This scene marked the first appearance of the female lead, Maggie Fitzgerald.
It was also Hilary's first performance on the set.
She seemed to be holding in her breath, eager to prove herself after all these years, the only glimmer of hope she had seen.
Before shooting, during makeup, she constantly simulated in her mind how she would perform when she entered the stage.
And she did well.
In the story, after a boxing match, Maggie found Frankie and wanted to train under him...
Behind the director's monitor, Lyman kept his eyes on the screen.
"Nope," Clint rejected the girl's proposal without even thinking.
"I did pretty good. Thought you might be interested in training me," Hilary walked alongside Clint, still not giving up.
"I don't train girls," Clint furrowed his brow, remaining firm.
"Maybe you should. People see me fight say I'm pretty tough."
Hearing this, Clint stopped in his tracks, looking at the girl very seriously. "Girlie, tough ain't enough."
After saying that, he walked away without looking back.
In the narrow employee corridor, Hilary silently watched him leave, feeling a bit disheartened.
She slung her bag over her shoulder, took a deep breath, and quietly made her way back.
The camera slowly followed her from behind, capturing her silhouette.
She walked out of the boxing gym, continued down the street, head slightly lowered. Occasionally, she'd bounce a few times, practicing sidesteps, ignoring the odd glances from the extras.
"Cut. Next scene," Lyman waved his hand, and the makeup artist quickly took Hilary to touch up her makeup. Next, she had several more scenes to film.
On the other side, Ashley was still holding the script, "acting."
She repeatedly pondered the role and thought about her performance.
Seeing Hilary pass in just one go, she admired her in secret and went to congratulate her.
It's worth mentioning that small extras on the set, like her, often had to wait until the main actors' scenes were arranged before they could take their turn.
For example, on a day like today, if everything went smoothly, Hilary, Clint, and even Morgan's performances were okay, then she might be able to shoot around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. If things didn't go well...
Then today would be another day of waiting in vain.
Supporting actors didn't have much recognition and weren't valued by the crew.
But the good thing was, Ashley was already very familiar with this situation.
She had spent countless hours waiting since she entered the entertainment industry.
"You were great just now," Ashley said sincerely in the makeup car, with three parts genuine appreciation and seven parts goodwill.
"Really? I was actually quite nervous, almost forgot my lines," Hilary smiled.
Then, the two of them started chatting.
In fact, Ashley was a rather intelligent person.
Understanding one's position and knowing what one needs are essential for actors like her. Small actors like her often need to seize every possible opportunity. Building good relationships with the cast, directors, and A-list actors is a must for actors in this industry.
Though she had been striving for the role of the film's female lead not long ago, now she needed to get closer to the female lead, which was somewhat awkward. However, she maintained a calm mindset.
Complaining or cursing her lack of competition opportunities wouldn't help. Instead, it was better to focus on building connections with the people on the set.
Engaging with the director Lyman was out of the question. Approaching him casually could lead to unintended consequences, so it was not worth the risk. Although Lyman seemed to have a decent temper, she couldn't be sure.
The other main actors were more or less in the same category. She could chat with them occasionally during scenes, but approaching them without any reason would likely backfire.
All in all, the only approachable person was probably Hilary. If this movie became a success again, her experience as the female lead could significantly improve her network within the industry. Moreover, such opportunities were highly likely to occur.
As someone who had been in Hollywood for over a decade, Ashley saw things quite clearly.
In this place, everyone was chasing after the successful ones. She just wanted a potential opportunity, inside information about a role, a chance to speak with the casting director, or even a personal invitation. Whatever it was, for her, it was a pressing need.
For newcomers to survive in Hollywood, besides having a wealthy benefactor or powerful family connections like Nicolas and Sofia Coppola of the Coppola family, or a star-studded family with offspring like Jake Gyllenhaal, it often came down to their emotional intelligence.
To be more blunt, it was about making people happy, building connections, and having others lend you a hand. Natural talent and a star image were considerations for famous individuals. In this regard, it was a process of accumulating experiences over the years.
Some people might think, "I'm naturally attractive; I'm willing to accept "unspoken rules", so why worry about not making it?" Well, beautiful girls came and went every few years, and with the booming cosmetic surgery industry, changing one's appearance became a matter of money. But how many truly stood out?
If the film industry relied solely on "unspoken rules" for casting, the game couldn't continue. There were plenty of willing participants.
So, the question was, whom to choose?
Ashley understood this well. That's why she, despite not being beautiful, had still carved out a place in Hollywood. Over the years, she had witnessed countless stunning individuals fade into obscurity once their youth was gone, only to be replaced by a new batch of girls with "acting dreams".
Newcomers should learn to flatter. It wasn't something to be ashamed of. Sometimes, simply getting to know someone could easily open up opportunities that others would admire.
In the industry, this was entirely normal. Who wouldn't want to help acquaintances with a good impression when they could?
"Hilary, are you ready?" A production assistant approached her. "Wait a moment; we'll start shooting soon."
"No problem, I'm ready," Hilary, who had already finished her makeup, replied.
"All right, there's been a last-minute change to today's shooting schedule. The next scene will be set in your home. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
Seeing the girl nod, the production assistant completed their task and hurried back to report to the assistant director.
About five minutes later, the assistant director called for action, signaling the start of filming.