Thread: Hyde and Seek [ Chai & Mr Quixotic ]

RE Hyde and Seek Ariamella Mr Quixotic Do you even like acting, Katrina? Nicole Ellis shook a paper in front of her daughter's face, her hand crumpling up the page and half-covering up the highlighted set of words that read Abigail Williams . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHRISTINA HOFFMAN Understudy KATRINA BINETTI A chestnut-haired fifteen year-old looked blankly from the crumpled cast list of The Crucible to her mother, then shrugged her shoulders. Um, I guess. I just don't understand why you're so upset with me. I thought I did okay at my callback, and I'm still in the production with one of the other principle roles. Sure, it's not Abigail, but it is what it is. Besides, Abigail is supposed to be 17, and Christina's 18. Your father and I are not paying for you to go to one of the top performing arts academies in the nation so you can 'guess' that you like acting. I'm not sure I should be paying at all, considering you're settling for a role less than the lead, all over age. Are you going to settle in the real world? Are you going to tell yourself that it's okay not to get a role simply because the other girl was skinnier, prettier, younger or older? The only thing that matters is the ability to perform. No one cares for actresses that settle. I sure as hell don't care. Angrily, the young female snatched the paper from her mother's grasp, sarcasm coloring her tone of voice. I already know you don't care about me, mom. I have a rehearsal to prepare for, so if you can just leave me alone now, that would be pretty freakin' cool. As quick as Katrina had snatched the crumpled page, Nicole raised her hand and slapped her daughter hard across the face, leaving an angry pink mark at the hand-to-cheek contact. Do you even care, Katrina? Do you? If you don't care enough to do something in this profession, then you'd better tell me because as of right now, you're a waste of my time and money. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - As Katrina's mind faded out of the memory that had been recalled at the shock at the open-handed blow, she found herself still turned away from Michael, the unexpectedness of it all causing her neck to turn with the motion of his hand. Chestnut waves had fallen over her cheek, keeping her hot and flushed face hidden from view. It wasn't the force of the slap that had given her the color, but the anger and humiliation that followed the action. The same emotions she had felt at fifteen bubbled up to the surface, leaving her livid and teeming with aggression and fury, and as she moved her head to stare wordlessly at the director in front of her, she realized that Michael was right. She did want to hit him back, and she wanted to hit him hard. The words he'd thrown in her face were something she would take, but was he out of his mind? When directors got upset, they had every right to yell, to scream, to order whatever it was they wanted from their actors. After all, they were the bosses on set, and their cast and crew, including the lead actors and actresses, were still only employees hired to bring their idea to life. But most had never risen their voices to her more than a gentle reprimand, and none had crossed the line of invading her personal space and then assaulting her. Back at fifteen she could do nothing but sulk and stalk off, but Michael Rodriguez wasn't her mother - he was a director, a professional, and he knew there was absolutely no reason to lay a finger on her in such a manner. Michael wanted to see Lily? Fine, she decided, she'd give him the crazy bitch he was looking for. With strength that belied her petite form, Katrina shoved the director away as best she could, then took a step back. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do as he had an easy advantage over her, but she was sure it was enough to make him think twice about who he was speaking with. Have you lost your goddamn mind? Or are you just a huge fucking idiot? For the first time in a long time, she sounded more like the twenty-one year old that she was rather than the quiet, demure woman that everyone expected her to be. The language she used was juvenile, but somehow the display of independence and aggression made her seem older and less like an obedient child. Or maybe you knew what you were doing but just decided that it'd be a good idea. It doesn't really matter which situation we're working with here - I mean personally I think it's that you're lacking in the intelligence department, but hey, what do I know - the point is, I don't know who the fuck you think you are to even touch me. If i wanted to, I could walk out of here right now and end your movie like that . In fact, I could end your entire career in the blink of an eye. What are you, thirty-three? How sad one failed acting career followed by a failed directing stint all while not even having reached your forties. One of the reasons I accepted this job was because everyone talks about how 'visionary' and 'fantastic' you are about bringing concepts to screen... I don't know about you, but I think it'd be pretty damn hard to be visionary when you're permanently out of a job. The fire under her had been lit, and like a match to gasoline, Michael had caused her to explode. And don't presume to throw insults at me when you have no idea what I went through to get where I am now. I know what you think, what everyone else thinks about me because of where I came from and who I came from. If you think for a second that I had everything handed to me because I'm related to Nicole Ellis, then you really are just plain stupid. Don't think, don't even pretend to think that you know me or know my acting ability. You know NOTHING. Katrina yelled the last word at the director while simultaneously lifting the hand that carried her iPhone, and she threw the device at him, missing his face by mere inches. The phone instead struck his shoulder, bouncing off with a soft 'thud' and falling to marble floor, the glass screen audibly shattering on the hard surface. The young actress went quiet for a moment as the echo of her voice and broken phone faded away, and she watched Michael's face to search it for reaction. Kat wasn't stupid or oblivious, no. In fact, she was far from it and knew of the constant assumptions people made about her upbringing into the world of fame, as well as the comparisons the entertainment industry made between mother and daughter. Nicole Ellis, the beautiful and equally talented young actress who had won international fame in her early twenties, had been loved by fans and critics alike, praised for her natural and emotive acting on screen. Then in drunken mistake with one of the foreign production executives, Nicole's fame had disappeared with the conception of Katrina. Oh, you missed it, Kat muttered sarcastically, sneering at the tall man in front of her as she walked forward. Was that enough emotion for you or did you need some more? Did you have a camera rolling, because that's all you're going to get for a while. Maybe you should slap me again. Or maybe you can hire Nicole instead of me - I hear she was pretty great at this acting thing before she got totally knocked up and became a huge bitch . But I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree because I can be a bitch too. With those words and the closing of the distance between them, Katrina stood on her tip-toes and hit Michael with the same open-handed strike he had given her. The only difference was that she dug her nails into the flesh of his cheek as she dragged her palm away, leaving four red scratches that extended from cheekbone to jawline. Huh, what do you know, she mused aloud, You were right. It is satisfying to hear that palm-to-cheek contact. I mean, damn, that was solid. I would say sorry, but I actually really couldn't care. The girl shrugged her shoulders and then stooped low to pick up her broken phone, waving it around. Try not to call tomorrow while I get this fixed, or you know, try not to call me... ever. It was great working with you, it really was, but you'll just have to excuse me when I say that I'm not interested in working with shitty directors. With that, Katrina turned on her heel, grabbed her bag off a nearby table, and started making her way to the exit.