Chapter 359 Radiant Rebel Begins Filming

Chapter 359 Radiant Rebel Begins Filming

After the New Year, Victoria finally snagged the role she had been dreaming about. Leon's project, Radiant Rebel, kicked off its preparations and held open auditions. Although Leon admired Victoria, he had already pre-selected her for a role once before. Doing it again would definitely stir up some gossip. 

So, he decided to hold open auditions, sending the script to actresses of the right age and fame in the industry, inviting them to audition, and then having the director and producers vote on the best candidate.

The female lead, Seraphina York, is a young knight, requiring the actress to perform fight scenes and wire work. After honing her skills in the series Encountering the Divine, Ella’s acting had significantly improved, earning her an invitation to audition. Ella took this opportunity very seriously, not only studying the script but also hiring a coach to help her better understand the character's psychology. She even read Leon's original novel to get a feel for the entire story.

Jasmine also had her sights set on being Leon's leading lady. Recently, her mom had introduced her to several men, and landing the lead role would be a huge boost for her.

On audition day, many well-known stars from the industry showed up. Not only were top TV stars like Victoria present, but even film stars, including Best Actor winner Dennis, attended, showing off Leon's influence in the industry. One by one, the stars performed their scenes, leaving the room either with confident smiles or barely concealed disappointment.

Victoria hadn't taken on any roles recently, instead focusing on acting classes and performing in theater to sharpen her skills. Previously, her line delivery had been somewhat lacking, often needing post-production dubbing to achieve perfection. Now, she could ensure emotional depth and clear enunciation during live recordings. 

Confident in her abilities, Victoria introduced herself warmly to Leon and the director before performing her audition scene. Despite the lack of props, Victoria quickly immersed herself in the role, her eyes brimming with tears, her expression a mix of anger and sorrow, as if facing the foster father who turned out to be the enemy who destroyed her family.

After her performance, Victoria wiped away her tears and smiled, saying, "Well, that's my performance. Hope you liked it."

Applause erupted. Leon glanced at the director's satisfied smile and couldn't help but give a thumbs up, saying, "Victoria, your progress has blown me away. You haven't forgotten to refine your acting skills in the entertainment industry over these past two years. Excellent." Leon had been slightly worried that Victoria's massive popularity and numerous business opportunities might have caused her to lose focus on her craft. But once again, Victoria had pleasantly surprised him.

Victoria's expression remained almost unchanged from when she entered to when she left, maintaining a faint smile. Ella and Jasmine, who were next in line, felt nervous, hoping to glean some insight into Victoria's audition results from her demeanor. However, Victoria's composure made her seem like a sly fox.

After a day of auditions, Victoria quickly received an offer for the lead role. Dennis was cast as the male lead, which came as no surprise. Although Ella's acting wasn't outstanding, her appearance and popularity were favorable, and more importantly, she was eager and willing to lower her fee to secure the role. Ultimately, the director chose her as the second female lead.

Jasmine, too proud to play a supporting role, was not selected. She had already been frustrated with supporting Ella before and preferred to take on a less prestigious project than to be a side character again. Upon receiving the rejection, she quickly chose a modern drama, His Glory, and joined the cast. She looked down on Ella for lowering herself to play Victoria's sidekick, considering it a lack of self-respect.

Victoria knew that Ella's determination to join this project was largely due to Dennis. In the previous timeline, Ella and Dennis were the leads in this drama, and rumors had it that they officially started dating during its filming. This time, Ella's character also had a romantic subplot with the male lead. Victoria wondered if they would end up together again. Regardless, Victoria saw this as an opportunity to expose Ella's true nature. If Ella tried to sabotage her, she would retaliate fiercely; if Ella couldn't find a chance, Victoria would create one for her.

With the main cast finalized, there was a period of preparation. Victoria took the time to pick up her diploma. Even though she tried to keep a low profile, she was recognized by her fellow students, who surrounded her outside the administration building for photos and autographs. It wasn't until the school’s dean arrived that the crowd dispersed, saving her. 

After dispersing the crowd, the stern-faced dean turned to Victoria with a smile, handing her a poster, "Victoria, could you sign this for me? My daughter loves your portrayal of Lucy. She's about to take the SAT, and I want to give her your autograph to encourage her."

Victoria was momentarily stunned but quickly signed, "Wishing you success in the SAT and all your dreams come true," followed by her stylized signature.

This scene was captured by a student who hadn't yet left and posted on the school forum, complaining, "The dean chased us away just to get an autograph for himself! PS: Victoria is even prettier in person, and she's so nice. She didn't get mad even when we surrounded her! Who started those rumors about her being cold and arrogant?"

At the opening ceremony, Dennis greeted Victoria warmly, "Victoria, I didn't expect we'd get a chance to work together so soon."

Victoria nodded politely, "It's an honor to work with the Best Actor." Although she had no intention of developing a personal relationship with Dennis, he was indeed an excellent colleague. Both were top-tier stars, having won prestigious awards. Online, their collaboration was hailed as a powerhouse duo. Coupled with Leon's script, the drama had already topped the most anticipated list before filming even began.

Seeing the two talking, Ella quickly joined in, saying sweetly, "I've always wanted to work with Dennis, and now I finally have the chance. Senior, you’ve won the Best Actor award, you won't mind my less-than-perfect acting, will you?" She called Dennis "senior" to create a sense of closeness.

Dennis took a polite step back and replied courteously, "Of course not. If Leon chose you, it means your acting is up to par."

Ella covered her cheeks, smiling brightly at Dennis, "Senior, you're still as kind as ever. Please take care of me during the next few months of filming." Due to Leon's high standards, the filming was expected to take eight months, including a month of fight and horse-riding training. 

Ella was willing to lower her fee to play a supporting role to get closer to Dennis. If she didn't join, Victoria and Dennis would spend eight months together, playing the leads, possibly rekindling their past relationship. Now, with her career lagging behind Victoria's, Ella aimed to win over Dennis and triumph over Victoria in love.