novellhall Chapter 190 Audition for "Interstellar Travel" [5000 words]
Chapter 190 Audition for "Interstellar Travel" [5000 words]
Chapter 190 Audition for "Interstellar Travel" [5000 words]
Chen Xun suddenly opened his eyes.
He lay on the bed, drenched in sweat, his chest heaving violently.
The morning light in Los Angeles was just beginning to break through the window; my phone showed 6:23 a.m.
Chen Xun sat up, his hands trembling.
The feeling of waking up from a dream world was so intense, it was like my soul being forcibly stuffed into a body that didn't fit properly.
He closed his eyes.
I can almost see the flashing dials in the cockpit of the Eternity, and I can almost hear Murphy saying in his video log, "Dad, I believe you'll come back!"
The panel automatically unfolded in front of me, and a series of prompts kept refreshing:
[Dream Realm Dungeon Completed]
[Attribute Orb Acquired: Fatherly Bond - Deep Understanding (Silver) has been absorbed]
[Attribute Orb Acquired: Time Dislocation Experience (Blue) Absorbed]
[Attribute Orb Acquired: Astronaut Limb Instinct (Purple) Absorbed (Including Weightless Movement, Spacecraft Operation Muscle Memory, etc.)]
[Attribute Orb Acquired: Cross-Dimensional Emotional Anchoring (Gold) has been absorbed (In performing extremely abstract and surreal situations, one can instinctively find a true emotional anchor)]
[Gain Skill Attribute Orb: Cooper's Promise (Exclusive) When the performance involves themes of promise and parting, emotional authenticity +300%, and dialogue impact +200%]
[Acting Skills Progress +10%, Current Progress: 13%]
Character credibility +47 (Current: 47/100)
[Cultural Influence +12 (Current: 12/100)]
The series of prompts made Chen Xun dizzy.
They actually gained a unique skill!
The moment Chen Xun saw the skill attribute ball, he felt that this role was perfect for him.
He walked up to the mirror.
The face is still the same, but the eyes are different.
Chen Xun's eyes were originally bright, full of the spirit of a twenty-year-old.
Now his eyes are filled with a calmness that comes from the passage of time.
If you only look at Chen Xun's eyes, you would never imagine that the owner of those eyes is so young.
"This money was well spent!"
Chen Xun sensed the changes within himself.
He took a shower and changed into some simple clothes.
Black long-sleeved T-shirt, khaki pants, no deliberate dressing up.
The character of Cooper doesn't need to be glamorous; what he needs is authenticity.
When I went downstairs, Rob's car was already waiting at the door.
He was dressed quite formally today, in a suit and tie, looking like he was going to the Oscars.
You seem different today!
When Robert first saw Chen Xun, he thought he had seen a ghost.
"It's like seeing my former boss. He's over forty!"
"How did you do that?"
Robert asked questions curiously along the way.
Chen Xun didn't know how to answer, so he simply pushed the blame onto Marcus's studio.
"Is it really that effective?"
Rob decided to wait until he received his commission from Fast & Furious 5 before trying it out himself.
As Chen Xun's fame grew, his status in the agent circle also rose, leading to numerous social engagements.
Rob felt that the social skills he had learned in the industry were no longer sufficient to handle increasingly complex situations.
His acting skills also need improvement.
Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios.
Studio 3 is a large studio specifically used for auditions and shooting test shots. It looks ordinary from the outside, but the equipment inside is all top-notch.
When Chen Xun and Luo Bo arrived, there were already several cars parked in the parking lot.
As Chen Xun entered the waiting area, he immediately recognized several people.
Standing by the window is Michael Fassbender, a tall, thin man, reading a script with a furrowed brow.
Sitting next to him was a man around fifty years old, whom Chen Xun didn't recognize, but judging from his demeanor, he should also be an actor.
He has the air of an old-school stage actor, and his posture is very upright.
The most eye-catching figure was Matthew McConaughey, who was sitting in the corner.
He was wearing an old leather jacket, jeans, and boots with mud on them, as if he had just come from somewhere.
Without reading the script, he closed his eyes, leaned against the wall, and tapped his fingers lightly on his knees to keep time.
"That's McConaughey."
Rob whispered, "I heard that he spent two weeks on a farm in Texas, working alongside the local farmers to get a feel for the role."
Chen Xun nodded.
He can understand this approach.
If it were the old him, he probably would have done the same.
But now he has a more direct approach.
The waiting area was quiet; no one was talking.
In auditions of this caliber, everyone is a competitor, so there's no need for feigned politeness.
Staff came over to register names and handed each person a more detailed explanation of the audition process.
Chen Xun glanced at it.
First, there are individual auditions, each person has twenty minutes to perform two designated scenes, then there is a group discussion, where the director may ask some questions, and finally there may be an impromptu test.
"Mr. Chen Xun, please come with me." A young woman who looked like an assistant called out to him, "You're the first one."
.
Rob patted him on the shoulder: "Good luck."
Chen Xun followed his assistant into the audition room.
The room was large, with a performance area in the middle and several long tables opposite it, where five people sat.
In the very center is Christopher Nolan, wearing glasses, with a serious expression, flipping through the documents in his hand.
The favorability rating above the head is 35.
To his left is Jonathan Nolan, who looks more casual than his brother, but also very serious.
The favorability rating above the head is 45.
On the right is producer Emma Thomas, and next to her are two casting directors.
The favorability ratings for these three individuals are all between 30 and 40.
Only Jonathan, who had previously collaborated with Spielberg, had a higher level of liking for Chen Xun.
"Mr. Chen Xun, please take your seat."
The assistant pointed to the floor markings in the center of the performance area.
Chen Xun walked over and stood still.
He could feel five pairs of eyes on him at the same time, scanning him like searchlights.
"Chen," Christopher spoke first, his voice calm, "Thank you for auditioning. I've seen your work, 'The Hunger Games' and 'Fast & Furious,' which were very commercially successful."
These words sounded like a compliment, but Chen Xun understood the subtext: You're a commercial star, not a talented actor.
"We received a strong recommendation from Mr. Spielberg, so we'd like to see your understanding of the role."
Jonathan chimed in, his tone slightly more gentle: "Today we're performing the 38th and 112th shows. Are you ready?"
'
"Ready."
Chen Xun nodded.
"Let's start with scene 38," Christopher flipped through the script, "the scene where he leaves home."
There was no set decoration, no props, just an empty space.
Chen Xun closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
[Cooper's Promise] Skill attribute orbs are integrated into oneself.
When he opened his eyes again, he was already Cooper.
He could feel the weight of his old flight jacket and the dusty smell in the morning air.
His heart was racing.
It wasn't because I was nervous, but because I was about to leave my daughter.
The performance begins.
There were no exaggerated actions or sentimental lines.
Chen Xun felt as if he had returned to the time when he was in the dungeon.
He walked to the window to look at the still-dark sky, then went to the garage and started the truck.
Throughout the process, Chen Xun's expression remained almost calm, but his mind was tense, as if it might snap at any moment.
The most crucial moment is when you look in the rearview mirror.
Chen Xun didn't actually look in the rearview mirror; he simply turned his head and focused his gaze on a certain point in the air.
But at that very moment, everyone in the room was affected by the skill, and it seemed as if they could all see the increasingly smaller figure of the girl in the rearview mirror.
Suddenly, Chen Xun's eyes changed. First, they were resolute, then a hint of wavering flashed across his face, followed by suppressed pain, and finally, they became firm.
The whole process took less than three seconds, but the layers were surprisingly distinct.
What's even more amazing is the way he holds the steering wheel.
My fingers tightened at first, my knuckles turned white, then they trembled slightly. Finally, I forced myself to relax, but the veins on the back of my hand were still throbbing.
There were no tears, no breakdowns, yet it was more powerful than any crying scene.
The performance has ended.
The room was silent for a few seconds.
No one present seemed to dare to breathe too deeply.
After a while, Chen Xun's emotions calmed down.
The atmosphere at the scene relaxed immediately.
Only then did several staff members dare to breathe heavily.
Christopher and Jonathan exchanged a glance.
Jonathan said something in a low voice, and Christopher nodded.
Christopher Nolan's favorability +10, current favorability: 45
Jonathan Nolan's favorability +9, current favorability: 53
Emma Thomas +15, Current Affection Level: 50
The goodwill towards the surrounding staff has increased significantly!
Chen Xun's spirits lifted.
It seems I performed well.
"The next match, the 112th match, is in the fifth dimension."
This scene is even more difficult!
Without any actual scenes, the audience is convinced that the characters are truly trying to communicate with their daughter across time in a space beyond comprehension, relying entirely on the actors' imagination and performance.
Chen Xun closed his eyes again.
This time, he was drawing upon the final experience from the dream instance.
Inside the hypercube, watch all the moments of Murphy's life unfold simultaneously.
The ecstatic feeling of finally finding a solution was still fresh in his memory.
He opened his eyes, and his expression had completely changed.
This time it's neither farmer Cooper nor astronaut Cooper.
Rather, he is a father trapped in a dimension beyond human comprehension.
His gaze moved through the air.
It wasn't an unconscious movement, but rather an act of "looking" at the bookshelves and fragments of time.
Then Chen Xun began to push things forward.
With his hands making a slight pushing motion in the air, and his body turning with his gaze, it was as if he were really manipulating a huge and complex structure.
The most exciting part was the moment he discovered he could transmit information.
Chen Xun's expression went from confusion to shock, to sudden realization, and then to an almost frantic focus.
He didn't speak, but his lips were moving slightly, as if he were reciting Morse code.
Although Chen Xun didn't speak, his eyes conveyed the message: "I finally did it. Even if I can't go back, at least I can let her know—"
When the performance ended, Chen Xun stood in the open space, slightly out of breath.
He was emotionally drained.
This was the first time Chen Xun had felt this way.
It felt like I was completely drained.
Behind the long table, none of the five people spoke.
If it were someone else, they would definitely be at a loss, unsure of how they performed.
But Chen Xun watched helplessly as the favorability ratings above the heads of the people in front of him began to spin like a slot machine wheel.
Christopher Nolan's favorability +5, current favorability: 50
Jonathan Nolan's favorability +6, current favorability: 59
Emma Thomas +10, Current Affection Level: 60
After a long pause, Jonathan spoke first: "How do you understand that space?"
-
"It's not space," Chen Xun said, his tone still carrying a hint of Cooper's, "it's a physical structure formed by love."
That sounded a bit far-fetched, but Jonathan's eyes lit up.
This is exactly what he wanted to express in his script but didn't write out directly.
"You look—" Christopher carefully chose his words, "more mature than the twenty-three years old stated in the records."
"I did a lot of preparation."
Chen Xun gave a simple explanation.
Could you share your understanding of the relationship between Cooper and Murphy?
Emma Thomas asked.
She was so focused on what she was watching that it took her a while to come to her senses.
Chen Xun thought for a moment: "When Cooper left, Murphy felt abandoned. In fact, from her perspective, that was abandonment. Cooper knew this, so he carried guilt throughout his journey."
"In the end, inside the black hole, he wasn't saving humanity; he was making up for a promise he made to his daughter."
"I will come back," a statement he himself might not fully believe, but he had to say it, and he had to do it.
After saying this, Jonathan wrote something down in his notebook.
"Okay, thank you for your performance."
Christopher said, "Please go back to the waiting area; we need to discuss this."
Chen Xun nodded and walked out of the room.
As soon as he left, the audition room became lively.
Wow!
One casting director spoke first: "This is completely different from what I imagined!"
"I've seen his previous works, and they were all commercial films with that kind of acting style, but his performance just now was on a completely different level from his previous performances in commercial films."
"Spiper's recommendation was definitely right; his understanding of the character was deeper than I expected."
Jonathan nodded in agreement.
He always trusted Spielberg's judgment, but unfortunately, the new directors were his brother and sister-in-law, so his words carried no weight!
Christopher, however, was cautious, even though he was somewhat surprised by Chen Xun's performance: "The performance was indeed good, but we need to consider the overall picture. Matthew McConaughey hasn't tried yet, and—"
He glanced at the information: "Chen Xun's age is indeed much younger than the character's setting. Cooper should be a middle-aged man in his forties with children and the burden of life. Chen Xun seems to be able to portray that feeling, but his actual age is what it is."
"But he just portrayed that feeling so well, for a moment I felt like I was really seeing Cooper!"
Emma was a little agitated and clearly disagreed with her husband's words: "Did you notice his hands on the steering wheel? That kind of detail is something a young actor wouldn't think of."
"Let's see," Christopher said. "Call the next person."
When Chen Xun returned to the waiting area, the others all looked at him.
Matthew McConaughey opened his eyes and nodded at him.
Fassbinder was still reading the script, but his gaze toward Chen Xun held a hint of contemplation.
Rob leaned closer and whispered, "How is it?"
"have no idea."
Chen Xun was the first to go in, and he wasn't sure how the others performed.
However, he has experienced Cooper's real life, so if he still fails to be selected, it can only mean that there is something fishy going on.
It's as embarrassing as Zhang Jie only getting second place in a Zhang Jie impersonation contest!
Next up is Michael Fassbender.
He went in for twenty minutes, and when he came out, his expression was not clear, and he shook his head.
Then came the actor who was around fifty years old; he went in for a shorter time, only fifteen minutes.
Finally, there's Matthew McConaughey.
Before he went inside, he patted the dust off his clothes.
It wasn't done on purpose; there really was dust.
This guy actually went to work on the farm!
That's really going all out!
McConaughey's audition took the longest, almost half an hour.
When he came out, his expression was calm, revealing neither good nor bad.
Everyone had finished their test, and the assistant told them to wait a little longer, as the directing team needed to make a final decision.
The atmosphere in the waiting area was subtle.
No one was talking, but their eyes would occasionally meet.
This is the most agonizing time.
You've done your best, but the decision is in someone else's hands.
Chen Xun leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
His mind was still filled with those dream memories and lingering emotions.
He needed some time to switch himself back to Chen Xun, not Cooper.
You shouldn't download too many of these kinds of instances!
It's easy to drive yourself to the brink of schizophrenia!
After waiting for about forty minutes, the assistant came out: "Everyone, the production team has made a preliminary decision. Mr. Chen Xun, please come in again."
Everyone else looked at Chen Xun.
Rob clenched his fist nervously.
Chen Xun walked into the audition room again.
This time, the five people behind the long table all looked even more serious.
"Chen Xun," Christopher said bluntly, "your performance impressed us deeply, especially your understanding of the character's emotional core, which was much deeper than we expected."
"But we have concerns. First, there's your age. Cooper is supposed to be around forty years old with two teenagers, and you're twenty-three. Although you just portrayed that feeling, we need to make sure you can maintain that state during long shoots."
"This project will be very demanding, with a lot of real-life shooting and very little use of green screen. We'll be shooting glaciers in Iceland, cornfields in Canada, and building real spaceship interiors. The shooting period could last up to six months."
Christopher picked up where his brother left off.
He paused, then continued, "We need actors to completely immerse themselves in their roles, not just on set, but throughout the entire filming process. Can you do that?"
Chen Xun did not answer immediately.
He recalled those days in the dream world.
The exhaustion of working on the farm, the helplessness of watching time fly by on Earth from space, the tranquility of making a sacrifice decision at the edge of a black hole.
"I can do it!"
"Because for me, Cooper is more than just a character."
He looked at the Nolan brothers: "He's like someone I know. I understand every choice he made, I comprehend every pain he endured, and I remember every bit of love he had for his daughter."
The room fell silent again.
Christopher and Jonathan discussed it in hushed tones for a few moments, then Christopher looked up and said, "We need to think about it some more. We'll give you a final answer once we've decided on a candidate."
"Thanks!"
Chen Xun nodded and turned to leave.
As I walked out of the audition room, a new notification popped up on the system panel:
[Audition performance earns deep recognition from key figures]
Character credibility +15 (Current: 62/100)
[Cultural Influence +8 (Current: 20/100)]
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