Rebirth: Acting Reversal – I'm the Leading Lady

Chapter Ten: Full On Charisma

"This is Sasha, and this is Coco. They're both very well-behaved dogs."

The dog trainer brought two menacing black German Shepherds in front of Crystal. These fierce dogs had sharp teeth, with strands of saliva still lingering, and their tongues hanging out as they panted.

Judging by their appearance, these two dogs didn't seem friendly at all. Luckily, the previous owner had raised Golden Retrievers since Crystal was a child, giving her enough experience in dealing with large dogs.

To ensure a smooth shoot later on, Crystal had to control her fear. While the dog trainer was present, she took the opportunity to build a rapport with them.

She bent down, patting the jaw of the German Shepherd named Sasha. In an instant, her hand came into contact with the extended tongue.

Whether it's a large or small dog, they all love to be touched on the jaw and head—a quick way to establish a connection.

"Don't be afraid; it won't bite randomly."

Not biting randomly implied there was still a chance it might bite.

Crystal's survival instinct prompted her to move away quickly, but she persisted. In the end, she had one dog in each arm, leaving the crew astonished!

While the teammates took a break, Justin Timberlake had to hurry to change into his outfit; he would soon have a scene with Crystal.

With the assistance of the crew, Crystal put on the tight black leather jacket and pants, transforming into a fiercely confident female agent. She looked much more seductive, but the outfit was so tight it almost took her breath away!

Director Jeff called Crystal and Justin in front of a small whiteboard, explaining the sequence of shots one by one. "Justin, you'll only be responsible for running forward continuously. At this corner, you'll fall, but make sure you look good, not too disheveled."

The music video was for showing off, not documenting the members' embarrassing moments.

"As for you, make sure to control these two dogs. Ensure that you won't be pulled away and at the same time exude confidence. Imagine you're on a runway. Girl, nothing can stop you. No matter what's ahead, tear through it!"

"OK, got it." Crystal quickly understood the state she needed. She noticed Justin was already eager, showing a keen interest in acting. No wonder he abruptly interrupted his music career to dive into movies.

Jeff temporarily left Crystal aside and took Justin to rehearse the positions, confirming the landing posture, running direction, where the fall should occur, and where his eyes should be when falling.

"Oh yeah, I feel like James Bond, and you're the villain chasing Bond." Justin tried a few rehearsals, satisfied after confirming everything was in order, and began to show off in front of Crystal.

However, Eve pointed to the dog leash in her hand. "I hope you can run a bit faster later. Otherwise, if they catch up, it won't be good."

Justin glanced at the two imposing German Shepherds crouched on the ground, looking extremely intimidating. He couldn't help but take a step back. "Are you sure they'll catch up to me?"

"Didn't you hear the director earlier? I'll release the leash later. Do you think they'll chase after seeing someone running ahead?"

Justin, at just eighteen, was at a very tender age. He initially wanted to impress the pretty girl, but was scared away by the two guardian-like German Shepherds.

He silently made up his mind. He must run faster later, preferably directly behind the director and manager.

"Filming is really a dangerous thing!" Justin originally thought that among the five members of the group, only he would be inside the studio, playing a suave 007-style secret agent. The other four were either escaping on top of a train carriage or speeding along the lakeside cliff road. Yet, he ended up being attacked by vicious dogs.

Although Crystal intended to help Justin get into the role, prepping him for fear and urgency, watching the young Justin being scared was quite entertaining. She explained in a low voice, "Your current mood is suitable for filming, but don't worry; they're not targeting you. They're after the dog trainer over there with the treats."

The set was quite rudimentary. It only looked like various structures and building materials from the outside. At the end of the passage, the dog trainer was already waiting with treats and a whistle. There was no chance the dogs would harm the actors.

After Crystal explained this to Justin, he calmed down to experience the uneasy feeling. "Are you ready?" The director looked at the two.

Crystal tugged on the dog leash, patted the heads of Coco and Sasha, and stood in front of the camera.

Justin, using both hands, grabbed onto a vent in the warehouse ceiling. When the director gave the command, he descended in a stylish pose, landing on the ground. Then, he ran a few steps, performed a somersault at a turn, and went through a bend.

"It's your turn. Go!"

Following the command, Crystal, holding the dog leash, walked towards the entrance of the passage. The camera, placed at an upward angle, caught a gust of wind that blew her straight hair to the back, making it look like a natural fan!

With her proud figure and a smile that seemed to conceal a hint of danger, her eyes carrying a killer instinct, she appeared as if she was playing with prey within applause. Like a cat toying with a mouse, effortlessly exerting control. Jeff, watching from behind the monitor, was stunned. The wind came just in time! In those few steps, Crystal walked on their hearts. With such an impressive figure and face, she could easily play Catwoman!

Intentionally creating a flickering effect, the sunlight from the fluorescent lamp shone on Eve, adding a layer of mystery. It made people unable to help but wonder who she really was, why she appeared in this place, and why she was chasing Justin.

As the shooting continued, Justin stumbled and ran forward, glancing backward. The camera placed in the corner captured, from his perspective, the pursuers closely following him. The black shadows were particularly captivating, exuding a strong and powerful aura.

With high heels, red lipstick, a tight leather jacket, and guards on both sides, Crystal indeed had a feeling of overshadowing everyone. She watched Justin reach the designated spot and then released the leash.

The two German Shepherds quickly dashed forward. Initially, her face didn't have a close-up shot, but the cameraman couldn't resist zooming in, giving her that captivating face a close-up that lasted for several seconds, brimming with intense emotions.

Even though there was no elaborate background setting, the MV's female lead managed to convey a sharp and keen feeling, exuding a powerful aura. In those few seconds, it seemed like she was the center of the MV!

Even though the director had previously mentioned not overshadowing others, Crystal couldn't quite control herself now. After all, these scenes would ultimately be deleted, and enjoying the acting was the most important.

When she heard "cut," she felt particularly satisfied but also somewhat unsatisfied, wanting to do it again!

"Well done!" Jeff raised his thumbs high.

At some point, manager Clark quietly approached behind the monitor and whispered to Jeff, "I'm curious. Can I get a copy of these discarded shots from Crystal's MV? I promise not to disclose them publicly, just as part of her future audition material."

"As long as JAVA Company agrees, they own the copyright to all the shots." Jeff also didn't want these beautiful shots to be discarded. If more people could see them, that would be great! He wasn't willing to be just an MV director for the rest of his life.

...

Having just finished the cover shoot for "Hollywood Reporter," Desmaius Lewis walked to the restroom, lit a cigarette, letting the smoke rise leisurely. It took a while before he took a puff.

He wasn't particularly career-oriented, typically taking a break for half a year after filming a movie, unless he liked the project. The global success of "The Matrix" brought him back into the media spotlight, and now he had countless commitments and commercial activities.

Contrary to what many people thought, he was a lonely person. His life revolved around himself, not fitting into the entire Hollywood scene.

Desmaius Lewis now missed the time when he could go unnoticed in Las Vegas—no paparazzi, no crazy fans, and no annoying social obligations, just pure simplicity.

Just then, manager Bob Collins approached, and Desmaius held the cigarette in his hand, asking, "Do you know anything about Crystal? How is she doing in Hollywood?"

"Hush!"

"Are you crazy? This is Hollywood Reporter's recording studio." Bob lowered his voice, discreetly looking around, afraid of being overheard. Otherwise, the confidentiality agreement would be in vain.

Desmaius extinguished the cigarette butt in the trash bin, revealing a rare smile. "Relax. Can't I care about a friend?"

Between him and Crystal, there was indeed no romantic involvement. The only difference was that he had slightly better memory retention; unlike Crystal, who didn't remember anything.

Bob sighed. "Her agent's skills are average, but she treats actors well. Crystal just became the lead actress in the MV for the first single from the new Super Boys album. I heard she's also planning to compete for the lead role in the comic adaptation movie 'X-Men.'"

"'X-Men'?" Desmaius asked, "Is that the movie they invited me for?"

Crystal nodded. "Yes, they wanted you to play Wolverine, but you rejected it without even reading the script." There was a hint of helplessness in her words. Since "The Matrix" exploded, 20th Century Fox was willing to offer $15 million in salary plus backend bonuses to invite Desmaius to play Wolverine.

Unfortunately, without even looking at the script, he decided to run a motorcycle factory. While managing a factory could barely be considered a sideline, there was still half a year left this year, and he showed no interest in taking on any scripts, planning to focus on the Sirius Band's tour.

Unconcerned about Bob's resentment due to the confidentiality agreement, Desmaius likely had grown accustomed to it. "It's too difficult to compete for the female lead in commercial films. When she hits a wall in Hollywood, she'll understand the harsh reality. If you have a suitable role by then, find her one."

Bob, bound by the confidentiality agreement, had been secretly keeping an eye on Crystal's affairs and was well aware of her stunning performance on the MV set. "Her acting skills are not as bad as one might imagine. If her agent can't see that, there's no need for her to waste time at CBB. She might as well resign and go back home to grow corn!"

Even Bob, bound by the confidentiality agreement, had been secretly keeping an eye on Crystal's affairs and was well aware of her stunning performance on the MV set. "Her acting skills are not as bad as one might imagine. If her agent can't see that, there's no need for her to waste time at CBB. She might as well resign and go back home to grow corn!"

Quietly calculating, he planned to try and dig into Clark's connections a year later. Perhaps he could bring Crystal over if he found a suitable role.