Chapter 3: The First Step Toward Stardom

Nate woke up the next morning with a singular focus: prepare for the audition. He had three days to get ready, and failure was not an option. He had wasted years in his previous life, chasing Hollywood dreams with no strategy. This time, he knew exactly what it took to make it.

He needed to stand out.

He pulled up the audition details on his laptop. The indie drama was titled Fading Echoes, a small but emotionally heavy film about a young man struggling with loss. The role up for grabs was a supporting character—Noah, the protagonist's best friend.

It wasn't a lead role, but it was a foot in the door.

The director, Daniel Greaves, was an independent filmmaker known for discovering talent. More importantly, Nate knew that the film would later gain critical acclaim at film festivals, launching several careers.

Landing this role could change everything.

Step One: Master the Audition Script

The production had attached a few sample scenes for actors to perform during the audition. Nate opened the file and began reading.

The scene was an argument between the main character and his best friend, Noah. The dialogue was raw and emotional, filled with anger, regret, and underlying pain.

Perfect.

In his past life, Nate had struggled with emotional depth in his performances. He always played it safe, never digging deep enough to connect with the audience. But now? He had lived through failure, rejection, and regret.

He knew how to channel real emotion.

Standing in front of the mirror, he read Noah's lines aloud, focusing on the emotions behind them. He pictured the scene in his head—two best friends standing in a dimly lit alley, tension thick in the air.

"You think you're the only one who's lost something? I was there, man. I saw what it did to you. But pushing everyone away isn't gonna bring him back."

He let the words settle. He imagined himself in Noah's shoes—watching his best friend spiral, wanting to help but being helpless.

He tried again.

This time, the emotion hit deeper. His voice cracked slightly, his expression raw with frustration and grief.

This is it. This is what I was missing before.

A small smirk tugged at his lips. He was already better than he had been in his past life.

But it wasn't enough. He needed more.

Step Two: Record and Analyze

Nate grabbed his phone and set it up on his desk, hitting record before performing the scene again. Once finished, he watched the playback.

His performance was good—but not great.

His delivery had emotion, but his body language was too controlled, too rehearsed. Real people didn't act like that during emotional moments. They lost control.

He tried again, letting himself get fully immersed in the scene, forgetting the camera existed.

By the tenth take, he could see the difference.

This time, it felt real.

Step Three: Prepare for the Unexpected

Nate knew one thing about auditions—they never went as expected. Directors often threw surprise directions at actors to see how well they could adjust.

He needed to be ready for anything.

So, he improvised.

He changed the tone of the scene—delivering it once with quiet intensity, then again with barely contained rage, and once more with a sense of exhausted resignation.

By the end, he knew one thing for sure.

He was ready.

---

The Road to Hollywood Begins

Over the next two days, Nate fine-tuned everything—his performance, his confidence, even his appearance. He made sure to pick an outfit that suited Noah's character—casual but with a hint of brooding intensity.

When the morning of the audition arrived, he was calm.

This was his first real chance to break into the industry.

And he would not waste it.

---

Arriving at the Audition

The casting venue was a small studio in downtown Los Angeles. As Nate stepped inside, he was met with a familiar sight—a waiting room full of young actors, all hoping for the same role.

Most of them looked the part—fit, attractive, dressed to impress. Some nervously rehearsed their lines, while others scrolled through their phones, feigning indifference.

But Nate wasn't nervous.

He had already seen the future.

And today, he would start shaping it.

---

The Audition Room

"Next—Nathaniel Carter!"

Nate took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

Inside, three people sat behind a long table. In the center was Daniel Greaves, the film's director. He was in his forties, with graying hair and sharp, observant eyes.

Beside him sat a casting assistant and a producer.

Greaves leaned forward, scanning Nate's resume. "You don't have much experience."

"Not yet," Nate replied smoothly. "But I'm here to change that."

The director raised an eyebrow. "Confident. I like that. Let's see if you've got the talent to back it up."

The casting assistant handed him the scene prompt. "Whenever you're ready."

Nate exhaled slowly. Then, he became Noah.

The moment he started speaking, the room shifted.

His voice carried the weight of real pain, his movements felt effortless, and his expressions were raw, authentic. It was as if he had lived through the scene himself.

When he delivered the final line, the silence in the room was deafening.

Greaves leaned back in his chair, studying him.

"Interesting," the director mused. "Let's try something different. This time, give me less anger, more quiet pain."

Nate didn't hesitate. He dove back into the scene, this time portraying Noah as someone exhausted, emotionally drained but still holding on.

By the time he finished, the casting assistant looked impressed. Even the producer was nodding slightly.

Greaves remained unreadable.

Finally, he spoke.

"Thank you, Nathaniel. We'll be in touch."

Nate knew what that meant.

Most auditions ended with a polite "We'll let you know"—a sugar-coated rejection. But "We'll be in touch"?

That meant he had a real shot.

As he left the room, his heart pounded with excitement.

He had done it.

His first step toward Hollywood had begun.