The last auditioning actor stood before him, Heath Ledger, the one who couldn't live without being a madman.
His Joker role made him a god, with a captivating and unsettling performance that even Christian Bale found suffocating.
He perfectly portrayed a Joker who was a psychopath, a criminal, a child, an artist, and a philosopher, grotesque yet chilling, and with a transcendent quality within the horror.
He ultimately became the ultimate freak nurtured by Gotham, and ascended to the highest peak of the villains' pantheon.
In Nolan's batman trilogy, batman could defeat Ra's al Ghul and Bane, but he could never defeat the Joker.
Eric never hid his admiration for certain actors, and Heath Ledger was undoubtedly one of them.
However, his demeanor was truly ill-suited for transformers. When Eric first received Heath Ledger's resume, he pondered where to place him, but after much thought, he couldn't find a suitable role. A cameo would be an insult, so he reluctantly had to give up.
On set, after Heath Ledger introduced himself, Eric didn't follow the audition process. Instead, he asked, "Heath, have you finished filming The Kelly Gang?"
This movie hadn't been released yet, and Heath Ledger played the male lead, a heroic outlaw who, under social oppression, went from enduring to exploding, and ultimately died.
Thinking Eric was worried about scheduling conflicts, Heath Ledger quickly replied, "It's already finished. I have plenty of time."
"Was the process smooth? I saw the trailer; your scenes are very complex. How do you usually get into character?"
Feeling a bit strange, Heath Ledger still replied, "The dramatic conflicts in The Kelly Gang are indeed quite complex, and the emotional range of the character is very wide, but my acting was recognized by the director."
"As for my method of getting into character, besides studying the script and discussing it, I like to lock myself in the room. The quiet environment allows me to think more and get into character faster."
Eric nodded, "Heath, I'm not worried about your acting. You've already proven yourself in Monster's Ball."
Heath Ledger was a bit surprised, "You've actually seen Monster's Ball? That's a very niche movie, and I only played a small role."
"No matter the size, roles are all important, but I'm a bit worried about your method of getting into character. A confined environment, while it can help you get into character, also makes it easier for one to go mad."
At this point, Heath Ledger couldn't understand what Eric meant. Wasn't this an audition? How did it turn into a chat? Everyone else also looked at Eric curiously.
After chatting for a few more minutes, advising him to get more sunlight and not overthink things, Eric finally revealed the result: "Heath, there's no need for an audition. You're not suitable for Sam."
Heath Ledger was stunned on the spot. Weren't they just having a good chat?
First, he asked about his schedule, then praised his acting. He was happy, and then in a blink of an eye, he was given a big slap. It was messing with his mind!
He quickly pleaded, "Wait, sir, at least let me finish the audition before drawing a conclusion, okay?"
"No need. I've seen your movies: Two Hands, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, A Knight's Tale, The Four Feathers, The Order. I've seen them all. I understand your acting range, perhaps even better than you do."
Looking at Eric, who recited his works as if they were precious heirlooms, Heath Ledger felt both proud and frustrated, unable to speak for a moment.
Just as he was about to leave, Eric said, "Heath, Sam really isn't suitable for you, but if you're willing, I'd like to cooperate with you, though the timing will be later."
At this moment, Heath Ledger felt his mind was a bit jumbled, and he asked, "What timing?"
"It's not set yet. It could be the second half of next year, or the first half of the year after next."
"That's fine, I have no problem with that, but I need to see the script first."
"No problem."
Since he couldn't get Sam, getting another role was also good. Actors are afraid of not having choices.
He finished the audition in a daze, got a role in a daze, and then walked to the MGM Building in a daze.
It was only then that Heath Ledger realized something was wrong. He hadn't even asked about the movie genre or what kind of role it was.
Moreover, making a movie is the director's job. Even if you, a producer, are very capable, you can't replace the director. Can your words be trusted?
He suddenly realized that this might be a trap, but given his personality, going back on his word right after agreeing to something was something he really couldn't do.
What's more, although the person opposite him was about the same age, he actually held great power at MGM. He was a little intimidated.
Forget it, he'd deal with it when the time came.
The audition finally ended, and everyone stretched together.
After a short break, they began discussing the choice for the male lead. In fact, after filtering, only two people remained to compete: Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling.
And in Eric's mind, there was an even more suitable candidate: Andrew Garfield.
But when he looked at the resumes at the time, he couldn't find Garfield, and he thought that the people below him had no vision and screened him out.
After asking, he confirmed that Garfield was not there, and he didn't know if this kid had entered the entertainment industry yet, so he could only give up.
After some discussion, it was still decided to eliminate Ryan Gosling, the reason being that his face was too long, and he didn't quite match Gal Gadot when standing together; there was no CP feeling.
Ultimately, this audition successfully secured a male lead, a computer expert, and several American soldiers.
Imagine, a transformers movie bringing together Captain America, wonder woman, Professor X, Magneto, and Bane. He felt quite excited.
When they become famous in the future, and fans look back through history, they will surely scream with excitement.
Three days later, the results of the open audition were announced, and at the same time, Gal Gadot's identity was also revealed, immediately causing another wave of public opinion.
"Why didn't they choose James Franco? He's the most suitable."
"Bullshit, James Franco's acting is so bad, he can't even compare to Joseph. Joseph could run circles around him. Is the director blind? Why didn't they choose Joseph?"
"I like Jake Gyllenhaal. His deep eyes are so wonderful. He is the most suitable candidate."
"Are you crazy? Jake Gyllenhaal is too ugly. He doesn't deserve transformers, let alone the Autobots. He doesn't even deserve that Gal Gadot!"
"Does no one like Chris Evans? He's so handsome. The director really has good taste."
"Which eye did you use to see Chris Evans as handsome? He's just a big guy, only capable of playing those stupid idiots. His movies have already proven this point."
"The choice for the male lead is really bad, but the female lead is good. This newcomer looks very hot!"
"Agreed, this is the only correct choice the director made. I like her nose, it's truly charming!"