American Entertainment: Starting with playing the role of Little Beaver

Chapter 4 Home Alone
"My darlings, after Mommy leaves, please lock the doors and don't open them for anyone, okay?"

"If you encounter any problems, big or small, you must call my cell phone. If you cannot get through, then call the police."

"I have a lot of theater appointments today, so I won't be back for lunch. That's why I prepared sandwiches for you. They're in the dining room. Don't go into the kitchen, and don't touch anything with fire or electricity. Mom loves you, okay?"

The following morning at nine o'clock, Vivian and her beloved daughters said a reluctant goodbye.

As the door closed, the engine started up, and the car drove away, Catherine, turning her gaze away from the peephole, gave her younger sister an OK sign. The next second, Isabella, having received the signal, turned and left to go back to her room to change.

Since it's a job interview, you should dress formally.

Therefore, Isabella chose an elegant white dress, a pair of matching leather shoes, and styled her hair like an adult.

Uh……

Adults don't need to comb their hair.

After all, she can't play Draco Malfoy, so there's no need for her to have a slicked-back hairstyle that shows off her hairline.

Let her slightly wavy hair fall naturally, and put a Sanrio hair tie on her hand just in case.

I grabbed my bag and hurried downstairs to meet up with my older sister.

The porcelain doll-like Isabella made Catherine somewhat lost in thought. To be honest, at this moment she regretted that going to the HP production team to look for work was a big deal, and they should have been open and honest with their mother.

Yesterday I felt okay, but that was probably because I was emotional. After calming down overnight, my anxiety started to rise again.

Just as Catherine was pondering whether to correct her mistake, Isabella, who had already dashed out of the house, was calling to her from the door frame.

"Pfft pfft".

"Keisha?"

"GoGoGo——"

"Mom said she wouldn't be back at noon but didn't say what time she'd be back in the afternoon, so to be on the safe side, we need to finish everything before 3 PM. It's already past 9 PM, so we don't have much time left. So let's not just stand there like idiots, okay?"

The clear and logical urging ultimately led Catherine's right brain to prevail over her left brain.

Grab your rain gear, step outside, and with a bang, the adventure begins!
The casting process for Harry Potter has been ongoing for months. It is said that the casting team has screened more than 20,000 children across the UK so far. Because this IP is very important, Warner Bros. is going directly to various schools to audition. The audition venues are temporary and dismantled after use, which makes it quite troublesome to track them down.

Therefore, Isabella and her companions' target today is Warner Bros.' headquarters, Leavesdon Film Studio, on the outskirts of London.

And traveling from central London to Leavesden...

Taking public transportation is the safest option.

After leaving home, Isabella and Catherine boarded a bus, paid two pounds, and after a swaying ten-minute ride, they arrived at Euston Station, bought tickets to Watford, waited for half an hour in the waiting hall, and finally boarded the dark, round-headed train at ten o'clock in the morning.

As soon as the whistle sounded, a clanging sound immediately followed.

It had been many years since Isabella had ridden this old-fashioned steam train, and trying it again brought back many fond memories.

Of course, while she reminisced about the past, she still had to complain about the outdated facilities.

Britain is supposed to be a long-established developed country! But why are the train seats still those old-fashioned, non-adjustable seats from a hundred years ago? The most outrageous thing is that a ticket for one of these seats costs nine pounds! They're really obsessed with money!
Isabella was grumbling, while Catherine was full of surprise.

Yesterday, when Isabella asked her to accompany her out, Catherine thought Isabella wanted her to lead the way.

But today...

"Isa, have you been following Harry Potter for a long time?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Otherwise, how would you know which way to go?"

"Oh, you mean this? Guess?"

Isabella smiled without saying a word.

After deciding to volunteer herself, Isabella started using the family computer.

While the internet at the turn of the century was indeed not as developed as it would be in the future, basic information had already been made available online in Europe and America.

I logged onto Yahoo UK, browsed the travel section, did some simple filtering, and combined the information to determine my route.

Isabella didn't answer directly, but the playfulness in her words answered everything in Catherine's eyes. Looking at her sister peering out the car window at the scenery, Catherine felt a mix of emotions.

After her father passed away, she thought she had grown up because she consciously wanted to help her mother share the burden. However, compared to her younger sister, who seemed unreliable but was methodical in doing things, she suddenly felt that she was still very immature.

She pursed her lips and said, "So you have a goal?"

"of course."

"Who?"

"Who else could it be? Little Beaver!"

Isabella didn't look back; in the height of summer, the lush greenery around London was quite beautiful.

"If you're going to act, then act the best, right?"

"So my only target will be Hermione, Hermione Granger."

Catherine was pleased by the confident words.

Putting aside her regrets, Catherine gazed at her sister's retreating figure and asked curiously, "Isa, to be honest, I really don't know where you get your confidence from. You've never acted before, and on HP... many experienced actors were eliminated..."

Looking at the world from the perspective of professional training in the performing arts industry, only Japan provides systematic and standardized training for child actors. There, professionally trained child actors are called "koyaku" (子役).

However, this does not mean that other countries do not have child actors. In the UK, for example, stage plays and operas are the main channels for training child actors. Here, plays performed by children have a special name: Child play.

Isabella's mother actually came from here, and future Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne was also a member of Child Play. His roles in children's plays like *Oliver Twist* and *Animal Ark* when he was a minor were also part of the group.

Therefore, when HP started casting, the first to be interviewed were actually students with professional backgrounds. When HP had been casting for half a year without finding a suitable candidate, it actually meant that all the students with professional backgrounds had "died".

If even professionals can't do it, then non-professionals will definitely struggle no matter how they look at it.

but……

Isabella didn't think so.

“Honey, just because someone with experience can’t do it doesn’t mean someone without experience can’t. Of course, if someone thinks they can’t do it, then even if they can, they will eventually fail because they lack confidence.”

Isabella turned around and looked at her sister with a smile.

"So, when I need Little Beaver, I firmly believe that she will be mine."

"Of course, confidence doesn't put food on the table. You ask me where my confidence comes from? Well... did you read the newspaper I gave you yesterday? The HP project team is already having internal conflicts. Warner Bros. feels that casting can't go on indefinitely..."

Yesterday's newspaper headlines were exaggerated, but the content was even more so. British media reported that the HP project team was on the verge of collapse because HP casting director Susie Figgis officially submitted her resignation to Warner Bros. on July 11.

This means that the internal conflicts within the production team can no longer be concealed.

As for why the production team split up?

This matter is known to everyone in Britain and America.

J.K. Rowling is British, and when her stories took place in Britain, she wanted to create an all-British HP production.

Susie Figgis is also British and a very famous casting director in the UK. Therefore, after Harry Potter was approved, Rowling invited Susie to join the production team, hoping that she could help her find suitable child actors throughout the UK.

The film's director, Chris Columbus, is American. He wanted to cast Haley Osment, also American, as Harry Potter. The reason was simple: anyone with common sense could see the excellence of Harry Potter and knew it would be an epic project. Such projects are rare, and since one had come along, why not prioritize one of their own? Columbus felt things were negotiable, but Rowling didn't want to talk to him. Rowling didn't give Columbus face, so Columbus gave her the cold shoulder. Over the past few months, all the actors chosen by Susie, who represented Rowling, were rejected by Columbus.

Warner Bros. was aware of the battle between Columbus and Rowling, but they chose to sit back and watch, because they didn't want to build an all-English team for HP. They also wanted to have full control of the project and put their own people in.

But when casting director Susie resigned and brought the conflict to the forefront, Warner Bros. had to step in to mediate.

Warner Bros. had promised Rowling that they would use an all-British crew, and in order to keep Harry Potter in the UK, the British Parliament is now discussing amending the employment hours in the "Protection of Minors Act," wanting to increase the legally allowed daily working hours for minors from two hours to four hours so that Warner Bros. can film better.

And then Warner Bros. suddenly jumps out and says, "Oh, sorry, we're going to cast an American in Harry Potter?"

They did pull in Ying, but even Ying, whom Warner Bros. couldn't afford to offend.

“Keisha, in the newspaper I gave you yesterday, I wrote that Warner Bros. is demanding that the production team officially start filming before October. Although Warner Bros. hasn’t said anything, their attitude is very clear: they will no longer support Chris Columbus, but instead fully support Aunt Rowling. When the entire project is less than fifty days away from the official start of filming, the casting process is bound to be chaotic and disorderly.”

"If they become chaotic, will the stringent standards still hold?"

"In the past, they might have aimed for an A+, but now, an A- or B+ is fine?"

"So... I think it's okay for me to be a little more confident at this time, right?"

Isabella winked at her older sister.

She was sitting on the east side, and the slanting sunlight shone on her, making her sparkle.

At that moment, Catherine even felt like she was hallucinating.

It looked like two fluffy little ears had sprouted on my little sister's head, and they were twitching proudly.

“Okay, even if your analysis is completely correct, all of your analysis is based on media reports.”

"And my dad said that the media's words are the least trustworthy thing."

"Therefore, your speculation may collapse directly due to an incorrect source."

Catherine admired her sister a little, but out of consideration for her sister's feelings, she didn't want to vote.

This made Isabella smile, tilting her head slightly, and say cutely, "Shall we make a bet?"

"What are you gambling?"

"Let's bet on whether my analysis is right or wrong."

"How do we gamble?"

"If I'm wrong, and my future mother holds me accountable for sneaking out today, I'll take full responsibility. But if I'm right, then the idea of ​​acting was yours, and you encouraged me to audition."

"What's the point of this kind of bet? Mom will be heartbroken no matter who takes responsibility."

"Oh, you don't dare to bet? Fine, I know you admit I'm excellent."

"make a deal."

Catherine stopped hesitating and agreed without hesitation.

Isabella, with a smile in her eyes, turned her gaze back to the outside of the car.

Euston is not far from Watford; it only takes a few tens of minutes by train.

After getting off the bus, the two boarded it again. After another swaying and rocking motion, Livingston finally appeared.

This place will be a holy land for Harry Potter fans in the future, as it was filmed here. But at present, Leaversden, which is not yet famous, is still very simple. From the outside, it looks no different from an ordinary factory, with barbed wire fences and tightly closed gates.

You can only wave to the security guards through the gaps.

He explained his purpose to the gatekeeper, who was somewhat surprised to hear he was there for an interview, as he hadn't received any notification from the production team that day. However, upon hearing the authentic CRP (Certified Professional) accent, he decisively opened the door and made a call to the production team.

After a brief exchange and explanation of the situation, a shuttle bus drove out of the factory area in less than fifteen minutes.

"Just go with him, he'll take you there."

"Thank you."

Board the vehicle and set off.

As the vehicle ventured deeper into the studio, a small corner of the world within it finally came into view.

How to describe it?
Perhaps they're preparing for the upcoming filming? The flow of vehicles and people here is endless, and almost everyone is wearing reflective vests and hard hats. It looks just like a construction site, with dust flying everywhere.

Although it was dirty outside, Isabella was quite happy to see it, because the more complete the set was, the less likely Warner Bros. would be to wait.

The scenery is all set up but the machine can't be turned on?

Isn't that just a popular online novelist investing in short dramas and wasting money?
"I won."

Isabella glanced at her sister.

"Can we please not open the champagne halfway through the game?"

Catherine is still stubbornly refusing to admit it.

Isabella smiled without saying a word.

When the two arrived at Warner's factory office, before they even got out of the car, they saw two women gathered at the entrance. The older one had her back to them and was talking to the other woman.

“Jesse, I’m so glad you’ve come to take over my job… Before we part, I want to tell you that, as fellow Britons, I hope you can support Joanne. She may not be in the entertainment industry, but she is definitely an upright and excellent Briton because she has always been working for the benefit of our own people…”

The clearly discernible instructions made Isabella look at her older sister again.

"Okay, I'm the one who called you here, and it's all my fault."

Catherine sighed softly, admitting defeat.

There may be many Joannes in the world, but there should only be one Joanne in the Warner factory.

That's J.K. Rowling.

"Hee hee~"

Isabella laughed; Catherine's aggrieved look was really cute.

The stopped shuttle bus made the two women turn around. The older woman thought the bus was there to pick her up, so she waved to the other woman and prepared to get on. But as the door opened, the figure getting off the bus made her instinctively squint.

"Who are you? Are you here for an audition?" she asked, puzzled.

But the next second, upon seeing Isabella, she smiled and withdrew all her questions.

She raised her right hand and waved at Isabella, "Hello~ Can I know your name?"

"Let me guess, you're here for Harry Potter?"

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Susie Figgis, a good friend of J.K. Rowling. You can call me Aunt Susie..."

"Oh... Hello, Aunt Susie..."

Isabella's eyes lit up, and she reached out her hand to the other person.

“I am Isabella Haywood, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
-
　Notes: ① The conflict between Chris Columbus, director of *Sorcerer's Stone*, and J.K. Rowling is not widely discussed on the Chinese internet, but it was a hot topic abroad at the time. I've included some related reports. However, the story is divided; American media vehemently denied it, while British media claimed it was true, and both sides released interview audio recordings. Therefore, only the parties involved truly know the situation. This book adopts the view that there was a conflict between them. ② Haley Osment was discovered by Robert Zemeckis, who played Forrest Gump's son in *Forrest Gump*. Zemeckis, in turn, is affiliated with Spielberg. His debut film, *Kiss Me*, had its script submitted to Spielberg, who liked it and then had Universal produce it. The same happened with *Back to the Future*. Spielberg initially wanted to direct *HP*, but Rowling didn't want Osment, so Columbus was chosen as director. Columbus was also a disciple of Spielberg. His screenplay *Gremlins* caught Spielberg's eye, leading him to join Amblin. From then on, Spielberg had him write screenplays for *The Goonies*, *Sherlock Holmes*, and others. Spielberg also helped him find the directorial debut. The conflict between Columbus and Rowling essentially stemmed from Spielberg's appreciation of Harry Potter and his desire to include his own people in the series, which Rowling disagreed with. ③CRP is the accent of the upper-middle class in contemporary Britain.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)