elf on television, I nea

y second t

idn't say any

it was jus

photographers shouting my name o

st, no

e my mother, staring at a television that occas

essed nicely fo

y I was wearing earrin

it was a sp

ion would probably s

nore

the afternoon pretending I wasn't excited, which involved checking the time ev

I know?"

tched film

this

w what makes

nd doesn't interrupt itself with a

at the cl

the time one more time, I'm going

it's somethin

ack against

hole minute, I

or the remote to

r closed

ou'll be watching your big tel

hands i

hirty, the

etermine the future of her entire career. The lead actors appeared, the story unfolded, and t

scene

ear a reception desk wi

aight

r leaned

to a question from a

ivered my

aid I should g

or a moment before I

read it before you

he camera

was

ines, and disappeared before anyone could

d at th

er look

d, "you were ve

ds her. "Did y

, Je

face. On

een it

like

ou're right. Usually, y

my eyes returne

strangely small. There had been no dramatic music announcing my arrival, no li

sn't dis

I had walked onto a professional set, listened to the director

or role, but it

as prou

a picture of the television. The image was blurry, and th

ied

rk that I looked like a witness

er exam

a photograph of yoursel

. I want evidence that I

tared

ed her. "I'll explain

a cushion

I posted the photograph

ISION APPEARAN

production company. Then I spent the next hour

n liked

iend commented,

d from secondary school ask

ed that

hree surpr

t a successful p

y post hadn't suddenly attracted thousands of followers, and

reminded myself that car

in to check whether any

ody

opened a ca

mmercial seeking young women for supporting roles. I wrote down the

t the dining table s

o work

cour

are a televis

ion for approxima

I blinked durin

her a

continued towar

of me. She simply refused to let my achiev

ame kind of place I'd visited before: crowded chairs, audition notices taped to the walls, a

ew faces from pr

me and asked whether I'd

elevision film las

d. "Really? Wha

cepti

dial

lin

's good. At least

s very committed to o

returned to stud

had been a small production, and my role was barel

ted. Even if a role didn't bring fame, it gave me something

ce carrying a leather folder. He spoke briefly wit

e settl

Are you Je

up, sur

me by my face bu

ly not b

ered surprise

ion film last week? The one

lf because I didn't q

slowly.

ber your

to look to

u d

ou were the r

whether I would spend the rest of my life

a short scene, i

e introduc

ing together a few projects, and I'm alw

me his bus

ed it ca

nk y

résumé and a recent photograph to the email addres

wil

't define an actor, but how you approach

king his wor

me standing beside the notice

ract. It wasn't

opening, and I wasn'

mediately took a photogr

nt it to

arrived se

ow go a

my head,

speeches. Mine responded to potential career bre

even argu

I prepared m

y scene. I even added merged clips of several videos I have done at home,at my cousin's,everywhere just to let

, I was still starin

estions keeps ri

back in

her Joshua would respond. I could only contro

cked

sappeared fr

llowing myself to feel proud

ptop and helped my m

eive a reply

ollowing

t my application had probably disappeared into the

one of those people who refresh

ed mine e

d day, an e

g Opportunity -

y that my cup nearly

roduction and wanted to discuss a possible supporting role with me. I was to attend the f

o guarantee

mise o

a life-changin

ork, remembered me, and deci

ce before rushing in

his

um

rom her book. "

repl

rep

ucer. He wants me to c

from me and read t

ished, she h

you h

husiastically t

tonight. Tomorro

e happy to

never you want. But y

de her, st

enormous moment: a grand entrance, a remarkable perfo

ies. A few lines in a television film. A photograph posted

ordinary had

hing was

and read the instructions

tarted p

ply a young actress tryi

tended t