System in Hollywood

The supporting roles, if performed well, can leave a strong impression on the audience, helping the actors gain experience and fame.

As for those minor roles, although the pay per role isn't high, around $150 per day, the sheer number of actors needed makes a difference.

Plus, for these minor roles, he could take a 10% commission. That adds up to earning over $1,000 a day from commissions alone. If the shoot lasts a month, that would be $30,000 in his pocket.

Keep in mind, even Megan, who has played supporting roles in several films by now, only earns $200,000—and that's with Wayne looking out for her.

When you add it up, the money he's making off these minor roles is almost as much as 1.5 Megans could bring in.

"$30,000, huh? I could rent a yacht, bring in eight or ten actresses from San Fernando Valley, and have a wild time for two or three days."

With that thought, Mike was even more motivated.

Five days later, on February 4th, the audition for *Mean Girls* officially began at Hemera Studios.

Although there were only 22 roles being auditioned for, and six of those, including the lead male and female roles, were already cast, there were still at least 70 or 80 people there to audition.

"Oh my God, why are there so many people?" Hannah, Wayne's assistant, was shocked by the huge crowd as soon as she walked into the waiting room.

She quickly noticed that over 80% of the auditionees were women, all dolled up as if they were going to a prom or a beauty pageant rather than an audition.

"Could it be..."

"It's obvious they're all here for Wayne," Mike said with a grin.

"Word travels fast in this industry. Wayne being the lead actor in this movie isn't a secret."

Wayne has a stellar reputation, and he's not one to attend parties often. So for most people, it's rare to see him. These confident and ambitious girls figured auditioning was their best shot at meeting him.

This is a great opportunity for them to showcase themselves in front of Wayne and make a lasting impression.

Not long ago, *Gifted* grossed $143.2 million worldwide, propelling Naomi Watts—a nobody for nearly a decade in Hollywood—into a top-tier B-list actress.

And *The Dark Side*, which sold for $48.5 million, cast two complete newcomers in the lead roles.

It's all because they got close to Wayne.

Whether they're rookies or struggling extras, anyone who gets in with Wayne has a shot at a big break. How could these girls, hungry for stardom and money, not go crazy over him?

With Wayne and Hemera Studios getting more successful, there's no shortage of women wanting to get close to him.

Hannah rolled her eyes at this, feeling a little disdainful, forgetting she was even more proactive than these girls when she first started out.

She was just about to say something when a bold girl ran over, eyes shining with excitement and admiration. She told Wayne she was his biggest fan, asked for an autograph and a picture, and slyly slipped him a note.

Wayne, while politely smiling and taking the note, declined the request for an autograph and a photo.

Otherwise, who knows? Before the audition was even over, gossip rags might already be publishing "intimate" photos of him with one of the girls.

And that's not an exaggeration. Despite the limitations of the time and technology, the women of Hollywood will do just about anything for fame and exposure. Their methods are no less ruthless than those of future influencers.

That's why Wayne keeps his guard up around these "strangers."

"Sorry, excuse me, the audition is about to start," Wayne said as he quickly made his way through the crowd, using the audition as an excuse. He didn't even stop to greet Scarlett and Annie, who were nearby, and entered the audition room with Hannah.

Behind him, a group of women could be heard swooning, "Oh my God, he's so handsome!"

After greeting Megan and Martina, Mike headed over to a corner where a flamboyant man, weighing at least 220 pounds, was sitting.

If Wayne were there, he'd find the man familiar.

That man was none other than Jonah Hill, from a middle-class Jewish family, who gained early fame thanks to support from fellow Jewish actor Dustin Hoffman, a two-time Oscar winner. At his peak, Jonah was a well-known B-list actor.

"Hey, Hill, how are you feeling?"

"Uh, fine. Alright, honestly, I'm really nervous! This is my first time auditioning for something this big."

Jonah Hill rambled on, clearly nervous.

At this point, he was just an 18-year-old high school student, who hadn't yet met Dustin Hoffman's sons or been introduced to Dustin himself.

However, he had always been passionate about acting and had some training. Plus, his appearance and demeanor suited the role of "Damian," which is why he was chosen from all the under-20 actors signed to WMA to audition for the part.

Of course, Wayne wasn't very familiar with the up-and-coming heavyset male actors of the time, so Jonah wasn't the only one auditioning for the role of "Damian."

CAA brought two people, ICM brought one, and UTA and Endeavor Talent Agency each brought two more.

So, in total, there were eight actors auditioning for the supporting role of "Damian."

Additionally, four actors were auditioning for the role of Principal Duvall. One of the actors CAA brought wasn't a nobody—he was Don Cheadle, who was just breaking into the B-list at the time. He would later become globally known for playing Colonel Rhodes in *Iron Man 2* and *The Avengers*.

And surprisingly, even though Don Cheadle was skinny, once he put on glasses, he looked quite similar to the original African-American principal.

(End of Chapter)