Chapter 162: Picky

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Picky

"Orlando’s aura is amazing!" the script girl on the side couldn’t help but exclaim softly. "The moment he stands there, the atmosphere is incredibly strong."

Martha nodded in approval:

"His emotional expression is very restrained, fitting Will Turner’s introverted personality. His eyes are good too—worry, anxiety, and determination are all there.

You can feel his deep affection for Elizabeth without him saying a word. It seems his experience in The Lord of the Rings gave him a natural classical aura that fits perfectly with the style of Pirates of the Caribbean."

Adelaide, however, raised an objection:

"The aura fits, but it’s too ’clean.’ Will Turner is a common blacksmith who deals with iron and sweat every day. He should have a bit of roughness.

Orlando’s performance is too elegant. The way he holds a sword is like a noble young master, not a craftsman who smiths every day. It lacks a bit of the grit of everyday life."

Amy immediately chimed in: "Exactly. His lines are too soft. They lack the ruthlessness of someone pushed to the brink. Facing pirates, Will needs a do-or-die determination, not this kind of gentle concern."

Irene knew very well that these two were presenting a united front against outsiders. They both only wanted to choose the people they had recommended, so they were exceptionally picky about everyone else’s performance.

But she didn’t call them out, writing in her notebook: ’Aura fits, emotions are delicate, swordsmanship is good, but lacks commoner grit and a sense of decisiveness.’

Soon, the next one was Heath Ledger.

Heath Ledger wasn’t as outstanding in appearance as the first two, but he entered the emotional state faster and more intensely. He was wearing a black leather jacket with his hair slightly wild, and he stood in the center of the studio without any redundant movements.

When he spoke, his tone carried a hint of ruthlessness, vividly portraying Will Turner’s anger and impulsiveness. He swung the cutlass with large movements full of tension, nearly hitting a nearby prop rack.

Adelaide immediately praised: "What explosive power! This is the reaction of someone pushed to the edge—anger, impulsiveness, and a bit of reckless madness. It’s very layered."

Martha frowned, "The explosive power is there, but it’s too outward. Will Turner is introverted. His anger shouldn’t be so flamboyant. It’s more suppressed in his heart, shown through micro-expressions and movements, rather than shouting and swinging the sword wildly."

"And his movements were too wild, lacking technique." Jerry pointed to the trajectory of his sword swing just now.

"Will is a blacksmith, not a brute. His power should be controlled. His sword swings should have the steadiness of a blacksmith, not like someone untrained hacking wildly."

Amy also took the opportunity to dismiss Heath Ledger’s acting: "Will needs to be a likable protagonist. Such outward anger makes the character seem irritable and not likable enough."

Irene couldn’t help but nod in agreement. Although she had been somewhat optimistic about Heath Ledger before the audition, he hadn’t been in many movies yet, and his acting wasn’t as outstanding as she had imagined. She wrote down: ’Tension is sufficient, but lacks restraint; character personality deviation.’

After Heath’s performance ended, there was a short break in the studio. Having watched three performances in a row, all with their own flaws and shortcomings, everyone wanted to clear their heads and talked about some trivial matters.

Dwayne Johnson’s entrance made the studio fall silent for a moment. He was burly with broad shoulders and back, and just standing there created a sense of pressure.

He simulated the movements of smithing iron, his arm muscles bulging with an explosion of power, making even the anvil seem to vibrate slightly.

But when he needed to make agile dodging movements, his massive frame appeared somewhat clumsy, with a clear lack of flexibility.

"The sense of power is undeniable. It definitely fits the profession of a blacksmith," Amy admired. "Putting a physique like this on the screen provides a strong visual impact and can form a sharp contrast with Captain Jack."

Adelaide couldn’t wait to dismiss him before anyone else could speak:

"We need an agile swordsman, not a pirate leader. Dwayne’s build is too burly. It lacks the youthful energy and flexibility Will should have.

There are many chasing and climbing scenes in the script. His physique would make them difficult to complete, and the cost of post-production special effects correction would be too high."

Martha quickly added: "And his face doesn’t look very friendly. Will is a heroic protagonist and needs to be approachable. Dwayne’s aura is more suited for a pirate leader than a kind blacksmith."

Irene watched Adelaide and Amy competing against each other without stopping them. She wrote in her notebook: ’Power meets standards, lacks flexibility, aura contradicts the character.’ After all, she hadn’t been optimistic about Dwayne Johnson from the start and even felt that whoever introduced him wasn’t very bright.

Next was James McAvoy.

James McAvoy was on the lean side, but his eyes were quick and expressive. His performance was subtle and nuanced, vividly portraying Will Turner’s inner struggle and hesitation. His handling of micro-expressions was near perfect. Especially when he said the line, "I’m both a blacksmith and an ally to pirates," the mixture of confusion and determination in his eyes was highly infectious.

"His acting is undeniable. The emotional expression is so delicate," Martha praised. "The micro-expressions are handled very well—hesitation, determination, confusion—it’s all layered, fully bringing out the character’s internal monologue."

"His delivery is also very strong. The variations in tone and speed are very layered and can drive the audience’s emotions." Jerry also nodded. "If we’re just looking at acting, he’s the best performer so far."

Seeing Jerry finally offer praise, Irene was afraid he really favored James and quickly rejected him:

"But compared to the previous ones, his physique is too lacking. Will Turner is a blacksmith who smiths iron year-round. His body shouldn’t be this thin. He lacks a sense of power. It’s hard for the audience to believe that someone as thin as a sheet of paper could swing a cutlass and fight off pirates."

The others nodded in agreement without objection. Irene breathed a sigh of relief. James’s height was a major drawback, making it hard for her to approve of him.

Irene didn’t even write a comment before closing James McAvoy’s profile folder. She took a deep breath. Next up was Henry Cavill.

When Henry Cavill walked into the room wearing a simple gray T-shirt and jeans, his posture upright, the discussions in the studio seemed to stop at that moment. Everyone’s eyes were drawn to him. His broad shoulders and narrow hips were perfectly proportioned, and his physique was not at all inferior to Chris Evans.

As he walked into the studio, his gaze subconsciously went to Irene first. A flicker of emotion flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded politely.

Irene looked at the familiar yet strange person before her. Henry looked much more mature and stable than when they first met, showing none of his previous young, handsome, but green appearance.

Putting aside her sentimental thoughts, she said in a deep voice, "Let’s begin. The same scene: seeking cooperation with Captain Jack."