The richest actor in Hollywood.

Stepping out of the audition room, Alexandra Daddario let out a sigh of relief, tightly pressing her lips together as she walked forward. Turning the corner of the hallway, she saw a black actress coming her way. This black actress was about her height and, like most black women in her opinion, quite unattractive.

At least, that's what she thought.

As Alexandra Daddario got closer to the black actress, it became clear the actress was also scrutinizing her with a sharp, almost hostile gaze.

However, there were crew members in the hallway, and the black actress only glared at her with hostile eyes.

Passing by each other, Alexandra Daddario heard the black actress let out a cold snort but did not respond.

She knew who this black actress was and why she was so hostile, but even looking at her felt like a waste of time. It was similar to how a girl from her background would never care about how black people in Queens viewed her.

Alexandra Daddario walked out of the audition office building without looking back and met up with Helen Herman, who was waiting at the door. They walked toward the production studio together.

"How did the audition go?" Helen Herman asked with concern.

"It went okay, I guess," Alexandra Daddario thought for a moment and said, "Matthew nodded at me when the audition ended."

Helen Herman nodded and said, "Judging by Matthew's attitude, you should have a good chance of getting the role."

Alexandra Daddario recalled what had just happened and said, "I ran into Paula Patton on my way here."

"She's your main competitor," Helen Herman said directly. "She's recommended by Director Francis Lawrence."

Alexandra Daddario remembered what Matthew had mentioned before and asked, "If I get the role, will the director make things difficult for me on set?"

Without hesitation, Helen Herman said, "He definitely will. He might trouble both you and Matthew."

Alexandra Daddario felt a bit troubled, "Won't that be a hassle for Matthew?"

No matter what, Matthew had always helped her, from landing her first role in the "Underworld" crew to a supporting role in "Dawn of the Dead," and now this audition. Without Matthew, she might not have had these opportunities.

Helen Herman shook her head, "Don't worry. Matthew can handle it."

This industry is full of competition. Everyone wants to be the most prominent figure in the circle, and within the crew, everyone wants to have significant influence.

Examples of actors overpowering directors are not uncommon in the industry, but there's one fact that even she couldn't deny: people in the directing profession often have a psychological advantage over actors, even star actors, because of their professional background. This leads most directors to resist being overshadowed by actors.

In Hollywood, once conflicts arise, they are often hard to resolve.

Most people in this circle have faced numerous difficulties on their way up, making them value fame and fortune more than those in other industries.

She didn't know much about Francis Lawrence, but someone like Matthew wouldn't easily let things slide when his interests were at stake.

As a seasoned agent, Helen Herman understood this circle well. Big stars may appear kind and approachable in the media and public, but the higher their status, the more they value fame and fortune.

Helen Herman knew Matthew wouldn't easily let Francis Lawrence achieve his goal.

"Ms. Patton, we're done for today."

In the audition room, the casting director called an end to Paula Patton's audition, then said to her, "I'll notify your agent of the audition results by Friday."

"Thank you."

Paula Patton smiled and walked toward the door. Before leaving, she glanced at Matthew sitting next to producer Akiva Goldsman, knowing full well that he was the biggest obstacle to landing the supporting role. At thirty years old, she didn't have much time to waste.

As a black actress, a director like Francis Lawrence was undoubtedly an opportunity.

The audition room door closed. Matthew sat there without speaking. Honestly, if purely judged by acting skills, Paula Patton was clearly better than Alexandra Daddario.

Paula Patton's acting wasn't great, but Alexandra Daddario was even worse.

That said, someone like Alexandra Daddario, no matter how good her acting was, would always be overshadowed by her prominent physical attributes, making her seem like a poor actress.

David Heyman didn't speak either, only glancing at Matthew. Recently, several Warner Bros. executives had watched some of the footage from Zack Snyder's "300 Spartans," praising Matthew's performance. Even renowned Warner Bros. producer Charles Roven believed Matthew's charm in the film could rival Tom Cruise.

Box office stars are a rare resource in Hollywood.

Director Francis Lawrence also didn't speak. The audition results indicated that his recommended Paula Patton outperformed Matthew Horner's recommended Alexandra Daddario.

Alexandra Daddario, aside from having a larger chest than Paula Patton, was utterly unqualified as an actress.

The difference in their audition performances was significant. If Akiva Goldsman didn't choose Paula Patton under such circumstances, he would seriously question Goldsman's professionalism as a producer.

Francis Lawrence glanced at Matthew, a barely noticeable smile on his face. From a director's perspective, Paula Patton was the clear winner.

Matthew noticed Francis Lawrence's glance and knew that purely from an actor and director's perspective, Alexandra Daddario was indeed not a good actress.

But he wasn't worried. Compared to Francis Lawrence, who had recently transitioned from the ad and MV circles to the film industry, Matthew knew Hollywood better, had more experience, and understood that casting decisions often involved external factors.

Just like the Oscars, the best actor might not always win.

Moreover, Paula Patton's acting was only slightly better than Alexandra Daddario's vase-like performance. It wasn't particularly outstanding.

Akiva Goldsman reviewed the audition tape again and signaled for the assisting staff to leave, including the casting director, who also left voluntarily.

The casting director knew he had no say in this role and didn't want to speak out, not wanting to offend either the lead actor or the director.

The audition room door opened and closed. Goldsman, not immediately stating his opinion, asked, "What do you all think?"

Aside from him, only Matthew, David Heyman, and Francis Lawrence remained.

"Both have their strengths," David Heyman said, glancing at Matthew and deciding to be honest. "Alexandra Daddario has better physical attributes, while Paula Patton has better acting skills."

"Not just a little better," Francis Lawrence immediately said. "Paula Patton's acting is significantly better than Alexandra Daddario's. Daddario doesn't understand acting at all. She just flaunts her looks and body in front of the camera!"

David Heyman frowned slightly but said nothing.

Goldsman nodded lightly. Lawrence's words were true. The audition had just concluded, and the recording was in front of him. The difference in their performances was clear.

Seeing Goldsman agree with him, Lawrence continued, "For this supporting role, we need an actor, not a vase flaunting her body. Otherwise, we'll face criticism from both the media and the audience!"

Matthew remained silent, seemingly unable to refute Lawrence's points.

Lawrence glanced at Matthew again, realizing the audition results favored him. He quickly added, "Using a minority actor for the supporting role will help attract minority audiences."

"Yes," Goldsman nodded again. "That's a valid point."

The audition results were clear. Paula Patton was indeed more suitable for the role than Alexandra Daddario.

A slight smile appeared on Lawrence's face. "A professional actor will also save us a lot of time during filming. Time is directly equivalent to money in film production."

With the audition tape right there, these arguments left Matthew unable to refute. Alexandra Daddario's acting was only marginally better than his when he first started.

Goldsman looked at Matthew, "What's your opinion?"

Lawrence stared at Matthew, eager to see what he could say in the face of such a clear audition result.

Matthew certainly had something to say, but he knew it was best to keep prepared statements to himself. After thinking for a moment, he slowly shook his head but added, "We should be cautious in choosing the actor for this role."

He reminded them, "Isn't there another audition tomorrow? Let's wait until that actor's audition is over before making a decision."

David Heyman also said, "The audition results should only be decided after all auditions are completed."

Goldsman nodded, "Alright, we'll leave it at that for today."

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