TW: coercion, gaslighting, body shaming, electricity, abuse of power, impact play
I sat in the waiting room for three hours while every other girl (who all looked just like me) strutted into the audition room. Even though I arrived early, I was the last to be called. When the final other girl exited, looking pleased with her chances, I checked my makeup in my phone. I smoothed out some creases with powder and reapplied my lipstick.
Was I as pretty as other girls? I didn't think so. They were all gorgeous and stick thin. My tits are huge, which makes my whole body look bigger unless I wear a tight, form fitting top. Which I did, of course. But I still wasn't model thin by any standards. In the real world I might be an 8 or even 9, but in Hollywood that made me a 5.
The assistant called my name.
I fluffed my hair and adjusted my clothes. Sporty look. They wanted althleasure. I wore my baby blue yoga pants and matching sports bra, with a cropped windbreaker overtop to be professional. I didn't want to show too much skin, but I needed the tight material to hug my hips to show off my waist so I didn't look like one big fat lump.
Four men sat in the audition room. A camera sat on a tripod between two of them and another was positioned a bit to the side to get another angle.
"Hi, nice to meet you. Very excited to read for you," I smiled. I needed to seem bubbly and energetic, the kind of sporty girl that's in comercials.
"Sure," one man said.
I could tell that the young guy- in his twenties, handsome but plain- was the assistant. One of the others had to be the casting director. And the other two were execs or maybe even the comercial's director.
"Sit," the same man said. He was the casting director, then. He was probably fifty, dark hair peppered with grey. But he had Hollywood teeth just like all of them.
The two execs were less easy on the eyes. One was beer-bellied and pale. The other was bald. Both were at least as old as my dad.
I sat in the chair in the middle of the room. The camera blinked, recording me.
"Slate," the casting director said.
"Hi, my name is Maddie. I'm 5'9" and 140lbs. I'm based in Los Angeles."
"140? You look heavier than that."
My stomach sank.
"Oh," I said, "Well, I haven't um, checked in a week or so."
"This is a fitness commercial. Did you not think it would matter?"
"No, that's not it- I'm sorry, you're right, I should have double checked this morning."
"Do you know how many girls lie about their weight?" the fat exec said, "You can't trust actresses. You're all so vain."
"Um-"
"Good thing we've been checking every girl's weight."
The assistant motioned to a scale that I hadn't seen on the floor.
"Get on," he said.
Seriously? My heartrate raced. But I'd been exercising. I was 140lbs, right?
I walked to the scale.
"Wait-" the assistant said. "Your shoes will make you seem heavier. Take them off and anything out of your pockets."
"Oh. Thank you," I said, glad he was looking out for me.
I slipped off my shoes and dumped my phone and keys into them.
"Those are pretty feet," the casting director said.
"Um, thank you." Would he call me in for feet modeling jobs? I heard those pay well.
I stepped on the scale. The numbers flickered and my anxiety raced.
152lbs.
No way. There was no way. I'd gained 10lbs in a week?? How hadn't I noticed? I'd been eating well and exercising and chugging bottles of water.
"Typical," the fat exec said.
"Well," casting director said, "You can see why that starts you out on a bad foot, right?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. Honest mistake. I didn't realize. I can reslate."
"Its not just that you lied. It's that you can't see how fat you are. Plus your face? It's honestly baffling that you thought you could come in here and have a chance."
I felt my eyes water.
"But-" the bald exec said, "We did hear from your agent that you're talented at taking direction."
I jumped on the opportunity to make up for my mistake. "Yes! I've been taking classes all the time. I can take direction well."
"We'll be the judges of that."
"You're not getting this job. But maybe if we see that you're a good actress, we'll call you in again. So let's do some scenes."
"Of course! Okay!"
"What we really want to see is if you can convince us. If you can act so well that we believe that you like getting abused."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Well, if you can't act well enough to make us believe you like being treated like trash and a pain slut, then you're clearly not even talented enough for porn, let alone tv."
"I guess that makes sense," I said.
"Have you ever watched violent porn where the girl pretends she enjoys it?"
How did they want me to answer? What was the professional thing to say??
"Um, no."
"Do you think the girls in most porn enjoy it?"
"I don't know."
"C'mon. Think hard, little girl. The porn where whores are fucked up the ass and bashed into walls."
"I dont think so?"
"But they act like they like it, don't they?"
"Yeah."
"So if you can't do that, you're a worse actress than pornstars."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Good. Now we're on the same page. So we're gonna hurt you. And we're gonna humiliate you. And you're gonna act your tight little ass off to make us believe you like it."
I swallowed. "Okay."
Of course this would happen. I was learning the truth of Hollywood the hard way.
"Take off the frumpy jacket. Spread your legs. Hands behind your back."
I did. With my jackets off, my tits in my sports bra were on display. I stood with my legs wide and hands at the small of my back.