[Wilson Studios]

  The casting room was buzzing with energy. Bright lights illumihe small stage where new and old actors and actresses stood, auditioning for a ce to be in Lost in Transtion.

  Alex Wilson sat in the director's chair, legs crossed, his eyes locked oage as yet another actor ran through a se.

  For the first time in years, Alex was taking full creative trol. No studio heads interfering, no executives breathing down his neck. This was his project, his vision—his movie.

  Rachel sat beside him, a tablet in hand, keeping track of notes and schedules.

  'So many weirdos today. Haaa...' He wao handpick everyohrough a mail and he knew no one would say no to get a ce to work with him but the thing is, some of the OG ones who acted in the movie in his past life were either dead or missing from the industry. And this made his pn a little harder. Thus, here he was doing the audition.

  After the fourth one, came Marcus Grant, a 45-year-old actor who had been in Hollywood for decades. He walked in with a rehearsed, almost arrogant fidence.

  Rachel whispered, "He's done indie films, but he's looking for a revival role."

  Alex leaned back. "Let's see if he's still got it."

  Marcus started his monologue. It was one of the film's emotional climax ses. He delivered his lines perfectly, hitting every pause, every beat, every emotion...

  But something was off.

  It felt… calcuted. Like he erf for an Oscar panel instead of being the character.

  Alex sipped his coffee. "Good performance." He g Rachel, then back at Marcus. "But you're ag."

  Marcus frowned. "Well… yeah?"

  Alex leaned forward. "I need someone who isn't just delivering lines. I need someone who uands the sileween them."

  Marodded stiffly, f a smile. "Got it. I'll… work on that."

  Alex gave him a small nod. "Thanks for ing in."

  Marcus left, clearly frustrated.

  Rachel smirked. "Well, that went well."

  Alex exhaled. "He's good, but he's nht for this."

  was Emily Hart, a young actress trying to break into serious roles. She had done some romantic dramas and a few ercial ads, but this was her biggest auditio.

  She entered nervously, gripping the script like it was a lifeline.

  Rachel gave Alex a look. 'This one's either gonna be great or a disaster.'

  Emily took a deep breath and started reading.

  Within the first ten seds, she was g.

  Alex raised an eyebrow. The se was supposed to be subtle. A slow burn of realization, a quiet ache. Instead, Emily was already sobbing like she was in a soap opera.

  Rachel scribbled something oablet and slid it over to Alex.

  OVERAG LEVEL: 10/10

  Alex fought the urge to smirk.

  Emily finished, wipiears. "Was… was that okay?"

  Alex was ge firm. "You're talented, but this isn't that kind of story. I need restraint, ional fireworks."

  Emily's face fell, but she nodded. "I uand. Thank you."

  Rachel sighed as she left. "Well. That happened."

  Alex just shook his head.

  was Dyn Rhodes, a serious method actor who had retly gained buzz in underground ema. He walked in, Alex, and immediately turo the er of the room—where no one was standing.

  Alex blinked. "Uh…"

  Rachel whispered. "He's doing… the thing."

  Alex sighed. 'Of course he is.'

  Dyn started ag as if he was already in the se, staring into an imaginary distance, having a versation with an invisible co-star.

  Rachel's tablet slid ain.

  OVERITTED LEVEL: 11/10

  Alex watched for a moment, then finally interrupted. "Dyn."

  Dyn turned, eyes still full of pretend sorrow.

  "There's… no ohere."

  Dyn blinked, fused. "I eaking to the ghost of his past."

  Alex leaned forward, resting his on his hand. "That's great. But… the character isn't haunted."

  Dyn's face twitched. "…I see."

  Rachel coughed. "Thank you for your time, Dyn."

  Dy.

  Alex took a slow sip of coffee. "…I respect the dedication."

  Rachel sighed. "That ainful to watch."

  Alex just shook his head.

  The door opened again, and this time…

  Scarlett Johansson stepped inside.

  Eighteen.

  Still young, still unknown outside of a teeV show, but hungry for something more. She wore simple jeans and a pin bck top, no expensive jewelry, no heavy makeup—just fidence. She g Alex with a quiet kind of certainty.

  Rachel leaned in. "She's got potential. Did some TV, but this could be her breakout."

  Alex, of course, already knew. Because in his past life, Scarlett Johansson became a legend.

  And now?

  Now, he was seei the very start of it. He will make her even more famous.

  'There she is... One of my celebrity crush.' Alex thought in a daze but quickly recovered. He gestured at the script. "Whenever you're ready."

  Scarlett took a breath.

  And then—

  She became the character.

  Where others overacted, she let the moment breathe.Where others forced emotion, she let it simmer beh the surface.Where others tried to perform, she simply existed in the se.

  It was raw. Natural. A quiet kind of power.

  Rachel's eyes widened slightly.

  Alex?

  He already knew she had it.

  When she finished, sileretched in the room.

  Alex set down his coffee. "You just made my decision very easy."

  Scarlett blinked. "Wait… does that mean?"

  Alex smirked. "Wele to Lost in Transtion."

  Scarlett smiled and had a surprised expression on her face. It was as if she wasn't expeg to get the role on her first try and to get chosen out of all those veterans. It was like a dream to her.

  Rachel cpped once. "Alright! Looks like we found our lead actress."

  Scarlett stood there, her lips slightly parted in shock. "Wait… lead actress? I— I thought I was auditioning for a side role."

  Alex leaned ba his chair, smirking slightly. "You were. But that was before you walked in."

  Rachel grinned. "gratutions, kid. You just skipped the line."

  Scarlett blinked rapidly. She had e here expeg a ce, just a small one. Maybe she'd nd a bit part, maybe a supp role if she was lucky. But the lead? In a movie directed by Alex Wilson? The man who, even at his young age, had already built a reputation as Hollywood's golden boy?

  She swallowed hard, trying to keep her posure. "I—thank you. I won't let you down."

  Alex gave her a nod, his sharp blue eyes still studying her. "I know you won't."

  Rachel leaned in, tappiablet. "Alright, Scarlett. We'll send over the official tracts, schedule your training, a you prepped for produ. You're about to step into a whole new world."

  Scarlett let out a small breathless ugh. "Yeah. No pressure, right?"

  Alex smirked. "Pressure's part of the job. Get used to it."

  Scarlett straightened her shoulders, her initial shock shifting into determination. "I ha."

  Alex liked that answer. "Good."

  Rachel stood up. "We'll be in touch soon, Scarlett. Go celebrate."

  Scarlett smiled, nodding quickly before heading out of the room. The moment the door closed behind her, she exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to her chest.

  'Holy. Shit.'

  She had just he role.

  Not a side part. Not ara.

  The lead.

  This was it.

  The real start of her career.

  Scarlett Johansson was about to bee a star.

  ...

  Rachel tapped her pen against her tablet, grinning. "You really know how to shock people, huh?"

  Alex smirked. "She deserved it."

  Rachel nodded. "She's got talent. She's fresh, raw, and most importantly, not overtrained."

  Alex sipped his coffee. "Exactly. She has something the others didn't... real presence."

  Rachel pulled up the finalized audition notes. "Well, that's one lead down. Now we just o finalize the male lead."

  Alex exhaled. He already had someone in mind.

  Bill Murray.

  But there roblem.

  In his past life, Bill had beeant to take on the role. It had taken months to vince him, and even then, it had been a gamble.

  This time?

  Alex wasn't leaving it to ce.

  He g Rachel. "Set up a meeting with Bill Murray. I'll hahis one personally."

  Rachel raised an eyebrow. "You sure? He's known for being uable."

  Alex smirked. "Good. So am I."

  Rachel sighed. "You're really gonna shake up Hollywood, aren't you?"

  Alex leaned back, his smirk widening.

  "Watch me."

  Rachel scrolled through her tablet, cheg the list. "Alright, we've got our lead. Now let's find the rest of the cast."

  Alex leaned ba his chair, stretg. " up?"

  Rachel smirked. "Giovanni Ribisi. He's auditioning for John."

  Alex nodded. 'Good. Another piece falling into pce.'

  Giovanni Ribisi walked in, casual but professional, a script in hand. He had already built a solid career with supp roles, but this character—John, the work-obsessed photographer ing his wife—needed just the right bance of charm and obliviousness.

  "Hey," Giovanni greeted, shaking Alex's hand. "Big fan of your work, man."

  Alex smirked. "Likewise. You ready?"

  Giovanni nodded, flipping to his se.

  Rachel hit record oablet. "Whenever you're ready."

  [Se: John's Phone Call]

  Giovanni adjusted his stahen transformed.

  His tourned distracted, slightly dismissive, as he spoke into an imaginary phone.

  "No, honey, I know, I know... I miss you too. It's just been insane here. I've barely had time to sleep."

  He paused, letting out an exasperated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he was there, knee-deep in work.

  "Kelly? Yeah, she's here too. It's just part of the job, babe. Nothing to worry about."

  His eyes darted around like he was only half-listening—like his mind was already onto the hing, the meeting, the shoot.

  Alex watched closely.

  The subtle way Giovanni portrayed John's indiffere ht cruel, but emotionally unavaible—erfect.

  A beat.

  He finally muttered into the phone, "Listen, we'll talk ter, okay? Love you."

  And just like that, he was done.

  Sileretched in the room.

  Rachel looked at Alex. He gave her a small nod.

  Alex leaned forward, smirking. "That was solid. You he distracted energy."

  Giovanni chuckled. "I've been in Hollywood long enough to know guys like John."

  Rachel grinned. "Yeah, that 'I'm listening, but not really' attitude? Painfully accurate."

  Alex stood, extending a hand. "Wele to the cast."

  Giovanni grinned, shaking his hand. "Hell yeah."

  As he walked out, Rachel whispered, "That was too easy."

  Alex smirked. "Because he erfect for it."

  Rachel scrolled down. " up... Anna Faris for Kelly."

  Alex nodded. He already knew she'd own this role. 'Wow! Everything's going smoothly. Lucky me.'

  The door swung open, and Anna Faris walked in with her signature bright smile and bubbly energy.

  Rachel whispered, "She's done edy, but this could be a good switch-up."

  Alex leaned forward. "Let's see what she's got."

  Anna sat down, crossing her legs with effortless fidence. "Hey, guys! Excited to be here."

  Rachel smiled. "We're big fans. You ready?"

  Anna grinned. "Born ready."

  Rachel hit record. "Alright. Se—Kelly overshares about her deep 'spiritual' awakening."

  [Se: Kelly's Celebrity Rambling]

  Anna flipped into character instantly.

  "Oh my God, so I just fihis book? It's about this woman's soul-searg jourhrough India. Like, she's totally alone, right? No phone, no distras, just like—her and the universe, you know? I so get that. I feel like we all hat kind of experience. Just... getting away from the he media, the, like... expectations."

  She gestured dramatically, eyes wide with fake depth.

  "And oh my God, I met this amazing Buddhist monk at a party st week? He told me I have this radiant aura, and I was like—DUH, I totally feel that. We ected, like, on a soul level."

  She leaned forward like she was about to drop the deepest wisdom ience.

  "He said the universe is just like, this big energy, and we all just o, like... vibe with it."

  She sat back, flipping her hair, pletely vinced of her own enlighte.

  Silence.

  Alex smirked.

  Rachel pressed a hand over her mouth, stifling a ugh.

  Anna grinned. "Too much?"

  Alex chuckled. "No. That erfect."

  Rachel cpped once. "I felt spiritually transformed."

  Anna ughed. "Awesome."

  Alex stood, shaking her hand. "You just he role."

  Anna beamed. "Seriously? That fast?"

  Rachel nodded. "You walked in as Kelly and never left."

  Anna fist-pumped. "Hell yeah! I won't let you down."

  Alex smirked. "I know."

  As she left, Rachel exhaled. "Damn, that ot-on."

  Alex nodded. "She's gonna steal every se."

  ...

  Over the few hours, Alex and Rachel went through the remaining casting. Well, they found some good ones but would need a few more to get everything right.

  Rachel scrolled through the finalized list, satisfied. "Alright. That's everyone."

  Alex stretched, running a hand through his hair. "Good. Now all we need is…"

  Rachel smirked. "Bill Murray?"

  Alex smirked back. "Bill Murray."

  She sighed. "You really think you vince him?"

  Alex's smirk widened.

  "Oh, I know I ."

  ...

  [Evening – Alex's Penthouse]

  Alex had just finished reviewing some produ notes when his phone buzzed.

  Evangeline Lilly.

  He smirked slightly. They had worked together on The Hurt Locker, and though it rofessional at first, they had gotten along well. She was smart, down-to-earth, and had a sharp sense of humor that kept things iing.

  He answered, leaning ba his chair. "Evangelio what do I owe the pleasure?"

  A soft chuckle came through the line. "You sound awfully formal, Alex. What, too busy making Hollywood history?"

  Alex smirked. "Something like that. What's up?"

  "Nothing much, just wao che on you. We haven't talked in a while." She paused. "Also… I was w if you're free tonight. Thought we could grab dinner, only if you're not buried in work, of course."

  Alex g the clock. He had some paperwork left, but nothing urgent.

  And besides… dinner with Evangeline sounded like a good way to unwind.

  He hummed. "Tempting offer. Where were you thinking?"

  She ughed. "Oh, so now I have to pe too?"

  Alex chuckled. "Date, huh?"

  "You know what I mean," she teased. "But since you asked, there's this little p West Hollywood... quiet, good food, and most importantly, no paparazzi waiting to pounce."

  Alex appreciated that. Privacy was a rare luxury in his world.

  "Alright," he said, standing up. "Text me the address. I'll meet you there in an hour."

  "Perfect," she said, and he could hear the smile in her voice. "See you soon, Wilson."

  The call ended, and Alex smirked to himself. 'That was first. She took the initiative, huh? Ha...'

  It seemed like tonight just got a little more iing.

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  [See ya on Sunday night. I will take 1 day break. It's been exhausting to upload 2.5k - 3k chs daily.]??