AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My take on that particular scene was quiet and subtle. I allowed the words to carry me along, letting them shine on their own without over-embellishment. I felt loneliness in them, and loss, and regret. Maybe Williams hadn’t intended any of those things, but I felt them all the same.
When I fell silent at the end of the monologue, Lang said, “I knew you were good, but damn, white Will Smith. What you just did there was next level.” He composed a text and sent it before adding, “If the studio chief can’t see the genius in that, there’s no hope for him.”
I asked, “So, what happens now?”
“We wait to hear back, and if he doesn’t greenlight you, then I fight like hell to change his mind.” He stood up and said, “I’ll be in touch soon. Thanks for coming in on such short notice and rolling with a pretty unusual situation.”
“Thank you, too,” I said, as I got up and shook his hand. “I really appreciate you taking the time to meet with me.”
While Sylvia joined Lang in his office, I went downstairs and found Lorenzo on a bench outside the building. As soon as he saw me, he jumped up and asked, “How’d it go?”
“I’m not sure. He was nice, though.”
“Tell me everything.”
After I caught him up, I said, “I might have ruined my chances when I had to repeat that scene six times, but he seemed to like the end result.”
“Maybe he just wanted to see how well you took direction.”
“I hope that’s all it was.”
He asked, “So, what happens next?”
“Now I wait and try not to get my hopes up. If I actually get the part, I’ll be spending the next four weeks in Mendocino, starting Friday. That’s in Northern California, right?”
“Yeah, it’s a small town on the coast, about three hours north of San Francisco.”
After a moment, I blurted, “Holy shit, what if I actually get the part?”
“Then that’s fantastic news and cause for a celebration.” He watched me for a beat before asking, “Isn’t it?”
“It is, but so much could go wrong. This is a high-profile role, so if I mess up, it’ll be a very humiliating public failure. Also, it’ll only be my second movie role ever, and my first was tiny and took place about nine years ago. I’ll barely know what to do, but I’ll be expected to hit the ground running.”
“You’ve totally got this, Will.”
“You’re always so confident in me.”
“For good reason.”
I wrapped my arms around myself and muttered, “What’s wrong with me? There’s a chance I’m about to get everything I’ve been working for since I was fifteen, and I just want to go home and hide in bed.”
“A giant, potentially life-altering event just dropped into your lap with no warning, and now everything’s up in the air. No wonder you feel overwhelmed.”
“When you put it that way, I almost seem rational.” He put his arm around me, and I leaned into him.
Sylvia joined us a few minutes later, and as we headed to the same parking garage, she said, “It’s looking good, Will. Lang was impressed, and I’m confident Walters, the studio chief, will sign off on you. It all comes down to dollars and cents with that man, and delays are expensive. Since principal photography is set to begin next week, he has to realize you’re his only chance of staying on schedule.”
I muttered, “I’d rather get the part based on my ability, not because I was the only person available on short notice.”
“They’d never hire you if they thought you didn’t have the skills to do this, and if a time crunch is what it takes to make them give an unknown a chance, so be it. The important thing is just to get your foot in the door.” She had a point. We paused when we reached her Mercedes, and she said, “I’ll call you as soon as I hear from Lang. He mentioned wanting you on location Friday for wardrobe, hair, and makeup. That’ll mean negotiating the contract and getting your signature on it first thing tomorrow, so can you stay in town tonight?”
I glanced at Lorenzo, and when he nodded, I said, “Sure.”
“Alright, go and try to relax. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Thanks, Sylvia.”
She smiled at me and said, “I’ve waited a long time for this, kid. We both have. I really believe this’ll be the start of many great things for you.”
I gave her a hug and murmured, “I hope you’re right.”
After she drove off, Lorenzo and I continued on to the vintage convertible, and he said, “Since you’re under orders to relax and stay in L.A., would you like me to find us someplace to spend the night?”
“Yes, please.”
We took a seat in the car, and he sent a text. Maybe two minutes later, he received one in return and told me, “We’re all set. My friend Sam is out of town, but he said we can use his apartment.”
