James Whitmore's pov.
Arms crossed, expression unimpressed, she exuded the same character of the Yun Na in my memory.
She doesn't fawn like the others nor does she praise blindly.
William's cold and indifferent attitude suddenly changes, jaws and teeth clenched. He wants to say something, but I speak first, beating him to it.
"Explain."
Moon meets my gaze without hesitation. "She hit every mark, but that was it. There's no rawness to it or a real weight behind it.
She was just too aware of herself. It was all rehearsed."
"But shouldn't it be rehearsed before the audition?" a judge asks.
"It should, by stepping onto the stage is where the line between practice and performance is drawn.
Think about it. Isn't an audition meant to showcase the raw authenticity that will eventually come to life in screen?"
The room suddenly drops to zero degrees.
I let the words settle, and then my head bubbles up and down in agreement. "Yes, it was perfect but empty."
And moreover, 'if she couldn't do more than this on the stage, then like moon had said, she wouldn't be able to do much on the screen.' I thought.
I really wanted an actress worthy of my protagonist in my story.
A few of the judges shifts uncomfortably. Their admiration wavers, unsure now that I have spoken.
But since when do I cater for comfort? I do not reward a performance simply because it is well executed.
Perfection is not the same as greatness. And Clarissa, for all her skill, has yet to understand that.
On the stage, Clarrissa's smile wavers, but she fights to keep it in place. Her fingers twitch at her sides before curling them into fists.
Then, she straights, drawing a sharp intake of breath and forcing composure onto her face. But the anger is still there waiting and simmering just beneath the surface.
Like a hawk, her sharp gaze snaps to Moon. She steps forward, her heels clicking against the polished floor. The sound is harsh, biting through the silence.
"Just shut up Moon," she snapped with barely restrained irritation. "And who made you the judge of this audition, huh?!"
Her hands lifts to her chest and she crosses it, tilting her head, eyes narrowing as she sizes Moon up.
But Moon barely regards her. Instead, she shrugs, completely unfazed. "No one," she says, her voice light, almost teasing. "But I have eyes."
"You!" Clarissa pointed angry fingers at her. "If you say you have eyes, then are you insinuating that the judges or even Mr William doesn't have eyes?"
I frown. Clarissa was taking this too far. I know what she is doing, trying to turn the judges against Moon.
I go to interfere, but I refrain from doing so. Let me see how capable this Moon is.
"No, I didn't say that," Moon, counters with an air of indifference. "I'm merely stating facts, and the person who doesn't have eyes here is you!"
The judges goes to stop them, but I raise up my hand in objection, and they swallow back their words and lean back into their seats. In this industry, what I say stands.
Clarrissa's lips presses into a thing line before a small laugh escapes her, but there's no humor in it. "Oh? You have eyes?" She repeats mockingly. "And what exactly did your oh-so-perceptive eyes see?"
Moon leans forward slightly, her expression blank and unreadable. "Only an act," she says bluntly. "A rehearsed, polished, and emotionless act. That's what I see."
Clarrissa's nostrils flared at this point. "Excuse me?"
Moon goes to counter it again, but I clear my throat, drawing both their attention. I meet Clarissa's gaze, and with a stern, reprimanding vioice says, "she's not wrong."
My words made her stiffen. Her shoulders go rigid, her jaws tightens, and for the first time, real panic flickers in her eyes. "But Director, I—"
"I know what you're trying to do," I cut her off, with a proportionate amount of measure in my tone. "It was technically perfect, but perfection isn't always what makes a performance real."
"But then, director, you do not have any more contestants," she says smugly, "I'm only your best shot you have at this point, don't you agree same?"
I clenched my fists! How dare she threaten me with that? And to top it, she was even raising her brows in a challenging manner?
Did she not know or heard of my reputation? I could halt this movie's production until I see a candidate fit for the role.
"Is that a threat, young woman?" I asked, anger laced in every syllable. "Don't think that I can't halt—"
I pause, looking down when the vibration in my phone wouldn't stop to see a message from Dimon Bryant, a producer that had invested into the movie.
I tap on the message and the contents of the message makes my heart drop! Not just anywhere, but into the abyss!
He is giving me an ultimatum. If I couldn't start production, then his money should be refunded as soon as possible.
Damn it! I've never found myself in this kind of situation! Dimon Bryant is the second biggest investor after Mr William and refunding him will greatly affect the movie, but in a negative way and I can't afford that.
But then, accepting a medicore actress who wouldn't draw the audience, isn't that the same as losing too?
The role of the male lead has been long closed, as the nations screen God and actor, Sebastian Hayes, was immediately cast into the movie.
He had been in the industry for a decade now and he is nothing short of perfection and with him, this movie will soar high.
I just needed a good female lead, who'll match his energy and not someone with mediocre talents and as rude as Clarissa.
I let out another annoyed sigh, running frustrated hands through my dark hair.
Maybe I should take the chance. Sebastian's presence will do the trick, but then it would have been better if both the protagonists worked in sync.
"Director…?"
Damnit, Clarissa's voice brings me out of my reverie. She was subtly reminding me of what I already know.
I'd just accept her and groom her. Afterall, even Sebastian has his little beginnings, right?
I go to say something, nodding, but a sharp voice cuts me off, slicing through the tension in the room, and all heads snap to face the source of the voice.
"No, you're not the best shot he's got," the voice says with conviction and the room that is silent falls into an even more stunned silence.