Page 27 of Jason
“I always thought his look was wrong for the role, you know?Bad Intentionsis so gritty.MoreTrue DetectivethanPink Panther.Imagine if we had someone like Woody Harrelson or Russell Crowe in the role.”
Interesting she would say that.When they’d done the original casting for the show, before Mallory had come on board, he and Cass had decided that a more sophisticated actor was better for the part.Frankly, Cass had been insistent and Jason had bowed to his experience.But he saw Mallory’s point.
He flipped to the next actor.This one had a scruff of a beard and lines around his eyes.A true character actor, fully weathered.He looked to be in his fifties.“What about him?”
She was already shaking her head.“Cheekbones aren’t right.”
“Cheekbones?”
“I mean, he’s fine in real life, but for this show, we need defined cheekbones.There was this whole study done on the facial features people respond to.”She spared him a look from the corner of her eye.“Didn’t you read it?I put it on your desk.”
“No, I didn’t read it,” he said, mocking her voice.
Mallory smiled pertly.
“Come on, his cheekbones are fine,” Jason said, and resisted the urge to touch his own chin.“Makeup can build that up.”
“I qualified it.I said not in real life.”She smiled at him.“You’re taking this too personally.You have perfect cheekbones.”
He rolled his eyes.“We’re not talking about me.”
“Don’t feel bad, Jason.It’s natural to compare yourself to the actors.”
He gave her a withering look.“I don’t compare myself to the actors,” he said, trying to sound bored.
“Everyone does.”
“Next,” Jason said.He was not going to discuss how he compared himself to every actor on set.It was impossible not to.There were men in this world who were unbelievably fit and handsome.It was astounding, really.He realized Mallory wasn’t moving and glanced at her.
Her eyes were sparkling with delight.She was loving this.And when she looked at him like that, he loved it, too.More than he should.
“Here’s one,” Jason said, forcing his attention back to the screen.The man had curly hair, crinkles around the eyes, and a wry smile.
“Now there is a man with sex appeal.”Mallory jotted down his name, then took another sip of her drink.“Heoozessex appeal.”
Jason looked at the picture again and shook his head.He wasn’t getting it.“What is sex appeal, anyway?”
“You know.”
“Not really.Explain it to me.”
Mallory took another sip of her drink.“Sex appeal is…” She took another sip, then twisted around in her seat.“It’s attitude.Confidence.And it’s the way he looks at you, you know?Like he could have you if he wanted, and you know that he could.”
Jason looked at the actor’s headshot.That guy could have them if he wanted?
“It’s also a deep voice and a masculine frame.”She wasn’t looking at Jason or the headshot.She was looking at the window.“It’s all of those things.Sex appeal, to me, is a man who has power and desire…but wrapped into a package that makes you feel safe.”She looked at Jason again.“Like Russell Crowe.”
“Russell Croweis the standard of sex appeal now?”
“He’s an example.”Mallory leaned forward and looked at the man on the screen.“Yep.This guy has it.We should bring him in.”
“So where were you when we did the original casting?”Jason asked as they began to scroll in search of a second candidate.
“I was about to take a job as a clerk in a tax office.”She smiled at him from the corner of her eye.“But if I’d been working for you, I’m sure I would have been manning the phones.”
Jason smiled.“Probably so.I’m sure I wouldn’t have believed you knew anything, much less the mysteries of sex appeal.”
“Even after my interview?”Mallory laughed.“I was pretty proud of myself that day.I got my act together in a couple of hours and nailed it.”She gave a little fist pump.
