September quickly arrived. On the day of the audition, Matthew got up early, specifically called a taxi, and arrived at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank an hour early. After meeting Helen Herman, they entered the 'Band of Brothers' set located in the studio, preparing to participate in the upcoming costumed audition.
Arriving outside the makeup room, waiting a moment to get his makeup done, Matthew noticed they weren't the earliest. The benches in the corridor were already occupied by many male actors, some, like him, accompanied by their agents.
"Let's wait," Helen Herman found a bench and sat down. "You're fifth."
Favors within the rules could sometimes provide a lot of convenience. Eric Polk had previously given them some audition information.
Matthew sat next to Helen Herman and waited, feeling a little anxious. This role not only concerned his future development but also his immediate income.
The Los Angeles local court had already approved attorney Wilson's out-of-court settlement application. He was currently in contact with the company behind the 'Forbidden Tarot' production. If a settlement agreement was reached, a large sum of money would undoubtedly be needed.
The remuneration for this role could completely free him from the trouble of breach of contract.
Matthew's mindset had changed from before. He had an urgent desire for this role, even a determination to get it. Yet, the decision-making power for this role was in the hands of top industry figures like Tom Hanks, completely beyond his and Helen Herman's control. Success or failure was entirely out of their hands.
He couldn't help but be anxious about gains and losses.
The audition hadn't officially started, but the makeup room began calling actors in. This was a costumed audition; every actor had to transform into a 101st Airborne Division soldier before entering the audition room.
Matthew sat upright in his chair, the tension and anxiety in his expression becoming increasingly apparent.
This was the most fiercely competitive audition he had faced since entering the acting world, the one he had prepared for the longest, and the one he felt least confident about.
"Nervous?" Helen Herman had been observing Matthew. "This isn't like you."
In her impression, Matthew was bold, cunning, and thick-skinned, with a certain maturity beyond his years.
"I'm not even twenty yet," Matthew also wanted someone to talk to to relax. "I haven't experienced such a big scene."
Helen Herman then remembered that he was only nineteen. There weren't many nineteen-year-olds with Matthew's temperament.
Matthew vigorously rubbed his face, feeling his muscles gradually relax, then said, "Much better now." He gave Helen Herman a thumbs-up. "As soon as you spoke, I relaxed."
"Hmm?" Helen Herman didn't understand what he meant.
"You naturally have a calming aura," Matthew deliberately used nonsense to make himself forget his nervousness and completely relax. "You are my strongest support."
Helen turned her head away, no longer engaging with Matthew. She could already see that Matthew was gradually returning to his normal state.
After relaxing, Matthew no longer sat idly. His eyes scanned around. The corridor now held more than a dozen actors, almost all of them with rugged features and strong physiques. With a little dressing up, they would undoubtedly project the image of a tough guy.
Purely based on appearance, none of these dozen or so people were worse than him.
Matthew knew very well that this audition was different from the previous one. Besides meeting the physical requirements, he had to offer more to impress the production team.
More precisely, to impress Tom Hanks.
The door to the makeup room opened again from the inside. A young man walked out and called loudly, "Matthew Horner! is Matthew Horner here?"
Matthew immediately stood up, raised his hand to signal, "Over here."
"Come in!" The young man gestured with his head.
Helen Herman also stood up and nodded at Matthew,
"Go on, I believe in you."
Matthew glanced at Helen Herman, said nothing, and followed the young man into the makeup room.
It was a huge room, mainly divided into three parts: a makeup section with a dozen makeup tables on the left side of the entrance, a prop cabinet on the right side displaying various World War II American military weapons and equipment, and military uniform racks and changing rooms directly opposite the door.
Matthew had learned beforehand that this place not only served the audition for the Ronald Speirs role but also for three other roles with slightly less screen time.
Upon entering the makeup room, Matthew stopped thinking about other things and acted entirely according to the production team's arrangements. First, he followed the young man to the makeup section, sat in front of a makeup mirror, and let a female makeup artist work. The makeup was simpler than he imagined. Due to the audition role, the makeup artist didn't even apply foundation. She only adjusted his eyebrows and facial lines based on Matthew's facial contours and features, making him look more mature and rugged.
After a simple makeup application, Matthew went to the opposite side of the makeup room entrance. Led by a male costume designer, he found a fitted military uniform, received matching military boots and a steel helmet, and entered a changing room to change his clothes.
Stepping out of the changing room, Matthew stood in front of the large mirror by the door. He saw that his clothes weren't particularly neat. He pulled at the hem of his paratrooper uniform, just about to adjust it, when the costume designer walked over.
He said to Matthew, "Let's go. First, to the props department. After you get the rest of your equipment, I'll help you complete your final look."
Matthew nodded, wearing a pair of thick, replica WWII military boots, and followed the costume designer to the many cabinets where weapons were stored. From a prop master, he received one "weapon and piece of equipment" after another.
This was a costumed audition, meaning that each actor's attire during the audition would be as close as possible to the actual filming state.
The sheer amount of equipment received from the prop department astounded Matthew. After all, he wasn't a soldier, and it was hard for him to understand why an ordinary paratrooper would carry so much equipment. He also understood why the costume designer said he would complete his look after receiving all the equipment.
Holding the received equipment, Matthew, led by the costume designer, returned to the large makeup mirror. The costume designer stood in front of him and helped him put on all the weapons and equipment, one by one, from top to bottom.
The costume designer was skilled. He attached the helmet, scarf, web belt, grenades, Thompson magazine pouches, and pistol magazine pouches to Matthew's front.
Then, he moved behind Matthew and placed the canteen, utility pouch, pistol, and grenade pouch on his back.
"Soldier!" The costume designer turned to Matthew's front and gestured at the weapons and props. "You can take the gun now."
Matthew grabbed the Chicago Typewriter. Having undergone professional training with Hawk Brayton before, he gripped the gun with his right hand, the buttstock tucked under his armpit, and the muzzle pointed downwards, one of the most common Thompson tactical moves used by American soldiers in WWII.
The costume designer stepped back, looked at Matthew's complete look, came over to adjust his helmet, pulled down his paratrooper uniform, then went behind him, squatted down, and tucked the cuffs of his paratrooper pants into his boots.
Matthew stood still in front of the makeup mirror, letting the costume designer complete his look.
He relaxed his entire body, emptied his mind, not thinking about where he was, looking at the person in the mirror, and imagining himself as a paratrooper about to go to war.
Suddenly, Matthew felt something was wrong behind him. The costume designer's hand quickly moved up his pant leg, and before he could react, he felt a pinch on his firm buttocks, while the paratrooper pants were pulled down slightly.
The next second, Matthew turned around and looked at the costume designer, who stood up as if nothing had happened, not even looking at Matthew, and said indifferently, "Alright."
It was as if that touch was just to help him adjust his pants.
Matthew couldn't figure out if the costume designer did it on purpose or was just helping him adjust his paratrooper pants, but he had experienced too many hardships and was quite cautious. He couldn't help but tighten his grip on the Chicago Typewriter with his right hand, and his left hand moved back, gripping a prop grenade, his eyes fixed on the costume designer's smooth, pale forehead.
The grenade looked real, but it was actually made of plastic. However, Matthew was confident he could make the head opposite him bleed with this plastic grenade.
The costume designer seemed to sense something, pointed to the waiting area by the door, "Go wait over there. Someone will call you for the audition."
Hearing "audition," Matthew's somewhat impulsive mind instantly calmed down. If he made a move, all the fault would be his, and this audition would definitely be ruined.
Most importantly, he couldn't be sure if the costume designer did it on purpose.
"Hey..." Someone walked over at that moment, seemingly the person in charge of the makeup room. He pointed at Matthew and said in a commanding tone, "If you're done, go wait over there. Don't stand here gawking and getting in the way!"
Matthew nodded, his left hand releasing the grenade pouch on his lower back, and his right hand gradually relaxing. He glanced at the costume designer again and walked towards the waiting area. He had been through a lot in society and wasn't someone whose head would get muddled by a rush of blood. Even if he wanted to do something, he had to temporarily endure it at this time and place.
Even if the costume designer had done it on purpose, would anyone in the entire makeup room testify for him?
If he didn't endure, he would only be kicked out of the production. If he endured temporarily, there might be a day when he could make the costume designer uncomfortable.
Arriving at the waiting area, Matthew didn't sit down. He stood there like a javelin, patiently waiting for someone to notify him to go for the audition.
Time passed by minute by minute. Auditionees returned one after another. Some were dejected, some excited, and some very calm. However, everyone quickly left the makeup room after removing their makeup.
Matthew waited for nearly an hour before an assistant called his name.
The person stood at the makeup room door and called out loudly, "is Matthew Horner here?"
As before, Matthew raised his hand to signal, "I'm here."
The assistant beckoned to him, "Follow me, to Audition Room Five."
Matthew said nothing, followed the assistant out of the makeup room, through a long corridor, turned left to a door, and after the assistant opened it, he walked in with him.
The moment he stepped through the doorway, Matthew straightened his body, and his legs moved with agility and power. The ten days of intensive training made him look exactly like a soldier.
He walked into the audition room, his gaze quickly sweeping around, and then he saw the famous Tom Hanks.