Kiera's hunch was right. It took an hour for the production team to get to venue and most of them probably took their time getting there. A show of defiance for thinking they will be at anyone's beck and call.
If Amira does get the role, the production team would make her life hell and Kiera did not envy that.
A wise senior once told her, "You do not piss off the people that touch your face daily. We're actresses, your make-up makes or breaks you. And the costume team can and will make you miserable if you cross them. A too tight shirt here, too loose pants there; they have a million ways to make you regret crossing them. So whatever crap they give you, you pretend to not understand them and smile through it."
Kiera was then shown towards the prep room and the makeup and costume team got busy. It took more than an hour for them to complete the prep. It wouldn't have taken that long but the team had to make their assessments as they worked.
And there was a problem with the clothes as well. Most of them fit well enough except for the bust. Unfortunately, the previous actress didn't seem to be gifted in that area. For a time, Kiera was afraid she had to put her foot down and say no, but the production designer himself vetoed everything. Veronica York, as a young lady of a very affluent family, will never wear something that wasn't tailored to her. And if he let Kiera walk out of the prep room wearing something not within character, he probably would have a massive fit.
Amira's team had already gone over the production designer and refused to let any of the makeup team work with her or assess her face shape or listen to suggestions as to the final look they wanted to have. They won't even touch the costumes; it was apparently too plebian for the rising starlet.
When an assistant shared that with the production designer, Kiera thought he was going to either have a conniption or march to the other room and scream at everyone to leave.
As the prep team worked, a part of Kiera thought that this became personal to them now and they would push for her to be chosen just to spite Amira and her team. And that perseverance was reflected in how every little detail was scrutinized until it was just right.
After all that work by the team, Kiera studied herself in a full-length mirror. Her make-up leaned towards looking natural except for emphasizing her eyes even more and red lipstick. Her hair was half up in an elaborate knot while the rest fell down in soft waves.
She studied the carmine-colored dress, it accentuated her chest area, then it was cinched in the waist with a ribbon at the back, then the skirt flared out up to just above her knees. The dress was subtle in its elegance but the material and its quality screamed expensive.
Apparently, it was a dress from a small up-and-coming designer who had a marketing agreement with the show, the designer will supply clothes and the production team would ensure to include his name in the credits and the actresses would subtly mention the designer during press meetings or whenever asked.
This set-up is a win-win for everyone involved.
At that moment, Emmanuel and Sophia entered the room. They both studied how she looked. Sophia nodded her head, "You look amazing, darling!"
Kiera gave Sophia a small smile. "The team had done a great job."
"We need to be off now. The audition should start soon."
As they walked towards the room of the actual audition, Kiera started to envision her Veronica York. For her getting into character was like wearing different clothes.
When she was younger and her parents were still alive, if they wore their Sunday dresses to church, she and her sisters became the most well-behaved and lovable kids and the envy of many parents. If she got to wear the fancy dresses to parties her parents used to be invited to for someone's birthday or another, she became the personification of grace and etiquette. If she wore her jeans and t-shirt to the park then she can run wild as much as she liked.
And in that way, her various character roles became the clothes she can put on and be somebody for a moment. She would embrace everything that character is. As she put on Veronica York, she straightened her posture, chin raised and her stride more confident and surer. There was an arrogance in the way she presented herself.
---
Sophia can't pinpoint the moment Kiera changed, but when they got to the waiting room right outside the audition room, she noticed a different air about her.
She sat the with correct posture with an air of quiet confidence. She did not fidget or look around the other people in the room. And a part of her knew this was no longer Kiera.
She felt Emmanuel sit by her, "Is she ok?"
"Don't disturb her," Sophia sad in a hushed tone, "Make sure no one talks to her until we go in. Run interference. She's in character and we don't know what could make her snap out of it all of a sudden. Better to be safe."
Emmanuel seemed to study Kiera, then nodded at Sophia, "They," he discreetly glanced at the group of people at the other end of the room, "will probably ask to go first. It's something we expect but if she's in character as you say would it be better for us to strong arm them for us to go first?"
Sophia shook her head, "We'll have to see. It might be better for her to go first to nip all their chances in the bud.
Emmanuel sighed and ran his hand over his face, "I just want this done and over with. After this I'll find a way to curse Luther and his cronies. I never want to work with them in my life."
Sophia opened her mouth to answer but at that moment the director, Nathan Stoke in jeans and a t-shirt came in. "Alright everyone, we'll start in a few minutes. To make everything fair I asked your bosses to pick straws and the one who gets the shorter end of the stick will go last. So Luther got the shorter stick so we'll start with Ava and her team."
That announcement caused a fuss at the other end of the room. Amira stood up and shoved aside one of her assistants, "You have made me wait for several hours now! My manager already told you I have another appointment! You can't possibly let some little unknown greenhorn go before me?!"
Nathan just looked at her unimpressed by the outburst, he had been in the industry and have dealt with more spoiled brats than he could care to remember, "If you're appointment is so important you can feel free to leave and not join the audition."
That threat had Amira shaking in fury, her assistant had to hold her back and started talking to her.
"We'll start in five minutes." Before anyone else could interrupt, he turned around and left.