Echoes of Hollywood

Generally, Murphy rarely participated in initial auditions. Apart from the main actors he invited, other important roles' first auditions had always been handled by Paul Wilson. Now that Paul Wilson was directing "Game of Thrones," Billy Van Horn, a former USC School of Cinematic Arts intern and later assistant director, had been promoted to casting director by Murphy.

Billy Van Horn had been with Murphy's team since the second movie Murphy directed. In Hollywood, as long as someone's capabilities are not in question, nepotism is a common practice.

The role of Naomi could be considered the female lead of the film. Due to a very limited budget, Murphy did not invite any well-known stars and decided to hold a large-scale audition instead.

Margot Robbie, given the change in her circumstances and on her agent's advice, had already withdrawn from the competition for the role.

The initial audition work was handled by Billy Van Horn, while Murphy flew to Rhode Island to inspect a yacht club as a potential filming location.

Billy Van Horn, in charge of casting, became the target of many agents, much like Paul Wilson once was.

Given the large-scale audition, Billy Van Horn adopted Hollywood's common net-casting strategy. Any actress who passed the initial review by his assistants would be arranged to participate in the first audition at the Venice warehouse set. The first audition didn't focus on acting skills or dialogue proficiency but was more like a beauty contest, emphasizing appearance and figure.

Murphy's requirements were clear: the actress playing Naomi could have average acting skills, but she had to be exceptionally attractive. A young, sexy model who wasn't stunning enough couldn't believably captivate someone like Jordan Belfort at first glance.

The crew assigned two assistants to Billy Van Horn to help with the large-scale audition work. These assistants had been with Murphy's team for no more than two years, essentially newcomers.

In Hollywood, relationships between agencies, film companies, and production teams are intricate. Many, including Murphy, are influenced by external factors. One of the newcomers on Murphy's team included a British actress on the audition list.

On the day of the audition, executive producer Gail Gadot and producer Kara Faith were also at the Venice studio, more as observers than participants in the casting process.

The initial auditions were held in the northernmost studio, one of the first areas converted from a warehouse. Although the audition was more like a mass selection, it was still categorized into different tiers.

Actresses with no fame or notable credentials were separated by Billy Van Horn's assistants. They entered the studio in groups for the initial evaluation, focusing solely on their physical attributes rather than acting skills or other professional qualities.

"Hollywood sure has a lot of beautiful actresses," remarked Gail Gadot, watching the five actresses who had just entered. The group included redheads, brunettes, and blondes, all undeniably attractive and sexy. She told Kara Faith, "It's almost like a Miss Universe pageant."

"That's why…" Kara Faith leaned closer to Gail's ear, "Murphy has a tough job."

Gail Gadot rolled her eyes at her, "You…"

She shook her head, understanding that Murphy's position was indeed challenging, with his efforts yielding substantial returns.

This industry was indeed chaotic, but different people chose different lifestyles. Gail Gadot knew Murphy had chosen her.

Kara Faith continued, "Hollywood doesn't have that many beautiful actresses. This time, the crew announced specific requirements for the audition. Those with limited looks were mostly filtered out during the initial review."

Gail Gadot nodded lightly, "Murphy's demands for actresses usually limit them to being mere eye candy."

"That's not his fault," Kara Faith, more familiar with Hollywood, said. "It's the industry's reality. The biggest role for actresses in Hollywood is often to be eye candy. It has improved a bit in recent years."

"True," Gail Gadot sighed, "For commercial films, there's not much room for actresses to showcase their talents."

Kara Faith suddenly changed the topic, "Warner Bros. and DC Comics have been in touch with you, hoping you'd continue playing Wonder Woman, right? I heard they're planning a standalone Wonder Woman movie."

"Compared to acting, I want to be an outstanding producer," Gail Gadot admitted frankly to Kara Faith. "Warner Bros. cut ties with Murphy. I have no interest in playing Wonder Woman again."

She thought for a moment, then added, "I don't understand Warner's decision to bring in a purely visual director and abandon Murphy's planned route. They intend to have Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman fight it out in the second movie."

Kara Faith laughed, "Maybe Marvel's success with 'Iron Man' and Disney's imminent acquisition of Marvel Comics put too much pressure on Warner Bros."

She sighed, "Zack Snyder's visual style is somewhat like Murphy's, but it's only superficial. Perhaps when the new DC superhero movies face issues, Warner Bros. will seek Murphy's help again."

Having declined Warner Bros.' offer to reprise her role as Wonder Woman, Gail Gadot didn't want to see them succeed after altering Murphy's plan.

She smiled and whispered, "When that happens, I'll urge Murphy to really make Warner Bros. and DC Comics pay."

If the Superman vs. Batman movie faced problems, she wouldn't miss the opportunity to kick them while they were down. To live happily and comfortably in this country, they needed a strong material foundation.

Living with Murphy long-term, Gail Gadot had unknowingly adopted some of his approaches.

It was simple: if Warner Bros.' DC superhero movies stumbled, they'd have to return to Murphy, who had given them a successful start.

And such help was never free anywhere in the world.

In the studio, actresses came and went. Gail Gadot and Kara Faith occasionally glanced over but offered no comments. Besides the groups of unknown actresses, they saw several familiar faces.

For instance, Sofia Vergara, Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan, Rooney Mara, Jennifer Lawrence...

Even with a limited salary, the allure of playing the female lead in Murphy Stanton's new movie was significant for these not-so-famous actresses.

Especially for newcomers, landing such a lead role would be a major career advancement.

It wasn't just new actresses; even some who had been in Hollywood for nearly a decade eyed the role of Naomi.

A black business car pulled out of Venice's city area, nearing the warehouse set, and finally stopped in an open space before the set's gates.

The area was crowded with cars and filled with beautiful women, making it seem like a global beauty contest.

Looking at the familiar yet strange gate, Carey Mulligan, with her short blonde hair, sat in the back seat, feeling dazed.

Her career had been rocky in recent years. Even when the media and fans occasionally mentioned her, they still referred to her early works like "Hard Candy" and "Saw." Her subsequent roles were hardly memorable.

Her status had plummeted even within her agency, CAA.

Once a promising young actress promoted by CAA, she had since been abandoned by Bill Rosseus...

"Carey, I worked hard to get you this chance."

Her agent, a bespectacled man from CAA, was not on Bill Rosseus's level but encouraged her, "From what I know, Murphy is a sentimental person. The heads of each department in this crew are your old acquaintances. I believe..."

Carey Mulligan coldly interrupted, "I know what to do!"

She ignored her new agent, opened the car door, and walked towards the set entrance, disregarding his calls.

After a brief conversation with the unfamiliar security staff, Carey Mulligan entered. The place had changed from its dilapidated past. Bought and renovated by Stanton Studio, it was now a fully equipped studio.

An unfamiliar staff member led her and her agent to a waiting room, where she sat with other actresses. After about an hour, someone informed her it was her turn for the audition in the back studio.

"Carey, good luck!" her agent cheered her on.

But Carey Mulligan ignored him, leaving the waiting room and following the signs down a long hallway that felt increasingly familiar.

As she approached the small studio serving as the audition room, memories came flooding back.

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