild beast.
Her body trembled violently, every movement filled with power, as if she were venting all the pain and humiliation she had endured over the years.
After a long standoff, she suddenly let go.
There was joy and confusion in his eyes, which eventually turned into a long-lasting sense of relief.
The nightmare that had haunted her for decades was finally shattered by her own hands.
After the performance, the entire casting team fell silent, followed by enthusiastic applause.
The assistant director stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Zhu Yu's performance was incredibly moving; she completely immersed herself in the role, perfectly capturing Qiao Yuan's resilience, anger, and defiance.
Even in the simple indoor setting, she made one feel as if they were truly in that den of wolves and tigers, their emotions rising and falling with her every move.
She's a natural-born actor.
The assistant director stood up excitedly and shouted, "It's you! You're the Qiao Yuan we've been looking for!"
Zhu Yu bowed gratefully to the casting team, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.
God knows how nervous she was just now.
For this audition, she took an unconventional approach and chose a scene that required an emotional outburst. She practiced it several times in the system space but wasn't very confident. Fortunately, she didn't falter at the crucial moment and successfully landed the lead role.
Just as Zhu Yu was secretly delighted, the door to the audition room was suddenly pushed open with a loud bang.
A stylishly dressed woman with impeccable makeup barged in with a group of assistants.
This person is clearly up to no good.
Zhu Yu silently complained.