The audition notice for "the fast and the furious" came sooner than expected, and it was somewhat different from a conventional audition.
When Tracy received the formal confirmation on Tuesday evening, the audition time was set for next Monday.
Unlike a regular audition, the location wasn't in a production company's audition room, but at a professional racing track on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
"The director and producer want to see you drive a race car, Landon." Tracy's voice over the phone carried a hint of tight excitement.
"They want to see your actual performance on the track. The script fragments will be sent to your email later, but clearly, driving ability is the primary screening criteria."
Landon held his phone, standing in the backyard of the villa.
The pool water shimmered with golden-red light under the sunset, but his mind had already flown completely to the track.
When the opportunity arrived, it instead caused something inside him to ignite.
Racing, speed, control—these were things he had been immersed in for years, almost integrated into his instincts as a Stunt Actor.
"Understood," Landon replied calmly. "I need to go familiarize myself with the venue and the vehicles."
"It's already been arranged." Tracy was very efficient. "The track is open for you to practice all day tomorrow. Zoe will coordinate everything. And..." She paused.
"According to information obtained by WMA, you have a major competitor, an actor named Paul Walker."
This name was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, stirring ripples in Landon's heart.
Paul Walker. That young man with the sunny smile who loved the ocean and speed.
In another time and space, it was he who gave Brian OConner his soul, making this undercover cop a classic in the hearts of countless movie fans.
Landon felt a complex sense of gratitude toward the Paul Walker of that timeline, and even a subtle hint of apology for the possibility of "replacing" him.
But at this moment, at this fork in the road that would decide his future, any hesitation would be fatal.
"I see," Landon responded briefly.
On Saturday and Sunday, Landon devoted all his time to the racing track.
Tracy had arranged for him a Nissan Skyline R32 with basic modifications; it wasn't an exaggerated modification, but it was enough for him to get his feel back.
As he sat in the low cockpit, hands on the steering wheel, and the roar of the engine sounded in his ears, a long-lost, shivering sense of familiarity coursed through his body.
This young body was even more powerful than his peak period as a Stunt Actor in his previous life.
His reaction speed was startlingly fast, neural transmission seemed to have zero delay, his perception of the vehicle's dynamics was exquisitely detailed, and his sense of balance and coordination were beyond imagination.
After only a few corners, those driving techniques honed through countless practices and even several near-death experiences in his past life woke up as smoothly as unsealed memories.
The timing of a drift, the force of heavy braking into a corner, the precise control of the throttle when exiting... muscle memory combined perfectly with his superhuman physical fitness, producing a 'one plus one is greater than two' effect.
When he got out of the car, Zoe, who had come with him, jumped and shouted excitedly beside him: "Wow, Boss! You were so cool! That drift just now was amazing!"
Landon felt that this wasn't just a "benefit" brought by rebirth.
His daily, uninterrupted exercise had been tempering his extremely fine control over his body, his keen perception of center-of-gravity shifts, and his intuitive reactions to moments of danger.
These internalized abilities were displayed to the fullest on the race track.
He became increasingly convinced that his Kung Fu Hustle and this body hid secrets far beyond what appeared on the surface.
Monday afternoon, the sun was just right.
Landon, Tracy, and Zoe arrived at the audition track half an hour early.
The venue looked more formal than during the weekend practice. Several basically modified cars of the same model for the audition were parked in front of the pit area, and staff were doing final checks.
What truly caused the atmosphere to instantly turn stagnant was another group of people arriving at the same time.
Paul Walker, along with his Agent and assistant, were getting out of a white Toyota 4Runner.
Paul was wearing a simple gray T-shirt and jeans, his blonde hair shining in the California sun, a smile on his face.
He was talking easily with his Agent about something.
Almost the moment Landon's group got out of the car, Paul's gaze shifted over.
The moment those blue eyes clearly saw Landon, a flash of surprise crossed them, followed by a sharp look that couldn't hide its competitive edge.
He politely nodded toward Tracy and Landon.
Landon also nodded in response.
An invisible string in the air quietly tightened at this moment.
Two actors, equally young, handsome, and hungry for opportunity, met beside the track that would decide their fates.
No words were needed; they both knew that those who could walk onto this track today were among the few most likely candidates after layers of screening, and the final lead role would likely be decided between the two of them.
Tracy whispered to Landon:
"The one in the dark blue Polo shirt is producer Neal Moritz, the one in the baseball cap is director Rob Cohen, and that short-haired lady is casting director Lynn Stell.
Both of you were discovered by casting director Lynn Stell, who then recommended you to Mr. Moritz and Director Cohen."
Landon followed her gaze.
In the shade in front of the maintenance room, the three people who would decide his fate today were standing together in conversation.
Lynn Stell's mood at this moment was indeed a bit complicated.
As an experienced casting director, her eye was very sharp.
She had initially noticed Paul Walker because of the "boy next door" type of fresh handsomeness and sunny healthiness he showed in several youth films, which fit her initial conception of Brian OConner perfectly—a young cop who could blend into the street racing circle without looking out of place.
But later, Landon Williams entered her field of vision.
First was that Delmont advertisement; his smile in the sun and his interaction with the little girl left a deep impression on her.
Then came the Marie Claire cover and inside pages—that unique temperament somewhere between youthful and mature, that faint sense of wildness beneath the clean appearance,
And the serious attitude toward the character revealed in the interview all made her feel that this newcomer had a more complex and tense possibility.
He was more handsome than Paul Walker, with less pure sunshine in his temperament and a bit more elusive shadow, which might give the character of Brian, an undercover cop walking between black and white, more layers.
Acting skills? She wasn't too worried.
Being able to get an important supporting role in 24 hours and passing the audition for Ron Howard's A Beautiful Mind was enough to prove his professional ability.
Moreover, "the fast and the furious" was, in the end, a commercial popcorn movie; the character needed more in terms of physical fit and audience appeal.
Landon already had audience appeal through the Delmont ad and Marie Claire.
The only uncertainty was whether Landon could drive and whether he could perform with the instincts of a racer.
When she recommended Landon to director Rob Cohen and producer Neal Moritz, she specifically mentioned this point.
Both of them were also very optimistic about Landon and Paul.
Finally, it was Moritz who made the call: "Then let's go straight to the track and see. See who is more suitable!"
And so, there was this unique audition today.
Soon, the staff announced the start of the audition.
Without any extra pleasantries, Neal Moritz directly explained the rules:
Each person would drive the same model of prepared modified car for three free laps on the track to demonstrate basic control of the vehicle.
Then, there would also be a brief reading of a script fragment.