Rise To Stardom - Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Auditioning For ‘Alex Hunt’
“Hmmm…”

Pondering as he read through the script for the umpteenth time, Kyle started to realize that the character of Alex Hunt was going to require more nuance to portray than he had initially thought.

‘Roguish, sly, calm and yet, beneath all that, a dangerous edge that shouldn’t be tested…’

‘That’s a dichotomy that’s gonna be quite hard to pull off…’ the young man mused, stroking his chin.

Jotting all those major points down, Kyle circled it with a red marker, his decision made.

These were the main points he was going to try his best to focus on during the auditions.

Despite the lack of background introspection into Alex’s character, Kyle had deduced as much as he possibly could, simply from the subtle mannerisms and dialogue in the short script.

‘I should also dress up in a way that would suit his character. Should switch to contacts too for the meantime…’ he nodded to himself.

-Ding!

“Room service. Your food’s here!” a male voice rang out from the other end of the door.

“Coming!” Kyle swiftly got off his bed, opened the door and received his food whilst thanking the hotel attendant.

Having already travelled to New York City for the auditions earlier in the day, Kyle and Oliver had checked in to two separate rooms at a fairly nice hotel with a good reputation.

Sitting down, the food tray gently placed aside on the bedside table, Kyle went on to immerse himself in trying to act out a few parts in the script for the next hour, completely forgetting that he was even hungry.

* * *

“So, only twenty people auditioned for Alex’s role?” Director Mark had a casual look on his face as he flipped through the pinned stacks of paper containing the details of each auditioning actor.

“Sadly, yes. Most agents weren’t a fan of their young talents having to do most of the stunts on their own.” Tom, the assistant director, sighed and said.

“Add the small pay to the mix, along with the fact that the movie isn’t funded by a reputable production company or a big studio and I think having even twenty people audition for the role is a blessing.” Hank, producer of the movie, gently scratched his beard as he said that.

Along with all three, were a few other people; ranging from the cinematographer, the production manager and a few other staff members.

They were seated on either side of the three, all whilst also perusing through a few documents here and there.

In the middle of the room, situated where the stage was, was a staff attendant who would be acting with the auditioning actors.

The fairly bulky man, sat menacingly as he relaxed into the comfort of his chair with his arms crossed, an aura of someone who owned the place seemingly emanating from him.

“Well, I hope we find a good actor who can play the character well.” Director Mark adjusted his glasses as he motioned to the staff attendant to usher the actors in for the auditions.

Having rented a large office space, one that was spacious enough to accommodate all three and their other staffs, along with also giving the actors enough space to show off their acting chops, the crew watched as the first actor came in and the auditions commenced.

…

…

…

“Thank you. We’ll inform you if you got the part in a few days.” Mark maintained his poker gaze as he said to the actor who had just finished his audition.

Nodding in appreciation, said actor quickly left the stage.

“I think his acting was actually quite good.” Hank said to Mark who was already scribbling a few notes down, a few seconds after the actor had left.

“Yeah. It was.” the director agreed with the bearded man’s words and even most of the crew nodded, seemingly in agreement to those words.

“But…” Mark uttered, raising a finger up.

“He didn’t get the appeal of the character.” the man concluded and Tom, already anticipating those exact words, nodded in agreement.

The actor that had just left, did have quite the dangerous feel to him, and if the movie needed a terrifying vigilante, the crew might’ve just hired him immediately.

But looking at it in hindsight now, the rest of the crew quickly came to the realization that said actor completely threw out all the subtle nuances in Alex’s character to portray the much more dangerous side of him.

“Alex might be a vigilante but he’s a bit of a playful yet formidable one. And remember, we can’t have two main actors being all broody and serious. There has to be an obvious dichotomy between he and Sam.” Mark pointed out and the others agreed.

Sighing, Hank, along with all the others, returned their attention back to the stage, awaiting the next actor.

They had already gone through thirteen actors and unfortunately, they were yet to find one that truly ticked all the boxes.

Requesting for the next actor to come in, they all watched as a young man, dressed in a black top and black leather jacket, along with black gloves, rugged-black jeans and stylish black boots, confidently walk onto the stage.

There was a respectful smile on his lips as he stared at the crew before him and just like any other previous actor, Mark asked a question to gauge the actor’s understanding of the character.

“What do you think of Alex Hunt?”

“I think he’s a bit of a menace…” Kyle instantly responded, catching a few staffs off-guard at how quickly he responded.

“However, that trait of his, might border on either simply pissing someone off, or straight-up inflicting severe harm on them if it’s necessary. Depends on who he’s dealing with or what his goals are though.” Kyle kept speaking in a composed manner, his thoughts honest.

‘Hmmm… interesting take… Haven’t heard that one today.’ Mark mused to himself, slightly intrigued by the young chap’s words.

“Oh. That’s a pretty nice take…” Hank whispered to the director who maintained his poker face as he responded silently;

“Yeah. Probably the first actor today who has a pretty solid grasp on Alex’s character…”

“It’ll be all for naught though if he can’t portray those characteristics well though…” Hank replied.

“Yeah. Let’s see what he’s got.” Mark concluded and then returned his attention back to the young man.

“I see. Well then, have at it. Show us what you’ve got.” he gestured to Kyle and the rest of the crew, also looked forward to his acting in mild anticipation.

He was the first actor to have pointed out that Alex wasn’t just some self-driven justice enforcer afterall.

“Alright sir.” the young man nodded in response, only to make a polite request immediately after;

“Sir, I do have a request though, if you don’t mind.”

Tilting their heads in mild curiosity, Mark spoke for everyone as he asked;

“And what is that?”

“I would like to come in through the door again and start acting from there.” he said, his eyes a bit hopeful that they wouldn’t turn him down.

“Sure, I guess.” Mark responded as Kyle slightly bowed in appreciation and went out of the room.

Glancing over at the rest of the crew, curious and confused expressions etched on their faces, Kyle walked back into the room with a different vibe to him.

—

Casually walking into the office of the mafia boss whose goons he had silently put down in the corridor, Alex had a roguish grin present on his lips.

That smile alone, hinted at a bit of overconfidence veiled beneath as he leaned on the wall, gazing at the mafia boss from across the room.

Raising his gaze up, the mafia boss, unperturbed by a young brat’s sudden appearance, sized Alex up as he questioned;

“And who the fuck are you supposed to be? Why’d my boys let a shit-turd like you in?”

“How rude. This might just be the last conversation you’ll ever have so tone down a bit on the language eh bub.” Alex casually replied as he walked over, pulling the chair on the opposite end of the desk and plopping down on it.

The mafia boss watched it all play out, his frown deepening even further by the second.

Placing his leg atop the desk without minding the man’s ever increasing frown, a direct mockery to the mafia boss who was now currently seething in anger, Alex spoke;

“You recently came into contact with a tattooed man that goes by the name of ‘The Spider’. Sold you a particular microchip. Remotely detonating bomb actually, I think you know that too.”

“Now, of course you’re gonna tell me where The Spider is but more than that, I need something else from you.” the seemingly harmless young man continued speaking, his tone of choice, casual.

“The schematics of how the chip works. I know he gave it to you. Can’t operate it without it I’m sure. Care to be a darling and hand it over to me?” Alex requested, flexing his eyebrows upwards.

“You must be truly fucked in the head to come in here and behave like you own the place.” the mafia boss laughed as he said that.

“John, come get this fucker out of here! Put a bullet through his skull too and chop off his body parts. We can sell ’em to those rich creeps.” the mafia boss called out but all he was met with was silence.

“Yeah… about that… I’m sorry to inform you, but your men are all taking a frankly unearned trip to the afterlife…” Alex uncrossed his legs, his roguish expression slowly morphing into a different one as he stated;

“And you, are next on the chopping block Mr. Donovan Dominguez.” he smiled with a bit of malice as he said that.

Hearing his real name being casually uttered like that, a secret he had kept from everyone, even his rival mafia bosses and the government themselves, the mafia boss started to feel very wary of the young man.

‘If he knows my name then he definitely knows everything else about me!’ the mafia boss gulped in fear.

If this young man before him snitched to the government, they would instantly pounce upon him like sharks drawn to the smell of blood.

From mass kidnapping, to the illegal sex trade he ran, the multiple illegal drug shipments he smuggled into the country on a frequent basis and even more recently, having a hand in some of the suicide serial bombings, everything would instantly come into the light.

The atrocities he had committed knew no bounds and life imprisonment would be the least of his concerns because prison alone, held all the people whom he had stepped over to get to where he was.

“So, let’s make this easy for ourselves bub. Three seconds. That’s all you get. Hand over the schematics and tell me where The Spider’s hiding.” Alex requested again, this time his expression serious.

All of the playfulness was gone and all that was left, was a young man whose eyes reflected that he didn’t enjoy defiance one bit.

“Go fuck yourself!” the mafia boss, despite knowing Alex must’ve had a lot of dirt on him to know his name, refused to let go of the information the young man needed.

If he so much as gave that information out, the higher-up whom he reported to, would end his life within a day in the most painful, excruciating way possible.

That was way worse than anything the government or this fucking bastard before him could ever do to him.

Alex on the other hand, sighed a bit, tapped his gloved hands on the table for a few seconds and then, muttered out loud;

“Not getting through hmm? Alright then. Violence it is.”

Darting his eyes around the table, Alex’s eyes landed on a pen and in one swift motion, he leaned forward, retrieved said pen and jammed it so hard into the desk, it drilled a hole through!

At this point, a visible expression of fear gripped Donovan’s entire being and refused to let go as he stared into Alex’s eyes.

Eyes which had morphed into a dangerously cold one.

Eyes that clearly indicated that he could do terrifying things without the gift of mercy.

“You either give me the schematics, or I drill a much deserved hole through that fucking skull of yours.” a growling tone escaped Alex’s mouth.

“Alright! I will! I will! It’s in the vault hidden behind the bookshelf! Just take it!” Donovan shrunk back, succumbing to the immense wave of fear that sent shivers running down his spine.

“And The Spider?” the young man demanded, his tone calm yet cold.

“He’s at an underground club at Downtown Brooklyn! Just below Dinky’s Electronics Store! That’s all I know I swear!”

Fading as if it was never even there, Alex’s playful smile returned as he lightly tapped Donovan’s cheeks.

“See, that wasn’t so hard now was it bub?”

But as if even the playful smile was just a façade, Alex’s tone then turned sinister as he said;

“Your buddies will be looking forward to seeing you in jail Donovan. Play nice.”

Hearing those words, all the color drained out of Donovan’s face in utter fear as Alex winked at him, a wicked smile on his lips.