[Chapter 41. From Shooting Webs to Lasers.]
Last Time on Chapter 040 of [From Shadows To The Spotlight] —
Jeff frowned, glancing at his notes. "Do we want to shortlist him for any other roles? Maybe a minor supporting character?"
Alex shook his head decisively. "No. He's not the right fit for this project." He paused, his gaze meeting Jeff's. "Jeff mark him with a Level 1 debuff."
It was a code word that Alex came up with as a DnD enthusiast, and it meant that the actor would start off with a negative score instead of a neutral or positive one and needed to perform much better than his competition to be considered for the role.
Now Continuing —
Jeff asked back hesitantly, "Wait.. Level 1? Him?"
Brooke smirked slightly. "Gut feeling?"
"Yep," Alex replied to both. Years of navigating Hollywood had taught him to pay heed his instincts that he had been gifted with and slowly honed over the years.
The industry was rife with talent, but to him a person's attitude and reliability were just as crucial and sometimes even more so. And it was especially so for a project like the MCU that would take them decades to complete.
Jeff hesitated briefly, then nodded. "Got it," he said, jotting a note in the corner of his pad. "I'll let the other casting directors know."
Brooke chuckled. "Five of us, and you've already got them all speaking your language."
Alex smiled faintly, though his mind was already shifting to the next candidate. "Let's hope the next one brings their A-game. Who's up?"
Jeff checked the roster. "Tom Welling. Let's see how he does."
Alex nodded, his focus sharpening once again. The auditions weren't just about finding Peter Parker—they were about assembling a team of actors who could elevate his vision of Spider-Man.
The stakes were high, and he wouldn't settle for anything less than perfection.
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The door to the audition room opened, and Tom Welling stepped inside, carrying a blend of nervous energy and cautious confidence.
His messy hair looked unkempt in a way that seemed deliberate, as if he was trying to downplay his striking good looks.
Thick-framed glasses sat on the bridge of his nose, giving him a nerdish vibe that didn't quite align with the sharp symmetry of his facial features.
Even with the understated attempt, his natural handsomeness was hard to ignore.
Brooke Shields glanced at Alex Masters, who was seated in the center of the table to her left, he was leaning forward with his elbow on the table.
With his head resting on his palm and his finger tapping on clipboard to the rhythm of a song that she just couldn't put her finger on.
She could already tell what Alex was thinking by the slight furrow of his brow. This kid's face didn't scream "bullied high school outcast."
But Alex wasn't the type to judge an actor based on looks alone despite their conditions with casting Peter—not yet, at least.
"Alright, Tom," Alex said, his voice even, professional. "You ready?"
"Yes, sir," Tom replied, his voice steady despite the nerves flickering in his eyes.
"Take it from the top. Could you perform scene 21 for us?"
"The scene is Peter returning home after Uncle Ben's death," Alex instructed, his tone softening as he laid the weight of the moment for Tom.
"Peter's grief is fresh, but it's also restrained. You're a teenager trying to process emotions that feels too big for you. No grand gestures. Show us what's beneath the surface."
Tom nodded, a flash of determination crossing his face as he stepped into position. He stood there for a moment, gathering himself, and then… he transformed.
The room seemed to shrink around him as he embodied the scene. Tom's expression didn't crumble into overt sorrow; instead, it was his eyes that did the heavy lifting.
There was a subdued pain in them, a deep well of anguish he kept hidden, as though Peter Parker was afraid that letting it out would make it impossible to put back.
His posture drooped ever so slightly, like the weight of the world had landed squarely on his shoulders. When he spoke the lines, his voice cracked in just the right places, raw but not overdone.
Brooke clicked her tongue softly, impressed despite herself. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, watching the young man perform with a mix of skill and intuition that was rare to see in someone so fresh to the industry.
She couldn't help but smile grimly as she remembered a phrase, 'Suffering from success.'
When the scene ended, Tom's shoulders rose and fell as he exhaled, the tension of holding back emotions finally leaving him.
He looked up at Alex, his glasses catching the light, making his expression hard to read.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
Tom fidgeted slightly, his eyes darting from Alex to Brooke and then to Jeff Billon, who was seated off to the side, his usual friendly demeanor replaced by quiet observation.
Was the silence good? Bad? He couldn't tell, and the nerves that had simmered beneath the surface now threatened to boil over.
Finally, Tom cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Brooke reached over and elbowed Alex sharply in the arm.
Alex blinked, snapped out of his trance, and turned to Brooke with a look of mild annoyance. "What?" he asked, keeping his voice low.
-----
Alex at first had been ruminating about how it was so sad that Tom was too handsome for the role of Peter Parker, but then as he stared at his face and recalled his emotional performance.
He couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly Tom fit into the role of a different Marvel character that they would need in X-Men 1 that would start filming around the winters next year, it was slated to be released after Ironman 1 in Christmas slate of 1999.
And right as he started picturing Tom in costume as that character he felt someone nudge his arm.
-----
Brooke sighed and leaned closer. "The kid's about to have a meltdown. At least tell him how he did before he starts second-guessing his life choices," she whispered, her tone laced with exasperation.
Alex's lips twitched into a sheepish smile. He turned his attention back to Tom, who was now standing stiffly, clearly unsure whether to stay or run.
"Tom," Alex began, his voice carrying the warmth of a teacher offering feedback to a promising student. "Your performance was outstanding. Really. The way you conveyed Peter's grief… it felt raw and authentic. You have serious talent."
Tom's shoulders relaxed a fraction, and a tentative smile touched his lips. "Thank you, sir. That means a lot coming from you," he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Alex leaned back in his chair, his expression growing contemplative again. "But," he said, and Tom's heart sank at the word, his father had been right about the always being a 'but'.
He just hoped he didn't have sell his butt for the role, he knew that MONARCH had a squeaky clean reputation when it came to scandals. But this was Hollywood and one could never be too careful while working here.
"There's a problem. You're too handsome."
Tom blinked, caught off guard. "Too… handsome?"
Brooke stifled a laugh at Alex's blunt answer, hiding it behind her hand, while Jeff shook his head, his expression sympathetic.
"Look," Alex said, leaning forward, his tone soft but firm. "Peter Parker is a scrawny, nerdy kid who's constantly overlooked and underestimated."
"He doesn't have the kind of face or build that screams leading man."
"Whereas, on the other hand, you, Tom… you walk into a room, and people notice you. Your physique, your jawline, your eyes, even the way you carry yourself—it's all wrong for Peter."
"Now I am not saying you can't compensate for that with makeup and your acting skills, but I want it to look natural on screen."
Tom's tentative smile faltered, replaced by a look of disappointment. He nodded slowly, swallowing hard against the lump forming in his throat.
"I understand," he said quietly, his voice barely audible.
Alex watched him for a moment, noting the way Tom's shoulders sagged just slightly, the way he stood there despondently waiting to be dismissed.
But instead of telling him to leave, Alex leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest.
He had thought about telling him about his offer later on through a studio rep but he thought might as well do it and lift the kids spirit as he looked really down.
"Hang on," Alex said suddenly, his eyes narrowing as an idea began to form. He glanced back at the large, ornate treasure chest prop sitting against the back wall of the room. "Give me a second."
Tom's confusion turned to curiosity as Alex stood and walked over to the chest, opening it with a theatrical flair that was entirely unnecessary.
He rummaged through its contents, muttering under his breath, "I know it's in here somewhere…"
Finally, with a triumphant, "Ah, found it!" Alex straightened, holding up a metallic visor with a sleek, futuristic design.
It was a shiny silver-gray with a thin red line running across the front panel, flanked by a set of small buttons on the side.
Tom raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Alex grinned. "Your second chance."
Tom stared at the sleek visor in Alex's hands, his curiosity deepening with each passing moment. "A second chance?" he repeated, his tone laced with a mixture of skepticism and hope.
Alex nodded, walking towards him with purposeful strides. He held the visor out, gesturing for Tom to take it. "Put this on. Trust me."
Tom hesitated for a moment, glancing at Brooke and Jeff, who both gave him small, encouraging nods. Taking a steadying breath, he accepted the visor and carefully positioned it over his eyes.
The cold metal pressed against his temples as the sleek band secured snugly around his head.
He adjusted it slightly, feeling a strange sense of Deja vu as the red line across the front cast a faint glow against his skin.
He felt like he had seen the visor somewhere before put just couldn't put his finger on it.
Alex stepped back, his eyes scanning Tom with an intensity that made the young actor's heart race. He circled Tom slowly, as if assessing him from every possible angle.
"Stand still," Alex instructed, his voice calm but commanding.
Tom complied, his arms at his sides and his chest rising and falling steadily, though he couldn't stop himself from flexing his fingers in anticipation.
The room was silent except for the soft scuff of Alex's shoes against the floor as he completed his first circuit around Tom.
Brooke tilted her head, her sharp gaze narrowing slightly as she tried to discern what Alex was trying to observe.
Jeff, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair, a notebook balanced on his knee.
"You've got that look in your eyes, Alex," he said, his voice teasing but intrigued. "The one you get when you've figured something out."
"Hmm," Alex hummed distractedly, his focus never leaving Tom.
He circled the young actor again, slower this time, his gaze darting between Tom's broad shoulders, strong jawline, and the way the visor perfectly framed his face.
Tom, feeling increasingly self-conscious under the weight of their scrutiny, finally broke the silence. "Uh, is this some kind of costume test?" he asked, his voice tentative.
"Not exactly," Alex replied, stopping directly in front of Tom. He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression unreadable. "It's more of a… potential test."
Tom frowned slightly, unsure what Alex meant by that, but before he could ask, Alex spoke again. "What's your height?"
"Six-two and a half," Tom answered automatically.
"Perfect," Alex muttered under his breath, nodding as if confirming something. He then glanced at Tom's loose-fitting shirt. "Do me a favor and take off your shirt."
Tom blinked, caught off guard by the request. "My shirt?"
"Yes, your shirt," Alex said, his tone casual but firm. "I need to get a sense of your build. Don't worry, it's strictly professional. Brooke and Jeff are here as witnesses."
"I want to see just how much work would be needed to be done to get you camera ready for the role."
Tom hesitated for only a moment before shrugging. In the entertainment industry, modesty was a luxury few could afford, and he wasn't about to let nerves ruin his chances.
He reached for the hem of his baggy T-shirt and pulled it over his head in one swift motion, revealing a physique that was both lean and muscular.
His shoulders were broad, his chest defined, and his abdomen sculpted enough to make anyone in the room feel the need to hit the gym.
Brooke raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a small smirk. "Well, someone's been hitting the weights," she remarked playfully whilst still remain professional as she took in his physique.
Tom chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I try to stay in shape."
Alex didn't respond immediately. Instead, he resumed circling Tom, his gaze now assessing the young man's body language as much as his physicality.
He noted the way Tom stood—confident but not cocky, his posture natural rather than posed.
After completing his third lap around Tom, Alex nodded to himself as if satisfied of his assessment and calmly returned to his chair and sat down.
Once again he began to tap his fingers against the armrest in thought. The room fell silent again, the weight of Alex's contemplation pressing heavily on everyone present.
Tom, still holding the T-shirt in one hand, shifted uncomfortably. "So, uh… is this good or bad?" he asked, his voice tinged with nervous humor.
Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked up at Tom. "Tom, can you put your your shirt back on," he began, his voice steady, "I've got good news and bad news."
Tom's heart skipped a beat. "Let's hear the bad news first," he said, bracing himself.
"The bad news is that my previous assessment was correct. You are definitely not man who can play Peter Parker, or even any other character from that particular movie." Alex said bluntly, though his tone held no malice.
Tom felt the weight of those words hit him like a punch to the gut. He nodded slowly, his expression falling as he stared down at the floor. "I see," he said quietly.
"But," Alex continued, his voice gaining a note of excitement, "the good news is that you're perfect for another role."
Tom's head snapped up, as his eyes gazed back with hope. "Another role?"
Alex's lips quirked into a small smile as he gestured toward the visor still perched on Tom's face. "How do you feel about playing Cyclops?"
Tom blinked, his mind racing to process the unexpected offer. Cyclops—Yes the visor we was wearing belonged to Cyclops.
He remembered his friend telling him that he was the leader of the X-Men, a character as iconic in his own right as the he had been originally been auditioning for.
"I…" Tom began, but his words faltered.
"Think about it," Alex said, leaning back in his chair.
"You've got the look, the presence, and after what I just saw in your audition, I have no doubt you can handle the emotional depth the character requires."
"Cyclops is a leader, but he's also a man struggling with the weight of responsibility and loss. Sound familiar?"
Tom nodded slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. "Yeah," he said, a smile beginning to tug at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, it does."
"You don't have to answer at the moment if you're still unsure about it." Alex suggested kindly as he didn't want to put Tom on the spot.
— To be Continued...
{2531 words}
{TRL: And here we finally get to see the second character being almost confirmed for Alex's MCU through auditions, and it is Tom Welling being casted for the role of Cyclops/Scott Summers.
This guy is almost shoe in for the role and if he does get then he will go from being one my personal favorite portrayal of Clark Kent on TV to Scott Summers the future leader of X-Men.
And through Alex and this story I aim to show a better version of Cyclops than the one we got in the fox X-Men universe.
Also would you like to read ahead? You can do so for free up to 3 chapters ahead of the public release on my Patreon page as Free Member.
Yes, free. If you're interested you'll find the link in the Author's thoughts section or just google TheRamenLord and Patreon.
If you like my work and would like to support me then by becoming a paid member you read from 10 to 20 chapters ahead of the public release depending on tier you purchase.}