Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm

Inside the Meyers photo studio. The actual auditions, scheduled for a week later, had now begun. The initial company screening had already weeded out a large number of people. Those present now were the candidates who had made it to the second round of auditions. Among them, there were five actresses vying for the role of the black maid, "Georgina."

Two of them had clustered around Jada Smith, listening to her boast. These two clearly felt their own chances were slim and were decisively trying to make a good impression on Jada Smith, the wife of a top-tier Hollywood black movie star. Another sat quietly next to Halle Berry, neither currying favor with Jada Smith nor engaging with Halle Berry, just muttering something under her breath continuously. Halle Berry listened carefully; the woman was reciting her lines. All actors who had entered the second round had received the corresponding character scripts to prevent them from drawing a blank during the audition.

Halle Berry glanced at this woman curiously. She's unfamiliar, probably a new actress without any famous works to her name, she thought, and thus didn't pay her much mind.

"Jada Smith, you're up." A staff member called out.

Jada Smith adjusted her wig with a flourish, lifted her head, puffed out her chest, and strode into the audition room.

"Do you think she'll get it?" Halle Berry suddenly spoke.

The new actress sitting beside her was startled, taking a moment to realize the question was directed at her. She shook her head and said, "I don't know."

Halle Berry continued, "I bet she won't get it."

"Ah, really? Why?" The young black actress was interested; after all, this concerned her own interests. She remembered clearly what her manager had told her before coming: "Betty, you have to seize this opportunity. Hollywood's demand for black actors is already very low. A major role requiring a black actress in a film like this is far too rare. You must find a way to impress Mr. Meyers; he's the key." Her manager, from CAA, had even wanted to leverage Jeff Raymond's connections to get her close to Martin Meyers. Unfortunately, Jeff Raymond couldn't be bothered with a low-level nobody like her manager, paying him no attention at all.

But Betty Gabriel didn't feel disappointed; on the contrary, she breathed a sigh of relief. She would rather compete on her acting skills, succeed or fail, than use her body to trade for an opportunity. Besides, she didn't think Martin would even be interested in her. Look at all those scandalous girlfriends of Martin's—every single one is a top-tier beauty! A plain-looking woman like me standing next to those great beauties is like gravel next to pearls. Thinking this, she glanced at Halle Berry beside her and mused, If this lady were twenty years younger, no, even ten years younger, she might have had a chance to climb into Martin's bed.

Halle Berry was considered a relatively "frozen-age" goddess in the West. Who could tell she was almost fifty when she played Storm, Ororo Munroe, in X-Men: Days of Future Past?

Halle Berry didn't know the woman next to her was sizing her up and said to herself, "Jada thinks just because she has Will's connections, she's a shoo-in for the role. But she doesn't consider that if Martin wanted her, he wouldn't even need her to audition. For a small-budget R-rated film like Get Out, Martin could decide with a single word, just like with the male and female leads—no, even for roles with slightly bigger investors, Martin's word carries decisive weight, like the casting of Robert Downey in Iron Man..."

Betty Gabriel listened to Halle Berry talk while sneaking glances and assessing her. *This one must be considered a veteran among Hollywood's black actresses, right? Monster's Ball, X-Men, Swordfish, Gothika, Catwoman, The Call... This one never lacks for resources in Hollywood. But I heard Halle Berry has "detailed" relationships with Spike Lee and 20th Century Fox's CEO, I wonder if it's true?*

"So, I actually think your chances are a bit higher. At the very least, you seem very sincere."

"Ah, ah, what? Thank you!" Startled by Halle Berry's final comment, Betty Gabriel flusteredly replied.

Halle Berry smiled and finally turned to look at Betty. "What's your name? Are you new? Any works?"

"Ms. Berry, hello."

"It's Miss."

"Uh, Miss Berry, hello. I'm Betty Gabriel. You can call me Betty. I was in G-Separation Superstar, but it was just a supporting role. I came to Hollywood in 2010."

"G-Separation Superstar? Never heard of it. Who's the director?"

"The director is Michael Geng Rui."

"Still haven't heard of him. Is it an independent film?"

"Uh, yes, it's an independent film. It didn't get a theatrical release."

"Did it win any awards?"

"No, it didn't."

"Ah, no wonder." Halle Berry smiled.

Betty Gabriel suddenly asked, "Miss Berry, do you really think my chances are high? Why?"

Halle Berry looked her over and said, "Yes, I think your chances are high. First, I think Jada's probability is very low. You could tell from her bragging earlier that she hasn't prepared carefully at all. Does she really think Will's face is that big? Second, I think my own probability is also very low because my age is too far off from the character's setting—"

"I don't think you look old at all," Betty Gabriel interjected. This was her sincere opinion, not just flattery.

"Is that so? Thank you." Halle Berry smiled at her and continued, "As for the other two, you could tell from the way they were buttering up Jada that they've already lost confidence in themselves. For an actor, if you lose confidence in the character you want to play, then you can't possibly play her well. Someone like Martin would absolutely never choose an actor who lacks confidence in their ability to portray the character—unless you're his woman."

"And finally..." Halle Berry looked at Betty Gabriel again, "I just heard you reciting your lines. Your command of the script is excellent, and your tone is just right. As long as your performance during the audition matches up, I think your hopes are very high."

Betty Gabriel thought over what Halle Berry had said, her eyes lighting up. "Thank you!" she said from the bottom of her heart.

Halle Berry waved her hand. "I just gave you a little tip because I took a liking to you."

"But it's very helpful to me. Thank you again!"

"Alright, alright, I accept your thanks."

"By the way, do you have a theater background?"

"Yes, I spent six years with the Washington Color Ker repertory theatre company."

"No wonder your delivery is so steady."