"I know." Landon took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "When is the audition? What do I need to prepare?"
"The exact time hasn't been fully set yet, but it'll be within these next two weeks." Tracy sat back down beside him, and Rachel also sat close to him.
"The script fragments will be sent over in advance. But Landon—" She suddenly thought of a crucial issue and exchanged a look with Rachel, worry appearing on both their faces simultaneously.
"Can you drive race cars? The movie involves street racing, modified cars, high-speed chases, and stunts. Neal Moritz mentioned that while some shots will be filmed by Stunt Actors, the lead still has many practical shots. Can you handle that?"
This was the most critical technical question.
If the protagonist of a racing movie couldn't even make their basic driving skills convincing, they were practically out of the running beforehand.
Landon looked at their worried expressions, a confident curve slowly forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Tracy, Rachel," his voice was steady and certain, "regarding racing, driving, and speed... you don't have to worry at all."
He paused, meeting their questioning yet expectant gazes, and said slowly:
"I know how to control a vehicle to perform extreme maneuvers, I understand the basic principles of modified cars, and I know how to stay calm and make judgments at high speeds. If necessary, I can personally attempt most medium-difficulty car stunts."
These words made both Tracy's and Rachel's eyes light up.
Tracy knew Landon had a background in martial arts and excellent physical coordination, but she hadn't expected him to have such deep involvement in driving and stunts as well.
This was simply... as if custom-made for this role!
"You... you never said anything!" Rachel exclaimed.
"I didn't have the chance to show it before," Landon said vaguely.
He couldn't exactly say that these were skill sets earned through countless hours of sweat and several serious injuries in his past life.
Tracy looked at him deeply, the surprise in her eyes gradually replaced by a more burning expectation.
If what Landon said was true, then his advantage in the audition wouldn't just be his looks and acting, but the confidence and persuasiveness derived from real skills!
In a racing-themed movie, this was priceless!
"That's great... this is really..." Tracy was uncharacteristically incoherent for a moment, but she quickly organized her thoughts.
"The script should arrive tomorrow. I'll contact WMA immediately and mobilize all resources to prepare you for this audition.
Acting coaching, image design, and even arranging short-term exchanges with professional drivers if needed... we must ensure nothing goes wrong!"
Landon nodded vigorously, the fire in his heart already burning brightly. He took Tracy's and Rachel's hands, and the three of them held hands tightly.
"We're in this together," Landon said, his gaze sweeping over their excited and determined faces.
Outside the window, the sky had turned completely dark, and the villa was brightly lit.
This night had become entirely different because of a sudden movie audition opportunity that was enough to change his fate.
The indulgence and confusion of yesterday seemed to be temporarily dispersed by this intense light of opportunity.
Landon knew that a wider, more dazzling road was opening up before his eyes.
And he was ready to sprint with all his might.
No matter who stood in his way, whether it was Paul Walker or any other strong competitor, he would not back down.
the fast and the furious—this name, at this moment in his heart, was no longer just a movie, but more like a future that he had to win.
After dinner, they exercised in the temperature-controlled swimming pool.
Figures swayed gently with the ripples of the water.
In the spacious bathroom, bodies went comfortably limp in the bathtub, eyes becoming unfocused.
Soft bath towels, as usual, meticulously wiped away the water droplets from hair and skin with gentle movements, as if tending to a fragile dream.
Placed on the bed, watching them already in a dream with gradually lengthening breaths,
Landon finally lay down and, amidst the tranquility, sank into his own sleep.
On Monday morning, the 24 hours crew occupied a minor street near downtown Los Angeles.
Municipal permit signs stood at the intersection, and yellow caution tape separated the filming area from daily traffic.
Today was a concentrated day for location shooting. All transitional shots requiring vehicles to 'depart' and 'arrive' would be completed here to maximize the use of road closure time and control costs.
When Landon arrived, the scene was already a hive of activity.
His gaze subconsciously searched the crowd for that petite blonde figure.
Sure enough, next to the temporary actor's rest tent, Elisha Cuthbert was standing there, her gaze constantly directed toward the entrance.
She had no filming tasks today. Seeing Landon's Ford Explorer pull in and park, her face immediately burst into undisguised joy, and she almost skipped over to him.
"Landon!" She ran up to him and naturally wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest and nuzzling him, completely ignoring the looks that might be coming from around them. "You're here!"
Landon reached out and ruffled her hair. "Why are you here? You don't have any scenes today."
"I wanted to watch you film," Elisha looked up, her smile sweet and her eyes clear, as if the intimacy of Saturday night and the hanging out on Sunday were just the most natural parts of a relationship. "Besides, I missed you."
She said this directly and frankly, leaving Landon momentarily unsure of how to respond.
He could feel several gazes sweeping over from different directions, carrying curiosity or understanding.
Not far away, Zoe, who was moving her makeup kit from her car, unceremoniously rolled her eyes and seemed to mutter something silently.
Zoe had been hired by Tracy and should technically be accountable to her. However, she had seen Elisha's frequent appearances and her obvious intimacy with Landon over the past few days, yet she chose to remain silent.
She was smart. She knew her direct boss was Landon, and in a place like Hollywood, private relationships were often very deep. Wading in recklessly could mean getting burned.
As long as it didn't affect work or cause an unmanageable scandal, she preferred to be an observer who turned a blind eye.
"Alright, it's time to go to makeup." Landon gently pulled Elisha away from his embrace, his voice very warm.
The makeup trailer was parked on the street corner.
Landon sat in the familiar chair, and Zoe began applying his makeup with professional and swift movements.
Elisha moved a folding stool to sit beside him, her hands propping up her chin as she watched Landon in the mirror intently, occasionally saying a few words to him or asking trivial questions.
Landon responded briefly, but his gaze was fixed through the mirror, observing the scheduling of the film set outside.
He could feel Zoe's occasional helpless glances toward Elisha, as well as Elisha's completely devoted focus.