After that, Paul showed Alexander the list of actresses participating in today's casting, along with a series of their basic information.
Alexander watched as one exquisitely made-up face appeared after another, gradually losing the ability to distinguish one from the next.
After all, their features were rather similar, small faces with delicate contours, high-bridged noses, thin lips…
In the end, Alexander's gaze suddenly lingered a little longer on an actress named Celeste Morano, the same girl who had fallen into his arms earlier.
To be honest, among the lineup of beautiful actresses from before, her facial features stood out, far more striking and beautiful than the rest.
A beautiful face that at first glance seemed fragile, yet with distinctly unyielding eyes.
Completely different from the other girls.
Seeing Alexander unconsciously stare a little longer, Paul also turned his gaze to Celeste's photo and let out a sigh.
"You're impressed by that girl too, aren't you?"
"She really is beautiful."
"However, she isn't very well-known in showbiz."
"I've heard she's an actress under a small entertainment company, so all her resources, roles in films included, she has to fight for on her own. It's quite pitiful…"
Paul was a director, so he naturally knew the ins and outs of the industry very well. He sighed in a low voice, and Alexander unconsciously committed these details to memory as well.
He also heard Paul sigh again.
"Honestly speaking, Celeste looks quite similar to how I imagined the female lead of 'When the Wind Blows' would be."
Paul spoke honestly, and Alexander unconsciously nodded as well.
"Yes. Later, we'll see how she performs."
"I also have the feeling that she has the vibe of the female lead in 'When the Wind Blows.'"
In the end, after Alexander and Paul finished reviewing a series of profiles of the actresses participating in today's casting,
they walked together into the hotel's grand banquet hall
and took their seats in the arranged chairs.
This was the most luxurious banquet hall in the hotel, not only adorned with dazzling, opulent chandeliers, but also equipped with a prominent stage bathed in brilliant lights.
Numerous cameras were set up all around. Cameramen were seriously adjusting the lighting and camera angles
to capture the entire casting process of the actresses who had come to participate today.
At this moment, Denis was merely accompanying Alexander in the role of an assistant, so he sat at the outer edge, unable to take a central seat like the two of them.
Around them were also the film's editor, the producer, as well as the already-selected male lead of this film, Dean.
The casting began.
The first actress stepped onto the stage for the audition.
She was a fairly well-known actress in the industry, though Alexander could not quite recall her name.
The director and producer took turns asking questions, which she answered quite fluently. Paul nodded in approval, then added.
"Then, in your view, what kind of girl is Jasmine, the female lead of 'When the Wind Blows'?"
The actress confidently lifted her chest and replied slowly.
"In my opinion, the female lead of this film, Jasmine, is a resilient girl, someone with a difficult background who still keeps striving upward…"
It was a standard, textbook answer. Alexander did not really remember much of what she said.
Next came the most important part. Paul asked her to perform a key scene from the film.
It was the scene in which Jasmine broke up with her boyfriend after discovering that he had cheated on her with her best friend.
After skimming through the script handed over by the staff, Jasmine slowly curved her lips into a smile and said she was ready.
The cameramen filmed seriously, determined not to miss a single expression on her face.
Her previously calm face gradually overflowed with intense pain. She clutched her chest, almost collapsing, and spoke in a voice filled with anguish.
"Titus, how can you do that?"
"How could you do this to me?"
Her eyes brimmed with tears, reddening in an instant, as if her heart were drowning in sorrow. Her voice trembled, choked with sobs.
"We're lovers."
"We've loved each other for five years."
"And now you cheat on me with my best friend, don't you feel disgusted?"
Every question she hurled out was heart-wrenching, each line steeped in despair. She cried until her voice caught, sincere and unforced.
"…"
However, when Alexander's gaze met Paul's, both of them subtly shook their heads.
It wasn't right.
She was not conveying Jasmine's emotions correctly at this moment.
When the performance ended, the actress seemed quite satisfied and confident.
She casually wiped away her tears, then bowed to thank the judges.
Finally, when she left the grand banquet hall, everyone began to discuss her performance.
"Her acting was very good."
"It's just that her emotions didn't match Jasmine's character."
"Jasmine is a resilient girl."
"Even when betrayed, she wouldn't wail, hysterically question everything, or make such a scene."
Paul was the first to speak. The others nodded one after another,
finding themselves in agreement with Paul's opinion.
Naturally, that actress was not selected.
An actor who could not understand the emotions within the protagonist's heart would inevitably make the scenes appear exaggerated and awkward when filming.
The casting continued.
The actresses who followed were much like the first one,
none of them could correctly grasp the emotions in Jasmine's heart at that moment.
As time dragged on,
everyone's spirits grew weary, tinged with a sense of discouragement.
After all, nearly three-quarters of the actresses participating in today's casting had already auditioned,
yet they were still not fully satisfied with the performance of any female actress.
The next actress stepped in to begin her audition.
Alexander had not expected that the next person would be Isabella.
She was wearing an elegant white silk dress, a spaghetti-strap style that revealed her slender collarbones and beautiful shoulders. She bowed confidently and introduced herself slowly.
"Hello, esteemed judges. I'm Isabella…"
Isabella was still in the middle of her confident introduction when she suddenly froze upon seeing Alexander seated among the judges. She stared blankly for a moment, then spoke in confusion,
"Alexander? Why are you here?"