"You are very pretty, Julie," I said honestly to the girl sitting beside me.
Julie blushed visibly before ducking her head. "Oh, come on. Don't use one of your lines on me."
"I'm not," I insisted. "If I were using a line, I would say something like, 'Are you sure you're not a fallen angel? Because you have landed right into my heart.'"
Julie laughed beautifully, and all her nervousness from before vanished instantly.
"That wasn't half bad," she complimented.
"I try," I said, tipping an imaginary hat in her direction.
Suddenly, the door to the audition room, the same one where I had given mine last time, opened, and out came Vic Ramos with a sheet in his hands. Paige stood up and came forward to see if she was needed.
"Tatum O'Neal," he called, turning to the said girl. "We'll begin with you and..." He looked around at the three guys, his gaze briefly lingering on me before saying, "...Chris Atkins. You can both go to the changing room over there." He pointed at the third and last door in the place.
Then Vic turned to Paige and said, "When these two are changed, send the others one by one to get changed quickly, okay? Starting with the boys."
Paige nodded as Chris and Tatum walked over to the changing room. I didn't miss the angry look she shot my way before returning to her seat. I understood her resentment, but my hands were tied because of my living conditions. I couldn't splurge money on dates and such when I had more important things to worry about. I guess I'll have to explain my situation to her afterward.
"So what do you do, Noah?" Julie asked, breaking me out of my reverie. "Are you a full-time actor?"
"No," I shook my head. "This is my first audition. I'm a model, but I'll be going to Harvard in the fall."
"What a coincidence!" Julie beamed. "I'll be going to Boston University. We could totally hang out sometime."
I leaned forward and asked with a grin, "Are you hitting on me, Julie?"
"Why? Do you want me to?" She raised an eyebrow perfectly. I couldn't help but grin at her audacity.
"So you're both going to college?" A third voice chimed in. I turned to see Brooke Shields, whom I hadn't realized was eavesdropping on our conversation.
"Yeah," I smiled at her. "What about you?"
"Not for another four years," Brooke said matter-of-factly. "I'll graduate high school in '83."
"What?" I asked in surprise. "How old are you?"
Brooke was a fairly tall girl, around 5'9" (176 cm), so it was a little hard for me to believe she could be so young. Maybe she took a break for a few years? I couldn't think of any other reason why such a young girl would take on this kind of role.
"Thirteen," she said, before adding, "I'll be fourteen in May."
I frowned before turning to Julie, who looked equally baffled by the revelation.
"Your parents don't mind you doing this role?" Julie asked hesitantly. "Its nature is very... bold."
Brooke shrugged. "Mom said that she talked to the director about it, and he'll make it work for me somehow. I won't have to do most of the bold scenes since they'll hire a body double. So it won't matter much." Then she looked over at Jodie Foster and pointed a finger in her direction. "I'm not the only one under 18 here. Jodie is 16, while Tatum is 15."
"I'm 18," Julie volunteered, though no one had asked her.
That was fucked up. No, that was beyond fucked up. I had no idea Brooke Shields was so young when they made the movie. I remember watching it casually and thinking it should have had more bold scenes. Thank God it didn't.
Now, a serious concern was etched in my mind. I didn't want to do a romantic film opposite an underage girl. I could believe there wouldn't be nudity for her, but there would definitely be kissing scenes. No body double could stand in for that when your face was right there in the shot.
Had I not regained my memories, I wouldn't have minded doing it because this era had a different moral compass compared to the 2020s. But now that I do remember...
"Noah," Paige called out. "It's your turn to change."
I looked across the room and saw that Chris Atkins and Tatum O'Neal were gone, probably off for their chemistry test, while Sean Penn had already changed into a bathrobe. That meant I was the only guy left.
I got up from my seat and walked to the changing room, still in a slight daze. A part of me wanted to just walk out of there and not do this at all, but I decided to let things play out. I didn't want to create a scene right now. Worst-case scenario, if I got selected alongside one of the younger girls, I'd reject the offer then.
My happy mood from talking to Julianne had completely vanished. This was a huge letdown and a waste of the thousands of dollars I had dumped into acting lessons. And the worst part? I got kicked out of my home for this shit, something I wouldn't even do if selected? That wasn't fucking fair.
Still, I decided to give my best in this audition. Michelle once told me a story about a student of hers who was rejected from one audition but later got called for another by the same casting director. I couldn't afford to half-ass this.
"You must be Noah," a man in his thirties greeted me with a distinct French accent, offering a handshake. "I'm Jean-Pierre. Whenever you're ready, get dressed in this."
He handed me a loincloth and a tattered jacket.
Calling it a jacket was generous. It was so small it would barely cover anything. Why would anyone even wear this? It would be better to just go without a shirt.
Nonetheless, I kept my opinion to myself and stepped behind a partition that had been set up for changing. Wearing a loincloth for the first time in my life felt weird, to say the least. Pushing all my worries out of my mind, I walked out, half-naked.
"Mon Dieu!" Jean-Pierre exclaimed, a big grin spreading across his face. "You look magnifique, Noah. The best out of the three, for sure."
"Yeah?" I grinned. I'd gotten used to flexing whenever I walked out for a shoot. First impressions mattered after all. Judging by his reaction, I knew I'd have to do the same in the audition room.
"Thank you," I said gratefully before picking up the bathrobe placed nearby to cover myself.
A few minutes later, I was back in the lobby, sitting beside Julianne Moore and Brooke Shields, as Jodie Foster was called in to get dressed.
(Break)
Randal knew today would be a hectic day. How could it not be, when this was the deadline to finalize the leads for The Blue Lagoon? Every other aspect of pre-production was already complete: the island, costume designs (if they could even be called that), props, living arrangements, everything was set. Filming was scheduled to begin in just three weeks.
Columbia had given him only two days to select the actors so that training and rehearsals could start as soon as possible. Then there were contract negotiations, costume fittings, the hiring of body doubles, and countless other details that needed to be settled. Of course, his selection was more of a formality. The final decision rested with Samuel Rivers, so Randal needed to do everything in his power to get that fat bastard to agree with him.
The first person they called in for the screen test was Oscar-winner Tatum O'Neal. She had specifically requested to go first due to prior commitments, a request Samuel had granted.
She was paired with Christopher Atkins, one of the two models with zero acting experience. The moment they shed their bathrobes and began reciting their lines for the camera, Randal knew they weren't a good fit. Their romance felt forced, despite knowing what was required of them. It didn't help that for Chris to even work as the male lead, he'd need months of acting lessons, not just the few weeks they had.
Without much comment, Randal dismissed Chris and called in Sean Penn. Sean wasn't exactly a seasoned actor either, but at least he had one TV show under his belt. It also helped that both his parents were reputed actors, so he had clearly been taught some fundamentals.
The moment Sean and Tatum stood together and started their lines, Randal knew this pairing wouldn't work either.
Sean was smooth in his line delivery, and Tatum was a wonderful actress in her own right, but together? They had no chemistry. In fact, Randal realized right then that neither of them was the right choice for the film.
Tatum O'Neal lacked the innocence needed for the role, while Sean simply wasn't handsome enough. Randal wanted a Greek god for this character, not a boy-next-door.
"All right, Sean, you can get dressed and send in Noah," Randal instructed. Like a good soldier, Sean followed the command to the letter.
Once Sean had left the room, Tatum turned to Randal, her expression uncertain. "Am I doing okay? I don't know, I'm feeling kind of weird about this screen test."
"You were absolutely perfect, my dear," Randal lied smoothly. He didn't want to give the young girl any unnecessary anxiety. People often forgot that, despite growing up in the limelight, these celebrity kids were still kids.
Right then, Noah Hunter entered the room with effortless swagger. If Randal hadn't already known about him, he might have mistaken Noah for an established superstar. Sigh. If only the studio would listen to him. They had someone with the potential to become a household name right in front of them…
"Hey, Noah," Randal greeted with a smile.
"Hello, Mr. Kleiser," Noah replied, flashing his infectious grin.
"Randal will do," he corrected. "Now, if you can remove your robe, we'll begin immediately."
Without hesitation, Noah undid the robe and let it fall to the floor in an almost cinematic fashion.
Tatum let out a startled gasp at the sight of his chiseled physique. Randal understood the reaction completely.
From head to toe, Noah looked as if he had been sculpted from marble. His pecs, biceps, forearms, abs, thighs, and even his calves—every muscle was perfectly defined. His blonde hair, worn loose today, cascaded down to his shoulders in soft waves. His bright blue eyes gleamed like sapphires, and his pearly white teeth were impeccably straight. There wasn't a single imperfection on this beautiful specimen of a human being.
Noah gave Tatum a warm smile but didn't say anything as he moved beside her. Then, in a serious tone, he asked, "Before we begin, would you mind if I hold your hand or touch your face during the shoot?"
Tatum hesitated for a couple of seconds before nodding. "Only hands and face."
"I promise," Noah assured her sincerely.
Randal was impressed. Many male actors, especially at this age, didn't think about boundaries when performing. But Noah instinctively understood the importance of consent without having any prior film experience. Then again, he was a professional model. He had probably done photoshoots with female models before.
Shaking off the thought, Randal motioned for the shoot to begin.
First, they took a series of still photos of Noah alone, capturing him flexing his muscles in a natural, effortless way. Then, they moved on to shots of him with Tatum. Noah stood tall and proud, nearly naked, while Tatum, impressively tall herself at 5'7", stood beside him in her own tattered clothes.
She wasn't right for the role, but the chemistry between them was undeniable.
"All right, let's do some lines now," Randal announced.
Noah nodded, and suddenly, his confident demeanor shifted. In an instant, he transformed into a laid-back, easygoing character, settling onto the floor opposite Tatum. The change was so seamless, so drastic, that for a moment, it almost seemed as if he had a split personality.
"Action!"
"Look! Just what I always wanted." Noah raised his hand in front of Tatum.
Tatum kept the same tone. "What are they?"
"What do they look like? They're marbles." He mimed picking up an invisible marble. "See? These are your Jaspers, and these are your Peewees."
Tatum studied the imaginary marbles for a moment before realization dawned on her face. "You did it all. But…"
Noah grinned mischievously and stood up on his toes.
"Oh, you!" Tatum gave him a light push, and Noah, with perfect comedic timing, let himself fall back dramatically.
"Hahaha!" They both burst into laughter.
Still lying down, Noah propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Tatum with an innocent curiosity. "Why do we always fight so much?" His gaze held such sincerity that, for a brief moment, Randal felt his breath hitch. The moment felt entirely effortless on Noah's part, as if he was meant to play this role all along. Heck, Randal wouldn't even mind casting him opposite Tatum O'Neal if it came down to it.
"I don't know," Tatum continued, never breaking character.
"That should be our New Year's resolution: to stop fighting so much."
"I'll try… but I don't know what's wrong with me when I say the things I say. I keep having all these strange thoughts."
"What kind of thoughts?" Noah leaned in slightly and took one of her hands in his.
"Just thoughts. Funny thoughts about you and me."
"Tell me," Noah coaxed gently, giving her hand a small tug.
"I can't. They're just thoughts. They don't mean anything."
She pulled her hand free, shifting her gaze back to the imaginary marble in her palm. "Where did you find these?"
"I found them in those little shells," Noah answered nonchalantly.
"Oh, they're beautiful. Thank you!"
Without warning, Tatum closed the distance between them and kissed Noah on the lips. The instant she did, her eyes widened in realization. Noah, on the other hand, looked momentarily surprised but thankfully didn't pull away.
That's because the kiss wasn't scripted. Tatum had decided to improvise. Some actors went to extreme levels to get a role, this was pretty tame.
The kiss was a little awkward, but aside from that, Noah's performance was flawless.
"Cut!"
Randal hadn't wanted to call it. He would have preferred to let the scene run all the way to the climax of the film, but time was limited. With so many actors left to test, he had no choice.
"Perfect!" he declared, startling Noah slightly. "Noah, why don't you head back out? We'll call you when it's time for your next audition partner."
Noah stood up, slipped back into his robe, and exited the room without a word.
Randal turned to the flustered girl who had also covered herself by now. "Tatum?"
"Yes?" she whispered.
"You've acted with all three of them now. If we were to cast you, who would you want to work with?"
It was an impulsive question, but it made sense. Whoever played the lead should at least like their co-star, if not outright adore them.
"Noah."
She didn't even have to think about it.
"All right," Randal nodded. "You can head back out and get dressed. We'll contact your agent soon about the selection."
As Tatum walked out, only one thought lingered in Randal's mind:
How the fuck did Noah become a first-class actor in just one week?
He turned to Samuel, who sat behind the monitor, looking just as stunned. "You saw that last performance, didn't you?"
"I did," Samuel nodded. "This kid is something else."
"That he is," Randal agreed with a shit-eating grin. "The kiss was a little awkward, but that'll improve with practice. His dialogue delivery, though? Night and day from last week."
Samuel nodded. "Anyway, bring in the next ones."
The auditions went on for a couple more hours, and Randal made it a point to ask each actor about their co-star preference. The results were surprising:
Brooke Shields: Noah
Jodie Foster: Noah
Tatum O'Neal: Noah
Julie Anne Smith: Noah
Christopher Atkins: Brooke
Sean Penn: Jodie
From the girls' reactions, one thing was sure, everyone loved Noah. Be it his looks, or the way he made the shoot comfortable for the girls, or even his jovial nature. He was perfect for this role.
So of course, Randal was more than a little surprised when he asked the same question to the said boy.
"Hmm, good question." Noah scratched the back of his head, looking nervous. "Actually… I can do this film only if Julie Anne is cast opposite me."
Randal frowned. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
Noah hesitated, then took a breath. "All the other girls are under 18. I can't do a film like this with any of them. My morals won't allow it."
Randal chuckled, shaking his head. "That won't be an issue. We'll use older body doubles, so there won't be any real nudity for them. And I don't see why you'd have a problem with a kiss."
Tatum O'Neal and Jodie Foster had been confident enough to kiss all three guys during the audition, even though it wasn't required. But Julie Anne was different; she hadn't kissed the other two, but she had kissed Noah, and what a passionate kiss it was. Unfortunately, her audition was problematic for other reasons.
"A private audition is one thing," Noah said firmly. "A publicly released film is another. I'm sorry, Randal, Samuel, Vic," he addressed them individually. "But I can't do this with a minor actress. I know what kind of controversy this could create, and I have my swimming career to think about. I can't risk that. So unless you cast Julie Anne, or another actress who's 18 or older, I can't accept the role."
Randal opened his mouth to protest, but Samuel beat him to it.
"Then you won't get the role, kid. Julie Anne didn't pass the audition."
Noah's expression flickered with disappointment, but he nodded once. "I understand. I'll take my leave then."
And just like that, Randal felt like a kid on a playground whose favorite toy had just been snatched away by a bully.
His perfect actor had just walked out.
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AN: Read up to 40 advanced chapters on my website, or check out my other story, Dreams of Stardom.
Link: www(dot)fablefic(dot)com