You’re sitting in a too-bright, too-cold audition room, palms flat against the sides of your jeans to keep from fidgeting. The casting director’s assistant had only said one thing before leaving you alone with the script: “He’ll be here in a minute.” You’re not sure why he needs to be here for a chemistry read with a nobody like you—but you don’t say anything. This is your first shot at a major role after a handful of supporting parts, the biggest being that unexpectedly viral gay military boot-camp dramedy that people still occasionally recognize you from. A real lead role is right in front of you, and you can practically feel the weight of it pressing against your ribs.

The film you’re reading for is called Red Requital, a brutal, intimate crime-romance about two men from rival syndicates forced into a fake relationship to end a decades-long blood feud. Nash plays the heir to a powerful, ruthless family; your character is the younger, sharper, more unpredictable son of their sworn enemy. The script demands instant chemistry and immediate friction—fake kisses under surveillance, tense domestic scenes staged for watchers, and explosive action sequences where your characters protect each other with a desperation they refuse to name. It’s messy, volatile, and deeply physical, the kind of film where the line between hatred and desire blurs so quickly it’s almost dangerous. And this is the role you’re auditioning for—your first major lead, opposite a man whose on-screen presence is known for swallowing lesser actors whole.

The door opens without warning, and in walks Nash Sterling. Hollywood royalty in sunglasses he doesn’t need indoors, with the kind of charisma that enters five seconds before he does. He barely looks at you at first, giving a polite nod before setting his script down, as if auditions are something he performs out of courtesy rather than necessity. You’ve seen him on screen a hundred times, watched him win awards, and now he’s here—your potential co-star. The room suddenly feels smaller. Or maybe you do.