I have been trying so hard to break into the film industry that my husband thinks I'm willing to sell my soul. Mark says that I'll end up having to sign mysterious contracts in blood.
Where does he get this stuff, you know?
I've done everything I'm supposed to. I landed an agent - that was hard! I had my composite and my resume of acting classes and plays from high school and college. I went on a few interviews for parts, but only a few. It was hard enough to get an agent to take me on, but only four interviews in eighteen months?
I was angry, you know?
I got to the point where I needed work. Mark was supporting us on his income from the low-level clerk work he did. His job had a lot of room to advance, and it looked good for him. He supported me emotionally in my acting pursuit, but I could tell he was as anxious as I was for me to get some kind of break.
I tried the accepted route, but was getting nowhere. I started looking through the newspaper for a part time job. What I found there was exciting! I remember running to Mark and jumping around as I showed him. There were dozens of ads for auditions in the classifieds. All I got from him was an eyebrow.
"You know what those are?" He was shaking his head.
"Huh?" How could he know anything about them?
"Read the print there, Penny," he pointed. "See that one? 'Models. Nudity.'"
"Oh come on," I pouted. "They're not all like that!"
He just looked at me with one of those know-it-all male looks. What a shit. Why did he think he knew everything? "This one doesn't say anything about models."
"Uh huh, and what does partial-nudity mean?" He cocked his head at me to make me feel stupid.
"Why are you being like this? You know how much I want to break into the business. Partial means partial, what else?" I knew he was anxious, but what had caused him to suddenly decide not to support me?
"I want you to act, but those kind of auditions are for sex flicks," he said with a slow manner.
He was talking to me like I was a little child. I hated when he did that. Just because he was a man, he thought he knew everything. "You don't know those are all sex flicks. Besides, they can't advertise in the public paper."
"What?" He laughed. "Where do you think they advertise?"
His manner had passed from slightly annoying to really aggravating. His tone said that I was being stupid and it made me even madder.
"It would be indecent. You can't advertise that stuff in the paper." I had to be right. You couldn't advertise for sex in the newspaper, could you? They had special sex papers for that.
"Well, what do you think it means by nudity, then?"
"Obviously for the movies that have some tit, so what? Almost every actress has done a movie and shows some tit. They practically show it on prime time now." Was he that dense?
"And you think I'm going to be all for you going to an audition where they have you get partially naked?"
Was he being deliberately dense? "What do you think would happen if I got a role opposite some big name male star that called for a kissing scene in a bedroom? With some nudity involved?"
"Well, that's different..." He didn't finish.
"How?" I had him. He could see his point was wrong. "If Mel, or Brad, or Leonardo had a bedroom scene with me, kissing, where he was supposed to be touching me, how do you think it gets accomplished without some nudity?"
I could see him thinking, and he looked bothered. Well, he had to expect if I landed a big role that something like that could happen. Didn't he?
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"Haven't you thought that I might be called to do something like that? Would you be able to handle me in a sex scene on film?"
"I guess," he allowed. "It's all faked, anyway."
"Right, so where's the problem?" I could see the total confusion on his face.
"But these," he pointed at the paper, "are sex films."
"Are not. Partial nudity is all over the movies."
"Okay, okay," he held up a hand. "I don't want to argue about it."
"Fine, I'm going to call about these partial nudity ones."
"Wait a minute, Penny..." He looked like he was going to start again.
"Look, are you supporting me in my career, or not? You know how much I want to act!"
He was silent for a moment. "Sure, but make me a promise?"
"What?"
"Promise me you'll walk out if the audition turns into a sex audition."
I laughed. "Why, of course, silly."
I had an appointment for an audition! I mean, the very first one I called. I was asked if I had a problem with modeling in partial nudity or working with others for the audition. So, they were up front on the phone and the man sounded really nice.
I was so happy and Mark seemed happy, too, but he reminded me of my promise. He wanted to make love the night before, but I told him that it could effect the audition if I was sore, or acted different.
The audition hall was a studio lot in a warehouse district. Lots of nice looking cars were parked around and the reception room inside was comfortable. I was handed some standard forms to fill out about my personal info and age. I had done these before on the few interviews I had been on.
I had made sure I came looking my best. I had my chestnut hair lightly curled with minimal make-up, in case they wanted to apply some. I was wearing my khaki shorts and white loose blouse. I hadn't wore a bra, because I expected to have to take my blouse off anyway.
Bruce, the producer, came into the reception room and shook my hand. His hand was firm, but very soft. He made me feel right at home. He led me back into the audition studio and showed me the set. There was an overstuffed chair and a small bed with only a bright white mattress sheet.
He told me what I would be doing for the audition. I was to sit in the chair and answer some personal questions for the camera, and then do some modeling. Afterwards, he would have me do some partial nudity footage with another actor or two, depending on how good I performed. And that was it.
I was anxious to get started and nervous. I was finally getting some interviews. I wondered if I could fit in more. I'd have to call all the other places when I got back to the apartment. I could load up and just blaze through them until I got a part. I'd even do the nude modeling, if it got me a part.
I answered several typical questions. "Penny, thirty-three, married, no kids."
"No kids, but married? How come?" Bruce asked with genuine interest.
Most people didn't care to ask why. Not even my agent had asked. I immediately liked Bruce. "Well, I can't have any. Spent a lot of money trying."
"You're infertile? Or your husband?" His voice was all sympathy.
"Me," I shrugged. "Just something I have to deal with, I suppose."
Bruce had me get up and do some modeling poses with the camera running. He would call out what he wanted me to do and seemed pleased that I was able to react to his instructions without hesitation.
"Beautiful legs, Penny," Bruce murmured. "Very nice."
I felt myself blush. What a nice compliment.
I went through many different poses, many suggestive. It was all part of the biz, you know? He had me finally remove my top. I had wondered when that was coming, and I had prepared myself. I tried to remove it as smoothly as possible with no hesitation.
"Wonderful!" Bruce smiled. "You're all natural."
Why did he have to bring that up? I knew I wasn't sporting the kind of tits men wanted to see. He must have seen the look on my face.
"No, don't take that wrong. I love your boobs. Natural ones are so much better than fake ones, in my opinion." He smiled. "I hope that doesn't embarrass you."
With relief, I sighed. "No, and thank you."
Bruce called back over his shoulder to some of the crew behind him. "Johnny, come give us a hand here."
I was directed to go through some poses with Johnny, a tall bodybuilder with a sculpted figure. I almost felt like a lump next to him.