Compared to Johnny Depp from her previous life, Roy had a much greater advantage in terms of looks, but he was still somewhat lacking in age. It was well-known that Western men were becoming more charming with age, and Roy's only shortcoming was his youthfulness. To perfectly portray the charm of the captain, it wasn't enough to rely solely on makeup techniques; he needed to make some breakthroughs in his acting.
"Roy, you've read the script. Tell me, based on what you know, what kind of person is the captain?" Laila asked him.
Roy thought for a moment. "I think he's quite an eccentric character. Honestly, I've never seen a male lead like him. He likes to drink, enjoys the company of beautiful women, and acts recklessly. He appears timid and sly, but when it's time to show courage, he can display astonishing bravery. He's very intelligent and often doesn't follow the conventional path." What he didn't dare to say was that such a person was the perfect image of an antagonist!
Laila applauded his understanding. "It seems you already grasp the essence of the captain. So, if you were to play this role, how would you emphasize his personality?"
Normally, such questions should be asked during auditions, but she was now evaluating acting skills during costume fitting. It could only be said that her trust in Roy was unparalleled.
Roy flashed an evil smile, jumped onto a chair, drew his sword, and held it in his hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, you will always remember this day because you almost captured Captain Jack Sparrow!"
"Wow," Jia XiaoMing subconsciously applauded. It was truly a complete transformation of his perception of a pirate. But why did he suddenly find this captain so handsome, cool, and charming?
That kind of ambiguity between good and evil was sure to make women scream for him! No, not just women; men and children would scream for him too. A pirate captain who subverted tradition and values, an incredible character!
Roy's performance wasn't over yet. He gazed into the distance as if the horizon was an endless ocean, continuing to recite the captain's lines from the script. "Of course, we need to lose our way; that's the only way to reach a place where no one else can find us."
"Okay, that's enough," Laila pulled him down from the chair, not giving him a chance to continue showing off.
Seeing the makeup artist and assistants bewildered on the side, she knew that he had played the character attractively. But whether it was because Johnny Depp's portrayal was deeply ingrained in her mind or something else, she felt that there was still room for improvement in some aspects, even though Roy's performance was already impressive.
"Roy, raise your pinky finger," she said, shaping her right hand into a lotus finger gesture. "Say a couple more lines."
"Come on, boss, you're not really going to turn me into a transvestite, are you?" Jia XiaoMing made a disgusted expression. "In our culture, only eunuchs raise their pinky fingers like this. Do you know what eunuchs are?"
"I know!" Laila cut off his further explanations, not feeling comfortable with the situation where she knew something that others didn't.
"Are you sure you know?" Jia XiaoMing looked at her suspiciously, thinking that this foreign girl might have been misled by some shady character, perhaps giving the wrong impression that "eunuchs are incredibly powerful." Otherwise, why would she want to have a pirate, a destined hero, use this bizarre lotus finger?
Laila waved him off. "You guys go help the others with their makeup. Don't cause trouble here."
Once she had dismissed the onlookers, she turned to Roy, who was still making ridiculous gestures with the lotus finger. However, she couldn't help but laugh at his antics. "Is it very funny?"
"Yeah!" Most people would pretend to be serious and say it wasn't funny, but Roy had already become close with her. He was shameless enough to show off in front of her.
Laila shook her head in amusement. "As you said, this character is a protagonist who doesn't seem like a protagonist. His charm lies in being different from everyone else. Don't you think that adding a little gesture to emphasize his unique personality will make the character more vivid?"
Roy nodded thoughtfully. "You're right."
Seeing him deep in thought, Laila opened the door of the makeup room. "Take your time to think about it. I'll check on the makeup progress of the others."
In terms of understanding the character, she could only provide some hints, and it depended on his insight whether he could comprehend and incorporate them into his performance.
Roy was a highly talented individual. Besides more learning and practice, the only thing he lacked was continuous exposure to various roles. As long as she continued to assign him different characters, she believed he would achieve great things.
Leaving Roy to contemplate the character, Laila entered another makeup room next door, where several makeup artists and assistants were helping Naomi, who played the female lead, with her makeup.
Apart from the soul character, the captain, Laila hadn't made any strict requirements for the costumes and makeup of the other characters. She allowed them to exercise their creativity.
At this moment, Naomi was wearing a beautiful Baroque-style gown, and several people were busy around her, making final adjustments to her clothing. The makeup artist was also working on her, trying to create makeup that complemented her eyes and attire, accentuating her beauty.
Jia XiaoMing was applying makeup to another important male actor who would play the role of the young blacksmith, a pirate who had lost his memory.
Seeing this actor, Laila's eyes couldn't help but narrow with a smile. His appearance in the film was a complete surprise because he was Chris Evans, the future "Captain America."
At just 18 years old this year, he was supposed to have the opportunity to participate in movies five years later. However, when Louise was auditioning for her role, Laila accidentally noticed that he was also on the list of potential actors.
Having such a future star appear before her, she naturally didn't want to let him slip away. After learning that he had signed up on his own just to give it a try, she happily instructed her talent management department to draft a contract and bring him into her company.
Many people in the future might say that he was just a pretty face, a guy who became famous through muscles and good looks. But so what? Being able to gain fame is a talent in itself. Fame means potential, and potential means making money for her. Moreover, she believed that with her guidance, even if he started as a mere pretty face, she could turn him into valuable porcelain!
Although he still looked somewhat youthful now, with time and improved acting skills, he would one day have a place in Hollywood. That would be enough!
"Is this okay?" Jia XiaoMing asked when he saw her approaching.
However, Laila could tell that he wasn't seeking advice; he was showing off.
"Not bad," she praised, as she never hesitated to acknowledge a job well done.