Chapter 010: Foreboding of Failure

After the lines were recited, Hugo still felt a lingering sense of unfulfillment; the lines left him with too little room for expression. He had just begun to get into character when the lines came to an end. Nevertheless, Hugo was still very satisfied; he thoroughly enjoyed the process of this performance. Until today, the most substantial lines he had delivered in performances were of a similar weight, yet today he had received such a significant opportunity to perform during the audition. This was truly a wonderful occurrence.

It is important to note that prior to these three works, Hugo had already gained fame through his acting talent, not to mention his outstanding performance in "Dead Poets Society," which made him a household name. However, following this, Hugo's choice of works exhibited a significant deviation, which ultimately led to the consecutive "favor" of the Golden Raspberries.

Hugo was unaware of how the audition process in Hollywood operated, but Elizabeth did not offer any comments on her performance and intentionally changed the subject, which was clearly unusual. Hugo's gaze returned to the script in his hands; the lines he had just recited were not actually those of Paul, the second son in "The River Wild," but rather those of Newman, the eldest son. Such occurrences were not uncommon during Hugo's previous auditions for supporting roles, but they were certainly noteworthy in the context of a leading role audition.

Elizabeth's expression appeared calm, showing no particular emotion; however, in fact, she held a great appreciation for Hugo's performance just now. Although Hugo had only received the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor last night, not to mention the remarkable feat of three nominations in two years for the same award, Elizabeth would not forget Hugo's breakout role in "Dead Poets Society"

Jon heard Hugo's call and couldn't help but cough lightly in embarrassment. As a representative of the actors' union, he had witnessed the entire process that had just unfolded. Although everything had occurred behind the scenes and was not apparent on the surface, Jon, having been in this industry for so long, naturally understood that this was essentially the established rule. Therefore, he felt there was no need to intervene. However, rules are rules, and with Hugo so openly exposing them, Jon's position had indeed become delicate. While nothing was visible on the surface, Jon, with his extensive experience in the industry, was well aware that this was the established rule, which is why he felt no need to intervene. Yet, rules are rules, and with Hugo so blatantly breaking them, Jon's position had indeed become delicate.

"Hugo, do you have any special thoughts on this script?" Elizabeth, having disappointed Hugo's eager expectations, had no intention of commenting on his performance and instead shifted the topic.

Hugo knew that the main event was about to begin. He organized his thoughts and glanced at the script that Elizabeth handed over. After taking the script with his right hand, he placed it back on the table. Then, under the astonished gazes of Jon and Elizabeth, he lowered his head and methodically buttoned his shirt, one button at a time

Hugo raised his right hand, grasping Elizabeth's palm that was gently caressing his abdominal muscles, slightly pulling it away from his body. Then, with the tip of his index finger, he lightly tapped Elizabeth's palm, all the while wearing a warm and gentle smile. A jolt of electricity caused Elizabeth's muscles to stiffen momentarily, before she withdrew her hand.

In "Dead Poets Society," Hugo portrayed the character Neil Perry with remarkable depth, achieving a high level of integration in his demeanor, gaze, body language, and dialogue. His performance was no less impressive than that of the lead actor Robin Williams. However, during that year's awards season, Hugo did not receive any nominations for Best Supporting Actor, which sparked dissatisfaction among critics.

As a believer in the Presbyterian Church, my father believes that human nature is inherently evil, and that only by acting according to God's will can one regain strength and beauty. This line is a complete statement composed of three clauses. Hugo regulated his breath, which made the entire sentence delivered at a measured pace, adding a touch of the sage's insight, thus rendering the words profound in meaning. "For him, salmon, like eternal salvation, is a grace from God, a grace that comes from art, and art is not easily attained." Hugo regulated his breath, which made the entire sentence delivered at a measured pace, adding a touch of the sage's insight, thus rendering the words profound in meaning. "For him, salmon, like eternal salvation, is a grace from God, a grace that comes from art, and art is not easily attained."

Jon quickly shifted his gaze back, landing on Elizabeth, and said earnestly, "Can the audition begin now?"

This time it was Elizabeth who was startled, but she did not show it on her face. Instead, she threw a glance at Hugo. If a beautiful woman had made this expression, it would have been full of charm; unfortunately, Elizabeth was not suitable for it, especially with that peacock blue eyeshadow, which made the image of "Aunt Susan" Susan Boyle flash repeatedly in Hugo's mind. This made the situation quite awkward.

Today marks Hugo's first official audition, and he is uncertain about how to approach it, ultimately deciding to imitate his predecessors. Although Hugo has not seen "The River Wild," he has watched "Legends of the Fall," in which Brad plays roles that are quite similar. Today, Hugo aims to emulate Brad's performance style in "Legends of the Fall." It feels as though he is trying to compete against the real Brad Pitt, which is the root of Hugo's lack of confidence today. Regardless, one must try to know the outcome, and besides, Hugo is not merely copying; even with the same character and performance style, different actors will present different effects.

Hugo actually comes from a musical background, which gives him a unique rhythm in his delivery of lines. He presents a line filled with wisdom in the form of a sonnet, resulting in an unexpectedly brilliant effect. It can be said that Hugo has his own understanding of dialogue, striving to integrate the character with the lines. If this dialogue were performed with an open shirt, it would certainly be quite comical. Hugo considered the content of the lines, which is why he buttoned up his shirt, and in hindsight, it is clearly a wise choice. It can be said that Hugo has his own understanding of dialogue, striving to integrate the character with the lines. If this dialogue were performed with an open shirt, it would certainly be quite comical. Hugo considered the content of the lines, which is why he buttoned up his shirt, and in hindsight, it is clearly a wise choice

Watching Hugo's orderly actions, Jon was clearly struggling to suppress his laughter. He had never thought of Hugo as someone with such a rich sense of humor, especially in light of Elizabeth's earlier remarks about the rules. Now, Hugo's action of buttoning his shirt was even more amusing. However, thinking of that woman's instructions, Jon's smile quickly faded. Elizabeth's eyes still held an unmistakable look of astonishment—perhaps she simply did not wish to hide it, as her gaze towards Hugo was tinged with a hint of amusement. Now, Hugo's action of buttoning his shirt was even more amusing. However, thinking of that woman's instructions, Jon's smile quickly faded. Elizabeth's eyes still held an unmistakable look of astonishment—perhaps she simply did not wish to hide it, as her gaze towards Hugo was tinged with a hint of amusement.

In fact, this is a good thing. After refinement and accumulation, Hugo can still become an outstanding actor, rather than just relying on his appearance as a mere vase. However, Jon knows that the decision-making power regarding the audition does not lie in his hands, and the situation he is aware of is also not optimistic. Jon could not help but look towards Elizabeth

Although Jon, sitting beside him, is merely a representative agent of the actors' guild, he has witnessed countless audition scenarios. Hugo's audition performance is undoubtedly stunning; even though it is still somewhat rough around the edges, his grasp of the rhythm of the lines and control over the character's emotions clearly demonstrate his talent. The three terrible films, "Hudson Hawk," "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang," and "The Nice Guys," have not completely exhausted his gift.

Hugo had to admit that Elizabeth's teasing was indeed too obvious. If the other party were a young maiden, it would be a delightful matter; however, the person before him was a housewife who could very well be his mother, which made it far less pleasant. Hugo watched as the peacock blue eyeshadow of Elizabeth shimmered in his vision, feeling a wave of helplessness.

The performance just now reminded Elizabeth of Hugo's performance in "Dead Poets Society," where she once again witnessed Hugo's stunning moment and the talent that captivated countless people's attention. However, it is unfortunate that many things were already predetermined before Hugo auditioned, and Elizabeth had no intention of changing that.

Elizabeth's fingertips, calloused and delicate, glided over Hugo's abdominal muscles, a gesture so distinctly flirtatious that it startled Hugo, causing a wave of goosebumps to rise on his stomach. This left Hugo somewhat flustered; having never encountered such a situation, he was at a loss for how to respond. In a moment of urgency, a solution flashed through his mind, and ultimately he decided to retreat by advancing.

After the dialogue performance concluded, Hugo looked at Elizabeth with great anticipation. He was quite satisfied with his own performance, but he was unaware of how it would be perceived by others. Beyond the lines, there were also his expressions, gaze, and movements. The overall state of the performance, as a combination of all these elements, had to be judged by Elizabeth.

What does the phrase 'light vehicle on familiar roads' mean? Hugo did not ponder deeply; instead, he chuckled lightly, and the clear, sunny smile at the corner of his mouth fully blossomed, causing Elizabeth's already fluttering heart to race even more irregularly. "I thought this was part of the audition."

At this moment, Elizabeth also reacted, deeply scrutinizing Hugo. She scanned around his robust physique, and her unabashed gaze made Hugo feel quite uncomfortable. This time, Elizabeth quickly withdrew her gaze, a curve forming at the corner of her mouth, "Now, why don't you try reciting this line"

After carefully reading the lines, Hugo adjusted his breathing before speaking: "Nevertheless, the fishing training that Paul and I received is as much as the teachings of theology." Hugo's voice was already rich and deep, warm and gentle with a hint of melancholy, reminiscent of velvet that captivates the listener. At this moment, Hugo deliberately slowed down and softened his speech, giving this line a rhythm that resonates deeply within.

Hugo's candid words left Elizabeth momentarily stunned, and she soon saw him looking at Jon, who had been sitting beside them watching the show, "Isn't that right, Jon?"

Elizabeth softly said to Hugo: "Indeed, you are quite familiar with this route; are you teasing me?"

For Hugo, reciting lines with an open shirt exposing his chest feels out of character; he should either take off the shirt completely or button it up properly. Choosing one of these options seems more appropriate. After watching the scene indicated by Elizabeth and reflecting on its content, Hugo ultimately decided that buttoning up would be more suitable

Could it be that his audition encountered an accident even before it began, or was it destined to fail? This is quite strange!

After organizing his shirt, Hugo picked up the script again and first scanned it with his eyes. Hugo was not a professionally trained actor; he had completely taught himself out of interest. He did not know any acting methods and simply followed the classic characters in classic films, trying to grasp acting through imitation. After 'studying' acting for five years, he still did not know if he had achieved anything significant, but in any case, extras and supporting roles did not require much acting skill.

Although he does not have formal training, Hugo understands the importance of dialogue, as he has observed that many actors possess unique rhythms and tones when portraying their characters. To be precise, each individual's speaking characteristics are distinct, and capturing the nuances of a character's speech can significantly enhance the performance.