**Chapter 98: First Lead Role**

There's a common misconception in Hollywood that a pretty face doesn't need acting skills; looking good is enough. But in reality, there's a difference between good and bad "eye candy."

A good "eye candy" needs acting skills too, to showcase charm at the right moments and fit seamlessly into the storyline. An exceptional one can even enhance the plot, adding an extra layer of attraction, making the movie more captivating beyond the script, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the film.

Not just anyone can be "eye candy."

Now, Gary needed Anson to show some acting skills—

And then.

Gary saw the young man in front of him lower his eyes, adjust slightly, and when he looked up again, the sparkle in his eyes was gone. His chin retracted slightly, and his gaze dropped by about fifteen degrees. Normally, Anson liked to look people in the eye, but now he slightly averted his gaze. The connection that comes from eye contact was misaligned, and the whole vibe changed.

And strangely, there was no negative emotion—just a low-key, reserved calmness, with a hint of weariness.

Weariness?

Is that normal?

But there was no doubt that Anson was still Anson, just without any shine.

His features, of course, were still good-looking, but now that good look was two-dimensional, flat like a paper cutout, with no life, no color, no depth.

A guy like this—there are countless of them in Hollywood. Maybe you'd pause to look at him if you happened to scan across his face, but you wouldn't want to look a second time. Turn around, and you might completely forget him because the one thing Hollywood never lacks is pretty faces—no need to pay too much attention.

Anson was sitting right there, yet he had become ordinary, losing all the initial impact. One glance, and it was like looking at two different people.

Is this really possible?

Even though everything was happening right in front of him, Gary still felt surprised, and a bit caught off guard.

It wasn't that the acting was phenomenal; it was just that Gary had absolutely no expectations for Anson. The image of "pretty boy, pretty boy, pretty boy" immediately equated to "eye candy, idol, no acting skills," forming a stereotype. Then, out of nowhere, this scene happened.

And that was a pleasant surprise.

Gary glanced over at Marcia in astonishment and saw a playful glint in her eyes, her expression intriguingly complex.

Noticing Gary's gaze, Marcia turned to him, smiled, and shrugged slightly. Her expression and posture couldn't have been clearer—

It's up to you.

Marcia felt a bit smug, but she thought she deserved it.

When she saw the photos in "GQ," she was instantly amazed, but to say she saw endless possibilities would be a lie. What she did notice was Anson's ability to break free from constraints and defy expectations. The combination of a suit and skate shoes carried a contradictory yet perfectly natural vibe, aligning somewhat with the character.

With no better option at hand, Marcia decided to take a gamble, hoping to show Gary she was still trying, still exploring. Even if Gary wasn't satisfied, at least he wouldn't need to rush her to find someone else, buying her some time.

As it turned out, there was an unexpected gain.

There's only one explanation for this—

Intuition.

Marcia thought, her intuition was right again. The facts once again proved her ability to recognize talent.

But facing Gary, Marcia didn't say much. It was better to leave it at that; after all, her work had already been presented. The final decision was up to Gary.

The power to make the call was still in Gary's hands.

However, things were a little different now. Marcia had confidence, so there was no anxiety or restlessness.

She was calm, upright, with a slight smile.

The situation was quite interesting.

Gary could see Marcia's confidence, and he didn't say much, turning back to Anson.

His rational mind kept applying the brakes, warning him not to rush, not to make any hasty judgments. Even the female lead had only been narrowed down to a choice of two; they were still waiting for further discussion before making a decision. The male lead also had time, allowing Marcia to continue exploring other possibilities, keeping options open.

No need to make a decision after just one audition. There really isn't.

Moreover,

Even if the final decision was to cast Anson, there was no need to finalize it on the spot.

In Hollywood, the usual procedure is to send the actor home, maintain some distance, let them wait for a while, and then formally notify their agent, issuing an official invitation through the agent. If the actor doesn't have an agent, the process remains the same with a direct notification to the actor.

This procedure is a habit.

There's no need to rush.

However, a voice deep in Gary's mind wouldn't stop:

He's the one.

Gary, he's the one.

If you pass on this, you'll regret it. Remember Julia? It's the same situation now. Okay, maybe not exactly the same—the two actors and two movies are different—but you still wouldn't want to miss this.

That impulse, after ten years, a full decade, was stirring within him again.

Actually, Gary has always been more emotional than rational. Even at sixty-six years old, he still had a fiery temper, like a storm that would burst into his office, scold Marcia harshly, and then storm out, forgetting about it after the emotional outburst.

He'd rather inconvenience others than himself.

That's Gary's motto, and it's how he's survived in Hollywood all these years.

Then,

Raising his eyes, Gary looked at Anson—

Anson had already returned to his usual self, no longer hiding or holding back, sitting quietly in front of him, just as he had been when he first walked in with his skateboard.

The words came rushing out, "Anson, would you be willing to join us?"

Marcia was slightly taken aback—going straight to the point?

Anson was equally surprised.

Looking at James and Hayden, their auditions often required waiting a while to find out the results, sometimes as short as three to five days, other times as long as one or two months. And if they were rejected, most of the time there would be no further communication—no news at all. So in Hollywood, learning to wait is an important lesson.

But here?

The audition had been extremely rushed; he hadn't even had time to change clothes before coming.

The result was just as hasty—they had barely started talking, and the decision was already made?

So, is Gary like the sloth from *Zootopia*?

Originally, Anson was planning to joke, "Sorry, I need to check my schedule with my agent," but he was too caught off guard to say it.

Caught off guard?

That's rare, Anson thought.

"Oh, I got the role?" The words slipped out, and a smile crept onto his face. "Can I ask, what project are we discussing?"

"Uh, this is part of the normal process, right? Or is the project top secret?"

One second, two seconds—

Marcia couldn't hold back and burst out laughing, slapping her knee repeatedly.

Gary did the same.

He liked Anson's response, liked him more the longer he looked, felt he was more suitable, "*The Princess Diaries*—a project I'm working on, adapted from a novel that hasn't been published yet. It should be released in August or September."

"I'm inviting you to play the lead role of Michael, not just some random background character. Don't worry. So, what do you think? Are you still interested?"

Anson gently lifted his chin, showing a thoughtful expression, "Hmm… I might need to give it some serious thought."

Fourth update.