"Don't panic; I'm serious." Laila saw her discomfort and nervousness, displaying a reassuring smile. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were an actor with enormous potential. So, since I signed you to the company, I have consistently positioned you as an indispensable part of the company's future."
"Hollywood is very unfair to women. Both you and I are women, and by now, you should have some understanding of this, right?" Laila might not have encountered many troubles along the way, mainly because of her surname, Moran. For an ordinary person, it would be challenging to promote their own films from the beginning, let alone climb the ladder later on.
Charlize remained silent, just lowering her head. When it came to injustice, who suffered more than her? Every woman wants to be a little more beautiful, but being too beautiful isn't always a joy for an actress.
'Vase'. Even hearing this word now made her bitter.
In fact, she understood why the company hadn't given her many roles. After playing Amanda in "SAW," she had no expectations for roles that required only a pretty face. Yes, she wanted to act in movies, but she didn't want to be confined to the vase roles. So, she faithfully followed the path arranged by the company and her agent, rather than switching to a company that would offer her more roles.
Laila didn't need her answer; they were like a family, and everyone knew each other's stories.
"Hollywood never lacks people with outstanding looks, but the vast majority don't succeed. Even if someone does, they need to put in much more effort than an average person. Why? Because they choose a troublesome path. Theron, in my eyes, you are the second Roy. Do you understand what I mean?"
Charlize's heart tightened suddenly, looking at her in surprise.
Could it be what she was thinking?
Laila nodded as if knowing what was on her mind, "Yes, you are the second Roy in my future plans."
Charlize didn't know what expression to make, just staring at her with wide, beautiful eyes, shocked. Is she telling the truth?
Who is Roy? I'm afraid even people who don't pay much attention to the film industry have heard of his name. He has played one of the most popular roles in the world, endorsed many top brands, and just recently won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
The boss said she was the second Roy, could it be...
Without waiting for her to figure it out, Laila continued, "Roy and you share a lot in common, especially in terms of looks. Look at his acting career, and you should be able to see that from the beginning, I didn't arrange a typical path for someone as good-looking as him."
Charlize nodded. Being in the same company, she knew a fair bit about Roy. Naturally, she knew about his experiences in the industry.
Seeing that she was earnestly listening, Laila smiled and continued, "You had already acted in movies before we met, and luckily, you didn't play too many roles. The traces of the vase label on you aren't very heavy. But if you return to your original path, it might go smoothly for a while, but it will be very difficult to break out later."
She actually understood Charlize's feelings. The same company, similar external conditions, and constraints, but completely different paths. Roy had become an international star, while she still didn't have any noteworthy works.
"I... What should I do?" Charlize looked at her in confusion.
Laila smiled, "What do you want to do? I have two scripts now, giving you two paths to choose from." Saying this, she picked up two scripts from her desk and handed them over.
"I can tell you precisely that both of these scripts will change your life. The first one will have outstanding box office results, making you very famous. You might become an internationally renowned star overnight. The second one will bring you a lot of pain, but it might also bring you a Best Actress award."
Charlize's body trembled slightly, her fingers trembling as she took the scripts in her hands. The titles "Transformers" and "Monster" were written on each script.
"You need to think carefully; this will be the most important choice for you. If you choose the first one, you may be trapped in the vase image for a long time. But you'll also become famous worldwide, luxury brands will come to you for endorsements, and countless fans will treat you like an idol. You will earn a lot of money, and perhaps even win a trophy at the Popcorn Awards with this film."
"And if you choose 'Monster,' you'll need to change your image first, and you'll have to study and observe a person. It will be a very painful experience. However, if you meet my requirements, I believe there is at least a 90% chance of winning the Best Actress trophy."
Laila continued a hint of regret in her expression, "Unfortunately, you can't choose both. If you can't decide right away, take the scripts back and read them carefully, then give me an answer later."
Charlize subconsciously nodded, "Okay, I will give you an answer as soon as possible." Even she didn't quite believe her own words.
After all, this was a decision that would determine her entire life. How could it be decided in such a short time? What if she chose wrong? What if the movies didn't turn out as the boss said?
She knew that in Hollywood, no one dared to guarantee that a movie would definitely succeed after its release. Ambitious before release, and disheartening results after—there were too many instances of that. However, she didn't completely distrust Laila's words. She still had a lot of trust in her boss's judgment, but when facing a choice that would affect her whole life, this trust would still be discounted.
As for "Transformers," she knew it was a highly successful animated film, but rarely a person in the United States didn't know about it. Moreover, not just Americans, but the whole world had countless fans.
After reading the script, she knew that the female lead in it was indeed an obvious vase role. However, if played well, it could have a good effect. The boss said this movie could become a big hit, and she thought that as long as it wasn't filmed poorly, it would indeed be a very successful movie. After all, there was a huge fan base ready to pay to experience nostalgia.
As for the second one, "Monster," it told the story of a murderer, specifically the "first female serial killer in America."
Last year, this murderer was executed, and the media made a big fuss about it. Even someone like her, who didn't pay much attention to social news, knew quite a bit. She didn't expect the boss not only to make a movie about this but also to have already written the script.