After the audition, Lucas stayed at a budget-friendly motel near the Fox Searchlight headquarters. It only takes a short drive, located on Century Park East, close to Century City shopping – there, Rodeway Inn.
Lucas settled in the place for now, as he is required to audition for the role of "Aron Ralston" for a full week.
Around noon, Lucas stepped inside the Fox Searchlight headquarters, and the young, beautiful receptionist already knew Lucas but still recorded his info before letting him in.
Lucas walked, and as he approached the hall, he saw that there were already a few actors present.
Lucas sat in his seat, pretending to read the scripts. In reality, he didn't need to read them, having practiced extensively in his "Mind Workshop," even simulating the painful experience of his right arm getting stuck in a boulder.
Every three hours, Lucas entered his "Mind Workshop." Initially, he thought he'd spawn randomly, but to his surprise, his virtual body remained stuck in the narrow canyon, right arm trapped in the boulder. It seemed the workshop saved his progress, restricting him to that location.
Around morning, contemplating in his virtual realm, Lucas considered amputating his own right forearm. Equipped with tools, including a camera and a two-inch knife blade similar to the real Aron Ralston's multi-use tool, he pondered this drastic decision.
Lucas recalled his performance as Aron Ralston in his Mind Workshop, trapped in the narrow canyon:
In the role of Aron, Lucas tried to calm himself, understanding that emotions couldn't fully help his situation. However, as he gazed at his stuck right arm, a subconscious declaration slipped out, "You need to cut your arm, Aron."
Aron, realizing he spoke aloud, immediately shook his head and protested, "No! I can't! I don't want to lose my arm!" The scene portrayed Aron seemingly becoming insane, engaging in a dialogue with himself, "You have to!"
When Lucas reminisced about it, he couldn't help but smile wryly.
Noticing a figure approaching, Lucas turned his gaze toward the person with curiosity. As he identified who it was, a sense of solemnity washed over him.
It was his competitor for the role, the one who could pose an incredible challenge—James Franco, the rising star.
Noticing Lucas looking at him, James Franco nodded in greeting before taking a seat next to Lucas.
"James Franco... A rising star in Hollywood," Lucas thought, reciprocating the nod.
"Widely known for Spider-Man 3, he frequently ventures into indie films, even directing and starring in one himself," Lucas pondered as he discreetly observed James Franco before focusing on his own thoughts.
James Franco sensed the occasional gazes from fellow actors in the hall, but he was accustomed to it and didn't mind. After all, being a star, he was used to the attention.
Quietly reading the script in his hand, James Franco appeared casual, yet he felt confusion seeing a blonde young man also auditioning for the role.
The project sheet specified an age range of 25-35, requiring hair and eyes matching Aron Ralston's character. The young man nearby had blonde hair, blue eyes, and appeared younger, though tall for his age.
After discreetly scrutinizing him, James Franco returned to reading the script in silence.
Unaware that James Franco was also observing him, Lucas continued reading. As time passed, it was finally Lucas's turn to audition, and he stepped inside the audition room.
Lucas spotted director Danny Boyle and Donna, who was scribbling in her notepad. Another man was engrossed in conversation with director Danny.
Danny turned to Lucas, saying, "Oh, Mr. Lucas. You came back."
Lucas nodded, stating, "I'll not waste the opportunity that the respectable directors have provided me."
Danny and Donna chuckled, shaking their heads. Danny remarked, "You're getting ahead of yourself, young man. You act as if we've already picked you."
Lucas just smiled.
Danny continued, "You better perform well, Mr. Lucas. This guy next to me is the one you need to imitate, Mr. Aron Ralston," introducing the man with the short, scruffy beard.
Lucas took a closer look and only then realized it was the man who survived entrapment by amputating his arm.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Ralston," Lucas greeted respectfully.
Aron nodded and said, "I heard that your performance somehow impressed the gentleman and the lady here. I hope I can see the performance myself to see if you can really embody my character."
Danny nodded and added, "The scene you're about to act is difficult, Mr. Lucas. It's the moment when Mr. Aron descends the canyon and then has his right arm stuck by the rock."
Lucas nodded, and Danny pointed at the setup mimicking the narrow canyon built with weathered plywood.
Approaching the narrow canyon setup, Lucas observed the props, with a rock strategically placed between the narrow canyon.
Then, Lucas reminisced about the time he descended the realistic narrow canyon in his Mind Workshop.
Lucas prepared himself as the directors and Aron observed him through the monitor since Lucas was currently being recorded by the studio's camera.
They watched as Lucas stood at the precipice of the mimicked narrow canyon. Beneath it lay safety crash bags and airbags in case the actors accidentally fell.
Lucas observed the studio lights casting harsh angles on the plywood sculpted to mimic sandstone, yet to him, it was Moab, a sun-baked gateway to adventure.
The descent began. Lucas's movements were precise and practiced. His feet found purchase on predetermined footholds, hands skimming the roughened rock face. The canyon walls pressed close, a comforting hug of solitude.
Danny, Donna, and Aron observed Lucas's performance in the role of Aron Ralston. They could discern from his movements alone that Lucas had some experience exploring canyons, which impressed them slightly.
While descending, they truly felt that Lucas embodied the character of Aron, evident in his expression that conveyed an apparent enjoyment of the descent.
Indeed, as Lucas, in the role of Aron, delved deeper, a sense of exhilaration washed over him. He became Aron, the explorer, pushing boundaries and testing limits.
The echo of his own voice, bouncing off the canyon walls, resembled a triumphant chant. He felt alive, present, with every muscle humming with the thrill of discovery.
Observing Lucas's performance, the real Aron exchanged glances with Danny and remarked, "I don't know why, but I can see myself in the young man."
"Haha, I can see that. He does look pretty handsome, after all," Danny chuckled, and Aron laughed softly.
Then, on the monitor, they witnessed the scene take a different turn.
As Lucas, or Aron, was savoring the descent into the narrow canyon, a shift occurred. A tremor, subtle at first, like the earth taking a breath. The seemingly immovable rock beside his hand groaned. Ignoring it, he continued descending until he heard the rock falling. When he raised his head, he saw the rock about to collide with him.
Danny and the others saw the rock or props about to hit Lucas's head. They thought they'd need to repeat the audition and offer suggestions, but it turned out unnecessary.
In the role of Aron, Lucas raised his hands to shield his head from the "rock," yet it smashed into his left hand. His eyes glinted, recreating a moment he had experienced in the Mind Workshop. Although not as real as his Mind Workshop, Lucas effectively portrayed the role.
As the rock appeared to crush his left hand, Lucas registered the danger and promptly yanked his left hand back. However, as the rock ricocheted, it struck his right hand before hitting his whole right forearm.
While Danny, Donna, Aron, and a few staff watched Lucas's performance on the monitor, they couldn't help but be impressed by how convincingly he portrayed the experience of facing a heavy rock.
While the real Aron watched Lucas on the monitor, he couldn't help but recall the memory when the rock seemed to play out exactly as Lucas's performance. His heartbeat quickened momentarily, remembering such a horrible event. However, he also noticed that Lucas was able to replicate the memory, including the moment when the rock fell on his head, and attempting to block it with his hands, which seemed somewhat ridiculous.
Aron chose to set it aside as a coincidence.
Following that, they observed Lucas, with his arm pinned by the rock, displaying an expression of disbelief on his face.
It seemed like he couldn't believe what had happened; he pressed on, a knot of unease tightening in his gut.
"Fuck!" Lucas grimaced and growled while looking at his pinned right arm.
Observing Lucas's performance, Danny stroked his chin. He sensed some polishing in his acting, but overall, he felt incredibly impressed. After all, it was Lucas's first performance and hadn't been rehearsed yet. He even experienced a bit of goosebumps, feeling like he discovered a diamond in the rough that just needed polishing.
"It seems the young man has his own interpretation of the character. What do you think, Mr. Ralston?" Danny asked Aron Ralston beside him.
"I... I really like how he conveys my character in this performance," Aron Ralston said with a faint smile.
Danny and Donna nodded. Donna wasn't surprised that the real Aron was easily impressed, considering his lack of experience in the filming industry. Donna scribbled her evaluation of Lucas's performance. Similarly, like Danny, she felt that Lucas could display more than his current performance, but overall, she was impressed too.
In the dimly lit studio, the silence stretched thicker than the dust motes dancing in the warm spotlight. Lucas Knight, still buzzed from the raw intensity of his audition, watched as Danny Boyle and Donna Isaacson exchanged murmured whispers, while Aron Ralston also seemed to join the conversation.
Finally, Danny straightened, a subtle twinkle in his eye.
"Lucas," Danny said, leaning forward in his chair, "You brought fire in that performance. I can say that you really had potential in you. Your scream, lad, still echoes in my bones."
Lucas felt honored being praised, then he saw the casting director, Donna, nodding in agreement with Danny.
"But," Donna suddenly said, "there were moments, especially during the transition from exhilaration to fear, where the emotions felt... a bit pronounced. Like you were playing the notes, but not necessarily feeling the music."
Danny nodded and said, "To be honest, Lucas, you're a good actor. I feel that you really have the spirit of acting within you."
Lucas nodded. Even though he had performed his best in this audition with the Mind Workshop assisting him, he knew that he still needed guidance. While immersed in character within the Mind Workshop, he didn't fully embody the character because, in some way, there was still Lucas—an identity he couldn't temporarily set aside when performing.
Daniel Day-Lewis even spent months engrossing himself in character, and there were rumors that he was still in a certain character even after the filming ended.
Danny leaned back, tapping his chin in thought. "I advise you, young lad, your first audition actually captures what you are lacking in your second audition, and that is subtlety, Lucas," he said. "Aron didn't go from explorer to trapped man in a single leap. There's a slow, creeping dread, a realization that dawns like a cold sweat. Show us that internal struggle, the denial, the flicker of hope crushed by the weight of the rock."
Donna chimed in, her voice soft but firm. "And remember, it's not just about the physicality. Let your eyes speak, Lucas. They're windows to Aron's soul. Let the fear and defiance dance in their depths; let them reflect the stark transition from sun-drenched canyons to the suffocating darkness of his entrapment."
Lucas listened attentively and took the advice to heart. He said gratefully, "Thank you very much for the advice!"
Danny and Donna were quite pleased with Lucas's humble personality. If a young man were too prideful of their talent, they might feel a little unwilling to accept that their performance is lacking something, and it may appear that they acknowledged but were quite stubborn inside.
But they could see that Lucas was truly a young talent willing to take advice and lessons.
Aron Ralston listened as Danny, Donna, and Lucas talked. After seeing that they were only talking casually, Aron felt it was time to interject. "Lucas."
Lucas turned his head to Aron.
"I really felt that your performance is very good. I hope you will do your best to get the role," Aron smiled as he encouraged.
"Thank you," Lucas nodded in gratefulness. He knew that while Aron may appear to appreciate his performance just now, if another good actor appeared who performed better, and if Lucas couldn't counter back, he would not be able to get the role no matter how much potential he had.
After all, Lucas, or the real Aron, knew that in this world, only those willing to survive will live. Only those who do their best can win.
"Life is a competition," Lucas thought, smiling after conversing with the directors and Aron. He exited the audition room.
Lucas knew that Aron was not saying he could get the role with his approval, but what he was trying to convey was: If you want the role, then you can only do your utmost best.
After Lucas exited, he passed by James Franco, who discreetly glanced at him.
--
James Franco walked into the audition room. He didn't know why, but the young man who had just passed him attracted his attention.
He shrugged off the distracting thoughts as he entered the audition room.
James saw the directors and Aron, the person whose story the film project "127 Hours" was based on.
The directors and Aron greeted him and talked with him for a while before the audition finally began.
The audition time for James Franco was extended compared to other auditioners.
James Franco could perform several scenes in just the first audition and could rehearse more freely during the audition.
The scenes included James Franco stumbling upon two travelers, Aron riding a bike, interacting with the two women, Megan and Kristi, and finally, the scene where Aron accidentally had the boulder pinned down his right arm.
Danny, Donna, and Aron observed James Franco's performance through the monitor, but they could see that his performance was lacking compared to the performance Lucas had shown.
Meanwhile, James acted his best; his fear and anxiety could be seen through his actions.
And his attempt to push back the boulder and the struggle in his expression.
"Damn it!" James growled under his breath as he looked at his right arm pinned by the rock.
Danny and Donna exchanged glances, and from their eyes, they already knew what was on each other's minds.
And their thoughts went along the lines: After seeing Lucas's performance, James's performance seems to lack many things that Lucas has shown.
Indeed. Although Danny and Donna had advised Lucas just previously, only now, when another actor, a rising star at that, performed the same scene that Lucas had executed exceptionally well, could they see that Lucas's performance was extraordinary.
James still performed, and when the director Danny stopped his performance, he turned to Director Danny, who talked to him on how he could polish his performance.
"That still didn't do it?" James asked in a bit of surprise.
Danny, who just heard that, sensed a bit of confidence in James just from his words, even if he looked humble.
That's why Danny expressed his view on James's performance and suggested how James could improve his acting...
James took the suggestions to heart and was given time to rehearse the scene before performing it once more.
One thing that the directors, Aron, and the staff noted was that Lucas didn't even rehearse at all. It was his raw and first performance, yet it still surpassed the performance of a rising star.
Only now, with the comparison to a rising star, did they start to appreciate Lucas's previous performance more and more.
--
Meanwhile, Lucas was currently eating at a cheap restaurant in the city.
"Gordon Ramsay should definitely pay this restaurant a visit," Lucas muttered under his breath as he ate a steak that was raw.
"It was fucking raw!" Lucas didn't dare to growl this out but just imagined he shouted that out loud like Gordon Ramsay in his mind...