Episode 5: Big Break
"I'm going to be acting in the same series as Emily Pinault?"
Ray nodded his head excitedly and spared her a confident cock of his head. "Am I capable or what?"
She remembered that when she had started out in this field the actress' name was already well-known by the public. The man standing in front of her even scolded her once about the fact that her talent was incomparable. But as far as the brunette knew she hadn't taken on any projects in a long while. There was even a big scandal about her company mistreating her which went viral on the internet the other day.
It wasn't totally unforeseeable for something like that to happen to an unknown actress, but to somebody like Emily Pinault?
That was just plain ridiculous with how gifted and accomplished she has been from a very young age in her career.
If the woman recalled it correctly she even had a Golden Globe award under her belt.
It made Valentina curious about who else was going to be involved in this project.
Though she didn't want to hand it to Ray due to her ever-so ambivalent feelings towards him, this was downright the biggest thing he had ever done as her manager.
At her lack of words, the man continued, behaving as if he was on a sugar rush. "And that's not the best part. The entire project is going to be covered by Director Tsang. He's basically a prodigy in these areas and I told you it was going to be distributed by Metflix right? This is a full package, pumpkin! It doesn't get any better than this."
"Wow," The woman blew out in awe. "You told me this project was going to be big but not this big."
"You're welcome." He boasted unashamedly.
Then his hands clasped themselves before her reverently. "It's a lucky thing that you've made a name for yourself. After doing so, it's been getting easier and easier for you to land these roles. This might be your best one yet."
She gave him a wry smile before asking. "I'm going to be the second lead this time right? And I don't mean them saying that and then the next thing I know I'm playing some boring Betsy role which doesn't even get me thirty minutes screen time."
"I know it sounds hard to believe after all this time of taking on filler roles but you're going to get enough exposure this time. Trust me."
She nodded in compliance, mostly because of the confidence in his eyes that had never been there in all her years of knowing him.
"Okay, but if that's not the case I won't be settling for it this time. I should be moving forward in my career, not backwards."
Her warning rang throughout the space of the car and he looked through the window upon it. "Okay, I got it." He replied dismissively before turning back to her. "Now can we please go in for the script reading? I swore I just saw the whole cast head inside while we've sat here talking."
Valentina nodded and reached for her purse.
When she stepped inside the meeting room, the first thing that got her attention was how focused everyone appeared. The first reading for shows or movies was very important and it highlighted whether one was truly suitable for the role they have been given or not. It seemed everyone was going over all their self-tips and adjusting their state of minds. That made her become even more nervous than she was before. So much that it felt like the butterflies in her stomach had turned into a whole zoo.
As her eyes scanned the room, she saw the director, screenwriter and other important people. Her pupils stilled in shock at the sight of the lead actress sitting beside a chair which had her name on it. When she went and sat there, Valentina was stunned by how much more beautiful the woman appeared up close.
With soft caramel eyes and a timid smile, Emily offered an acknowledgement with a nod of her head.
The woman felt even more starstruck when she opened her mouth to speak. "You're going to play my best friend, right?"
Not being able to get a word out, the only thing she could do but nod.
Emily smiled and it felt like an extra bulb was added to the room with how blinding it was.
"That's great. I hope we can get along well in order to create the chemistry needed for our roles."
After that, the star went back to reading the script in front of her.
Valentina's eyes seemed to be glued onto her face until she felt someone nudge her by the shoulders.
She looked up confused until her eyes focused on a young face which really brought a damper onto her mood.
Adrianna Black took a seat beside her with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Hey, Valentina! Long time no see!"
"Not long enough it seems." She mumbled.
The girl cocked her head, unnerved. "Oh, come on it's been over a year since we've worked together. Didn't you miss me?"
"I'd say I missed you out of consideration for your feelings but my mother didn't raise me to be a liar."
Adrianna, who was on the edge of no longer being a teenager, laughed as if she had heard the funniest thing in the world.
"You were always so entertaining to speak with, have I ever told you that?"
"Once or twice." She grumbled, not feeling inclined to keep the conversation going.
The ink-haired brat had been a part of a movie she had done last year and about two magazine photo shoots. Valentina knew her personality well enough during those times to know that she was a major pain in the ass. Entitled? She invented the entire concept of it.
It didn't help that she always spoke to her as if they were besties. Not to mention how she never showed an ounce of respect for her as someone who has been in the industry longer than her.
If anything, the girl acted as if she was at a higher level than Valentina in every which way.
As if she was doing her a favour for always speaking to her in the impolite tone the girl always did.
Adrianna truly was a master of acting clueless and spitefully overstepping one's boundaries.
If this wasn't the best offer the woman had gotten all year - in her entire career rather - she would have gotten up and left just for the sake of not spending months on set with such a pampered princess.
"We won't be having many scenes together like we usually do because of our roles but at least we'll have idle times like this to socialize. Isn't that just great?"
"Just amazing."
The girl grinned, leaning forward as she whispered, "I thought I was gonna be the odd one out in this cast but seeing as you're here I don't feel that is the case anymore."
Valentina opened her mouth as a spike of annoyance came. "What the hell do you mean-"
"Good morning, everyone! Let me formally introduce myself. I'm Eric Tsang. You can refer to me as just Mr. Tsang, Director Tsang or just Eric whichever one is most comfortable for you. As long as it's not anything like 'asshole' then it's fine. You can leave those flattering words when you're talking behind my back."
A handful of people laughed and Valentina followed as she felt awkward when she hadn't.
"As I've said before, my aim is to make you feel at home while you work, but that doesn't mean you exert the same energy you do when that camera starts rolling. I expect the best of you - from the character you're playing of course - and your attitude towards him/her must be genuine. It makes no sense for you to want to be in this field if you're not meeting the standards of it. With that being said, does anyone have any objections towards anything that has been said so far?"
The entire room was so silent that if a pin fell it would have the impact of a drum.
The fairly attractive middle aged man flashed a photogenic smile. "I thought so."
In the next second, he pointed his hand in the direction of Valentina and she almost pissed herself but then he spoke again. "Let's start reviewing the script from our female lead. Emily, why don't you have a go at it?"
Emily nodded accordingly then stood up.
She didn't have the script in her hands to read from and Valentina began to wonder if she had already memorized the lines of the first episode already.
It seemed like she had with the way her eyes settled with concentration.
All eyes were on her and the most impressive part about it was that she didn't seem the least bit bothered by the pressure.
If anything she seemed encouraged to do well.
After closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she slowly reopened then.
With one glance given to her professional spectators, she had already won them over with the depth of emotion within her eyes.
Valentina held her breath as she played the role of Jessie with such understanding that it was ridiculous to think she had been given the script in only a few days. She was going at it as if she had been practicing for months.
When Emily wrapped up her role, the entire room was left speechless.
At that, the woman sitting there in awe knew that this series, Don't Break My Spirit, was going to be a hit.
"Valentina," Director Tsang's voice called out and she looked to him expectantly. "It's your turn." He was nice enough to explain for her because of how spaced out she appeared.
Clearing her throat, the woman took a hold of the script as she stood up. "Uh..." She drew as her eyes followed the lines. Her mouth folded as she bit down onto her lip nervously.
The fear of not measuring up to their expectations was making her feel numb and she couldn't quite reign in on it.
Sweat gathered on the side of her face as she made the mistake of looking back at everyone there.
Suddenly, the woman felt like puking.
Her mouth opened to say her lines but nothing came out.
The urge to scream overtook her.
It was to the point where the frustration got her feeling nauseous.
Just as the trepidation felt like it was going to swallow her into a dark abyss, she felt a warm hand pat itself against her lower back.
She looked beside her to see the main actress looking up at her encouragingly.
Valentina's eyes furrowed, wondering why she was taking the time out to cheer her on.
It was a weird sensation; feeling as if somebody actually cared about what she had to offer on the table. Not only that, but that she was capable of more than just meeting the standards but also breaking them as well.
Refined confidence filled her bones at the unexpected support and before she knew it, her lips were moving and her face matching expertly with the emotions of it.
By the time the highlight came, everyone was sucked into the momentum of her sensitive acting.
"Maybe you got diagnosed wrong. Let's go, Jessie. Let me take you to the hospital. When we're there the doctor will admit to his mistake." She urgently ordered her best friend and attempted to take a hold of her hand but the woman shook her head.
Her eyes skipped over what was supposed to be Emily's line.
"It's not a mistake." Was marked there for her to say and everyone mentally read it.
"Not a mistake? Are you kidding me? Jessie, you come here today, smiling in my damn face while telling me that you have less than a year left to live? What kind of messed up joke is this?" Her character, Esther's voice trembled as she reached for her shoulders and looked into her eyes as the stage directions indicated. "Tell me that this is a sick joke you're playing. Please, tell me and stop looking at me with that empty look in your eyes!"
At her shaky outburst, her best friend remained silent.
With the ironically pitiful look she gave her, Esther couldn't do anything but release an exhale of disbelief.
And just like the tears started rolling down her face.
It came out the left eye first like it always did when done on demand until the right one followed.
The scene wasn't broken until there was a big applause and the other spectators joined.
"Fabulous work, Valentina!" Director Tsang complimented and she gave him a grateful smile.
"Crying on demand was a nice touch. I never thought you would actually attempt it on the first try. You've exceeded my exceptions." He continued truthfully.
"Thank you." She bade before taking back a seat.
The man turned to Adrianna for her try at it.
During that, Valentina crooked her head in the direction of the woman beside her.
"Thanks." She aired, incredibly shy but knowing it needed to be said.
Emily gave her a casual shrug.
"No need to thank me. That was all you. You just needed some encouragement that's all. I know from experience how intimidating all of this can be."
She nodded, knowing that the actress was only being humble about the entire thing.
Deep down though, Valentina knew that she now owed the woman one.