mesbooks Chapter 323 Audition for Leonardo DiCaprio
Chapter 323 Audition for Leonardo DiCaprio
Chapter 323 Audition for Leonardo DiCaprio
Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Kitahara Branch Headquarters.
If any unsuspecting Hollywood entertainment reporter were to push open the door to the waiting room on the eleventh floor of this building at this moment, he would definitely faint on the spot due to lack of oxygen to the brain.
In this luxurious lounge, which spans over 300 square meters and is covered with heavy wool carpets, a "Ragnarok" scene worthy of being recorded in world film history is currently unfolding.
The air was filled with the scent of haute couture perfumes and top-quality handcrafted coffee, but beneath this seemingly relaxed luxury lurked an unusually oppressive, tense tension that felt almost like it was about to snap.
On the sofa by the window sat Keanu Reeves, who had already risen to Hollywood's A-list thanks to "Speed." On the other side of the bar, Christian Bale, sporting a stubble and known for his ability to change weight like a balloon for a role, was seriously flipping through a three-page script. Even Brad Pitt, usually known for his unconventional style, had put away his cynical smile and was staring intently at the closed audition room door with a furrowed brow.
Here, no one puts on airs, and no one dares to act like a big shot. Those Hollywood A-list superstars who can command respect and make studio bosses tremble with a mere stomp of their feet are all like fresh graduates waiting for their final job interview—quiet, anxious, and even with a hint of barely concealed nervousness.
In the quietest corner of the lounge sat a young man wearing a baseball cap with the brim pulled low.
Leonardo DiCaprio.
In 1999, if you were to name the most famous male star in the world with the most fervent fans, it would undoubtedly be him. Two years prior, the film "Titanic" had made him a global icon, and his handsome face was practically etched into the diaries of every girl around the world.
However, at this moment, Leonardo was tormented by a deep sense of frustration and hunger.
Titanic won eleven Academy Awards, but as the lead actor, he didn't even get a single Best Actor nomination! The old-school Oscar judges, deep down, despise these "handsome young idols." In their eyes, Leonardo DiCaprio is nothing more than a pretty "vase," completely clueless about profound acting.
This prejudice was like an invisible mountain, pressing down on Leonardo DiCaprio's back. He desperately wanted a role that would prove the depth of his acting skills!
After sneaking into the cinema wearing sunglasses and a mask to watch the premiere of "Shutter Island," Leonardo sat in his seat for a full half hour. Watching Nicolas Cage's god-like performance under Shin Kitahara's lens—a performance of soul-shattering and utterly reconstructed—his eyes turned completely red, jealousy and longing gnawing at his heart like venomous snakes.
He knew this was the path to redemption he had been searching for. If he could get his hands on the script for "Inception" from Kitahara Shin, if he could become the male lead in Kitahara Shin's films, he could finally shatter the curse of being just a "pretty face"!
"Next up, Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio."
The audition room door was pushed open, and Secretary Aida, holding a roster, announced the names in a cool, detached voice.
The eyes of the other stars in the lounge instantly fell on Leonardo like searchlights. Leonardo took a deep breath, stood up, straightened his coat, and strode confidently through the door that would determine his fate.
The audition room was very spacious. A high-wattage spotlight shone on a wooden chair in the center.
In the shadows, behind a long table, sat several top Hollywood casting directors and Warner Bros. co-producers. But Leonardo's self-spotting instantly locked onto the Asian man sitting in the very center.
Kitahara Shin.
He wore a neatly tailored dark gray shirt, the cuffs casually rolled up to his elbows, and held a pen in his hand, flipping through a thick resume. He didn't possess the manic energy and affectation often seen in Hollywood directors; instead, he exuded an unfathomable, calm, and absolute control, like a precision instrument.
"Leonardo, sit down."
Kitahara Shin put down his pen and looked up at the global superstar before him. His opening remarks were devoid of any formalities or condescending lectures; instead, he went straight into the most hardcore area of expertise.
"The outside world labels you as a teen idol," but I've seen your early film, *The Edge of Life*. That drug addict struggling on the streets was much more real and powerful than your image of someone spreading their arms wide on the bow of the Titanic."
Upon hearing this, Leonardo's tense nerves jolted, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He hadn't expected that this aloof tycoon director had actually studied his early art films, which weren't box office hits.
"That's what I really want to act in, Director Kitahara." Leonardo DiCaprio put away all his star airs and spoke earnestly and directly, like a real actor. "I'm fed up with being a poster boy who only smiles."
"Very good. Let's get straight to the point."
Kitahara Shin pushed a one-page audition script to the edge of the table, his gaze sharp as he stared at him: "Cobb, the protagonist of *Inception*. You don't need to exude any charm in front of the camera. He's a sophisticated dream thief, but mentally, he's a prisoner riddled with wounds."
"He lives and dies every day in other people's dreams, but his greatest fear is his own subconscious. Because he has an irreparable guilt towards his deceased wife. This guilt has become a demon that can jump out at any time to destroy his mission or even kill his teammates."
Kitahara Shin leaned forward slightly, pointing to the page of the script: "This scene depicts Cobb after a failed mission. He's in the hotel bathroom, spinning his wife's top. He needs to use this top to confirm if he's dreaming. I want you to portray the exhaustion and struggle of knowing it's a self-destructive act, yet still willingly letting the dream consume him. You have one minute to prepare."
One minute!
For such a deep psychological profile, a one-minute preparation time is extremely demanding. The casting director next to him was about to say something to ease the tension, but Kitahara Shin raised his hand to stop him.
Leonardo closed his eyes.
He didn't ask for more time. His mind was racing, processing all the pressure, ridicule, and...
And his almost pathological desire for the Oscar statuette, which he forcibly twisted and crushed, was all injected into the emotion of "guilt towards his deceased wife".
Forty seconds later, Leonardo opened his eyes.
"I'm ready."
He walked to the wooden chair under the spotlight and slowly sat down. Without any real props, he simply mimicked the motion of spinning a top on a table.
Everyone present held their breath.
In that instant, Leonardo's youthful energy was completely drained. His shoulders slumped, his once upright back hunched slightly, and he exuded a heavy weariness, as if he had been unable to sleep for years.
He stared intently at the non-existent blank space on the table, his eyes bloodshot. It was a gaze that mingled extreme rationality and extreme madness.
"I know you're not real—" Leonardo's voice became hoarse and strained, his fingers trembling slightly, as if trying to touch the phantom, but then painfully curling up in mid-air, "I know you're just a reflection in my subconscious—"
His Adam's apple bobbed violently, as if he were swallowing some kind of bloody razor blade.
"But—" A grotesque, heartbreaking smile, more painful than tears, tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Why do you seem more perfect than reality?"
As he finished speaking, his voice choked with an uncontrollable sob. A tear fell unexpectedly from his eye, but he didn't wipe it away. Instead, he covered his face tightly with his hands, letting out a muffled roar, like that of a wounded beast, suppressed to the extreme.
He portrayed the tearing feeling of being tormented by guilt yet having to force himself to remain rational in front of others with remarkable depth!
The entire audition room was completely silent.
The Hollywood producers were speechless with astonishment. They had never seen Leonardo DiCaprio display such profound...
Such destructive acting! This is no longer the affectionate boy painting on the cruise ship; this is clearly a middle-aged man utterly shattered by nightmares!
"Cut."
Kitahara Shin's voice broke the silence.
He looked at Leonardo, who was sitting on the wooden chair, still slightly out of breath and trying to calm himself down, and a genuine hint of admiration finally appeared in his eyes. This was exactly the "Cobb" he wanted. That quality, a mixture of deep affection, guilt, and madness, was perfectly captured by Leonardo at this moment.
"Director Kitahara." Leonardo stood up, hastily wiping away the tears on his face. He didn't ask how his performance was, but looked at Kitahara Shin with unwavering determination, throwing out a bargain that would drive any agent crazy.
"I've seen the media reports. I know this movie will have a rotating walkway, a real train crash scene, and the vast majority of the budget will be spent on special effects and sets," Leonardo DiCaprio stated bluntly. "To get the role of Cobb, I'm willing to take half my salary! Not only that, I'm willing to give up my fixed upfront salary and take a union base salary plus a share of the box office revenue."
Upon hearing this, the casting director next to him almost fell off his chair.
This is Leonardo DiCaprio! One of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood right now, whose asking price for a single film has long exceeded twenty million dollars! He's actually willing to lower his price like this for a role?!
"I'm not here for the money." Leonardo clenched his fists. "I just want the role that will win me an Oscar. I believe that only your script can take me to that pedestal."
Looking at the young superstar burning with obsession before him, Kitahara Shin's lips curled into a calm smile.
He knew very well that in his previous life, Leonardo DiCaprio had completely transformed into a tough-guy actor with this film. Now that he was personally igniting this fire, the effect would only be more explosive.
"Keep your share, Leonardo. The Kitahara Group is never stingy with actors' salaries when it comes to making movies." Kitahara Shin stood up and handed him the complete script. "Welcome to the Dream Team, Cobb."
The casting of the male lead is just the beginning of this Ragnarok audition process.
Next up is the most controversial character—the protagonist's wife, the alluring yet deadly "Mel," who is like a nightmare.
At the long table, representatives from Warner Bros., the co-producers, were enthusiastically recommending several top Hollywood actresses to Kitahara Nobu.
"Mr. Kitahara, for the role of Mel, we believe Nicole Kidman or Charlize Theron are the best choices. They have enough fame and absolute beauty to fully support this kind of bewitching setting in a dream." The production representative pushed several exquisite resumes in front of Kitahara Shin.
However, Kitahara Shin only glanced at them before pushing the resumes aside.
"Their beauty is too standard, carrying the sunshine and red carpet vibe of a Hollywood assembly line." Kitahara Shin shook his head in denial, "But Mel is not. Mel is a virus deeply rooted in the male protagonist's subconscious. She is an evil flower blooming in ruins. When she looks at you, you must be able to feel a kind of chilling neuroticism and destructive desire."
"But—actresses with this kind of charisma are really hard to find among Hollywood's top stars." The production company representative was somewhat troubled.
"We don't need to look outside."
Kitahara Shin said calmly, then pressed the intercom on the table: "Let Eva in."
As the audition room door opened, Eva Green strode in with a languid gait.
She wasn't wearing a glamorous gown today, just a simple black silk dress with a loose, dark gray cardigan draped over it. But the moment she stepped into the spotlight, the temperature in the entire room seemed to drop several degrees.
She didn't need any deliberate acting. Her pale, delicate skin, her casually draped black hair, and especially her eyes, which were like the finest emeralds, exuded a unique charm that was mysterious, aloof, and even morbidly alluring.
"This is the script." Kitahara Shin handed over a page. "Read this line."
Eva took the script and glanced at it. She walked to the chair, but instead of sitting down, she leaned back quite casually. Looking at the camera opposite her, a breathtaking smile curved her lips.
"You're waiting for a train that will take you far away. You know where it's taking you, but you're not sure—" Eva's voice, husky and alluring with a pure French accent, was like a devil's whisper in someone's ear, "But it doesn't matter. Because we will be together forever."
As the last word fell, her eyes suddenly turned cold, a madness like a gaze from the abyss!
In that instant, those producers who were used to big scenes actually felt a chill run down their spines!
That's so fitting! There's no need for acting at all; just standing there, she is the nightmare demon who can drive the male lead crazy!
"Eva Green. This is my leading lady." Kitahara Shin said firmly, signing his name directly in the "Mel" column of the casting list, overruling all objections.
With Cobb and Mel finalized, the rest of the Dream Team was quickly assembled like an assembly line. Tom Hardy took on the role of the imposter "Eames," and Joseph Gordon-Levitt became the forward "Arthur."
But as the audition process was nearing its end, the casting director discovered a huge vacancy.
"Director Kitahara, we've missed a crucial role on the list." The casting director frowned. "That Japanese energy tycoon, Saito, who employs Cobb's team. He's a top capitalist who controls a vast multinational corporation and wields absolute power and wealth in both reality and dreams. Should we contact Ken Watanabe or Hiroyuki Mayu for an audition?"
Upon hearing this question, Kitahara Shin paused slightly in surprise.
In the original film, Saito was indeed played by Ken Watanabe. But now, as Kitahara Shin sat in the director's chair, another possibility, one that was even more violent and dramatic, came to mind.
He doesn't need to hire anyone else to play the role. Because in the real world, Kitahara Shin himself is the ultimate capitalist tyrant, wielding billions in assets and wielding immense power in Hollywood!
In terms of presence, wealth, and absolute confidence in the face of adversity, who in this world is more suitable to play "Saito"?
This is not just a role, but a perfect, authentic performance within the cinematic universe he created. Having a real-life billionaire play a billionaire on screen—that's a super gimmick that will absolutely ignite global media attention!
Kitahara Shin stood up and casually tossed the pen he had been playing with for a while onto the table.
He placed his hands on the table, his deep gaze sweeping over everyone present, a calm smile playing on his lips.
"There's no need to contact those Japanese actors anymore."
Kitahara Shin straightened his shirt cuffs and declared the result in an unquestionable tone: "I will personally play the role of Saito."