"Easy!" The woman rubbed her face with her hands, and when she released them, her expression instantly transformed into something else. She excitedly leaned forward, tapping the table, "Father, do you see that? That's a pirate ship! What kind of pirates do you think are on board?"
In just one sentence, she portrayed a wealthy young lady who saw a pirate ship in the distance, filled with excitement and no fear.
Laila had already guessed that her acting skills were good, but she didn't expect her to get into character so quickly. With her performance, it felt like they were standing on a ship, gazing at a distant pirate ship and the waving pirate flag.
"You are forced to marry a young aristocrat, but you realize you're in love with a humble blacksmith," Laila continued with the second scenario.
The woman transformed rapidly again. From the excitement she showed moments ago, she now displayed sadness. This time, she didn't speak, but her eyes conveyed everything she wanted to say. Her sadness was tinged with despair, but there was also a struggle not to give in.
Laila was curious, "How did you understand this character? Normally, after knowing she has to marry someone she doesn't want to, one would feel sadness and despair. The resistance usually requires some context to know if it's necessary."
The woman replied, "The girl loves pirates, right? It shows that she values freedom and has a sense of adventure. So, when she knows she has to marry someone she doesn't want to, of course, she would want to resist. But since she's preparing to get married, it means her previous resistance has failed, so how can she not feel despair? So, I think she must be very sad and desperate, but she doesn't want to give up that last glimmer of hope!"
Her words surprised Laila. To be a good actor, one had to understand and fully immerse themselves in the character. What was astonishing was that she hadn't given the character much introduction, and yet this woman could analyze her personality and motivations so well. It was truly remarkable.
"Clap, clap," Laila applauded. "I believe you are a talented actress."
The woman grinned, "I told you so, right?" Then, she sighed with a melancholic smile, picking up her slightly cooling coffee cup, "Unfortunately, opportunities don't come to everyone."
Laila smiled and said, "Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. Right now, I have a lead role in a movie that I haven't found the right person for. Are you interested in giving it a try?"
The woman chuckled, "Sure, if you need a leading actress, I'll even do it for free."
However, when she looked up at the girl, she saw that she had removed her sunglasses and was smiling at her.
Why did that face look so familiar?
A name flashed in her mind like lightning.
"Oh my God! I must be going crazy!" She stood up suddenly, her eyes wide with disbelief. Laila Moran! This person was Laila Moran, the hottest director in Hollywood right now!
When it came to Laila, was there anyone in Hollywood who didn't know her? From her first work onwards, every film she made had been a huge success, with a minimum box office of three billion. Even those who had been in Hollywood for decades couldn't match the achievements of her single films. Such a person had unexpectedly appeared in front of her, and she had invited her for coffee! What kind of luck was she having?
Laila was not surprised by her reaction. She smiled and asked, "I'm Laila Moran. What's your name?"
"I... oh, I... I'm Naomi Watts!" The woman hurriedly bowed to her. "I'm sorry for not recognizing you earlier."
Even though the girl in front of her was much younger, she still had to treat her with such respect. After all, this girl had already established herself in Hollywood at the age of 20 and had far more fame than she did throughout the United States.
"Don't be so formal," Laila said. "I appreciate how you handled that man earlier."
Naomi heard her words and felt like banging her head against the wall. Her most embarrassing moment had been seen by this famous director. She felt utterly humiliated and wished she could find a hole to hide in.
"I'm really sorry. I was very rude earlier."
"Don't say that. If you're so polite, I'll feel uncomfortable too." In fact, Laila had recognized her from the beginning.
Naomi Watts, an Australian actress, had come to Hollywood in 1993 to try her luck, but it wasn't until 2001 that she got her breakthrough role in David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive," which propelled her to stardom. She appeared in the American versions of "The Ring" and "King Kong" and received two Oscar nominations, but unfortunately, only won the Best Actress award at the Saturn Awards.
She had heard that before her breakthrough, Naomi had struggled and even been unable to pay her rent, but she had never expected to meet this future Hollywood star on the street and then be invited for coffee.
Laila had been thinking about the lead role in the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean movie. In her opinion, she should give good roles to the actors under her banner whenever possible. For a film destined to be a worldwide hit, she couldn't afford to let other studios' actors take the lead.
However, the only suitable actress under her management was Charlize Theron. The female lead in Pirates of the Caribbean plays a decorative role, and as long as she looks beautiful, everything else would be covered by the captain.
But Charlize Theron had finally managed to break free from her decorative role image with "Kill Bill," and Laila didn't want her to be typecast again in Pirates of the Caribbean. If she were to play a decorative role again in this movie, it would be too much of a setback.
That's why Laila had been keeping the female lead role open. Louise had provided her with profiles of some potential candidates, and indeed, there were some good choices. She didn't want to miss such a big opportunity to save on another studio's actress.
So she was genuinely delighted when she found an ideal candidate for the role right on the street. Naomi Watts, 31 years old this year, seemed to be at a low point in her career. The prospect of starring in a major production was enough to attract her to become an actress under her banner.
Was there anything more joyful than this?
So Laila was truly happy, her eyes forming two crescent moons with her radiant smile.
Naomi hastily took out a handkerchief to wipe her face, fearing that her hurried cake-eating had left some traces on her face.
She had already embarrassed herself enough, and she didn't want to leave a "profound" impression on the director.