The sound of a wooden guitar echoed intermittently. The boy holding the guitar was sometimes radiant and spirited, sometimes with eyes closed in contemplation. He would scribble on the sheet music from time to time, and when inspiration struck, even write down a few lines of lyrics.
Pattie Kingsley sat across from him, flipping through a stack of sheet music that looked more like doodles. As someone in the entertainment industry, she had some understanding of music and would occasionally hum a few bars. However, most of the compositions were disorganized and fragmented, making it hard to form a complete piece.
With a light sigh, Kingsley couldn't help but offer a few words of advice. In her view, Ryan had learned too many things and dabbled in too many areas, which wasn't necessarily beneficial. Being a jack of all trades but master of none wouldn't bode well for his future development. In this day and age, it was difficult to see the rise of another Barbara Streisand.
Ryan shook his head noncommittally, but his thoughts drifted to something else. That tyrant of a director actually sent him an audition invitation. As for the role—who else could it be but the future savior?
"Ryan, have you made up your mind?" Kingsley asked, seeing Ryan set the guitar aside.
"When are they starting production?" Ryan asked.
"If casting goes well, mid to late October," Kingsley said, seeing through some of Ryan's thoughts. "Are you… planning to accept the invitation?"
"Why not?" Ryan replied with a smile. "It's just an audition. James Cameron might not even be interested in me."
It was probably that conversation at The Sixth Sense premiere that left an impression on the future King of the World. Surprisingly, Cameron had invited him to directly participate in the second round of auditions for John Connor.
Pattie Kingsley quickly sent a reply to the Terminator 2 crew. A thin script detailing the character of John Connor was delivered to Ryan. After reading it, Ryan smiled. Although there were many differences from the film he remembered, the main storyline remained unchanged.
…
"Jim, I don't understand why you want to add that candidate to the second audition round." As the film's producer, Anne Hurd was clearly displeased with her ex-husband's decision. "Yes, Ryan Jenkins gave a stunning performance in The Sixth Sense, and I agree that no other child actor could've done better. But let's not forget his gloomy temperament. He's far from what John Connor is supposed to be!"
"Anne, you've never met Ryan, have you?" James Cameron asked. Seeing her shake her head, he wagged his finger. "I met him at The Sixth Sense premiere. The concept for the T-1000 came from him. The real Ryan is completely different from what you see on screen. He's a bright, cheerful, intelligent, and mature kid. This is just an audition, after all."
"The T-1000 came from him?" Anne Hurd conveniently ignored the rest of the conversation.
"Yes. What did he say exactly?" Cameron thought for a moment. "A shape-shifting liquid metal robot, like a Porsche. No kidding—Arnold and Mario were both there."
"Alright." Anne Hurd glanced at the time. "Let's get ready. The audition is about to start."
North Hollywood—the place Ryan had lived for nearly seven years since his rebirth. He sighed internally, adjusted the rearview mirror, and looked at his shallow brown, curtain-like bangs that covered most of his forehead. He smirked. This freshly styled look, paired with worn-out denim, made him look every bit the rebellious type.
"Ryan, you know… you look completely unfamiliar to me right now!" said Kingsley as she opened the car door for him.
Ryan shrugged. He had hired a stylist specifically for this look. Since he agreed to audition, he might as well show some professionalism.
They entered the T2 studio James Cameron had set up for Terminator 2. Led by staff, the two soon arrived outside the audition room. After randomly picking a seat, Ryan began observing the other competitors, especially trying to find the guy from his memory.
However, no matter how many times Ryan looked around, he didn't spot the familiar face. He couldn't help but wonder—had his butterfly effect already erased the kid?
Waiting was boring and tedious. After a few exchanges with Kingsley, Ryan let his mind wander.
"Ryan! You're up." At some point, his agent's voice called him back.
Ryan composed himself, adjusted his outfit, and followed the staff into the audition room. This was his first audition, so naturally, he was a bit curious.
After all, there were countless rumors about Hollywood auditions. Even though most of the shady dealings had disappeared by the '80s, some things—especially between consenting adults—were impossible to eliminate entirely.
"I'm Ryan Jenkins, born in 1980. So far, I've appeared in The Sixth Sense..."
Ryan tossed his oversized curtain bangs playfully, showing none of the gloominess from The Sixth Sense. Instead, he appeared bright, cheerful, and a little rebellious.
"He's a bit too young," Anne Hurd muttered, but she couldn't deny that the boy's appearance didn't match his age. Especially his temperament—it was worlds apart from what he portrayed in The Sixth Sense.
"Ryan, how do you see the character of John Connor?" asked James Cameron.
"Rebellious at heart but still childlike and kind." Ryan answered without hesitation.
Sure enough, several people behind the long table instinctively nodded.
"And what do you think about this movie?" Anne Hurd followed up.
"Although I've only seen part of the script, I can already sense the themes. Unlike Terminator 1, which relied purely on blood and action to attract audiences, this one clearly incorporates deeper thought. For example, 'Will humanity ultimately be destroyed by its own technology?' And if a robot develops human emotions, what would it do? The film perfectly blends science fiction with philosophical reflection..."
As the people opposite him gradually widened their eyes, Ryan continued without pause. Recalling the previous life's evaluations of Terminator 2 and integrating them with what he had read, he spoke passionately for several minutes before finally falling silent.
"Oh my God. What Ryan just said perfectly aligns with my vision," Cameron said, clenching his fist and pounding his palm.
"Ryan, are you really only ten years old?" Mario Kassar asked in astonishment.
"I don't think that's a secret."
Ryan spread his hands and looked toward James Cameron. In fact, they had communicated a few times. Before adopting the T-1000 idea, Cameron had personally called Ryan, who naturally had no objection.
After the questions, it was time for Ryan to act out a scene as John Connor on camera. For someone who had already experienced The Sixth Sense and had a deep understanding of this sci-fi epic, it wasn't too difficult. Just looking at the satisfied expressions of the evaluators after he finished his scene with a stand-in assistant, one could tell.
"Ryan, I heard you signed a contract with Touchstone Pictures. Is that true?" Anne Hurd asked seriously.
"Yes." Ryan nodded. "If all goes well, I'll be heading to Canada with the crew in a few days."
"I see." The panel looked visibly troubled.
"Actually, Director Columbus expects to wrap shooting in about a month and a half," Ryan added.
"Alright then," Anne Hurd said. "That's all for today. We'll be in touch soon."
As Ryan chatted with Kingsley about the audition while walking out, he noticed the hallway was already deserted—he was the last to audition. When they reached the T2 studio lobby, they noticed several people arguing.
"Sir, we're only late because of a family issue. Can you please give us a chance?"
"A while? You're over two hours late. The audition is over. Sorry, that's it," the staff member refused without hesitation.
"Edward, say something!"
The boy, whose hairstyle closely resembled Ryan's, pressed his lips tightly. "Forget it. Even if we got the part, what's the point? We'd still just be tools for them to fight over and make money. I don't want to stay in that house another minute. Let's go."
The boy turned and walked out without looking back. The middle-aged man—likely his agent—quickly followed.
Ryan watched everything unfold with no particular emotion. Since the day he picked up the pen, he had known that many people's fates would change because of him. One more person? It didn't matter.
"Let's go, Pattie."
The panel in the audition room hadn't left yet. After reviewing the audition tapes again, they had made up their minds.
"Jim, who do you think is suitable?" Mario Kassar asked.
"What about you?" Cameron looked at his ex-wife. "Anne, Mario, I can see from your eyes that we've all chosen the same person."
"Don't you think he's a little too young? And if Touchstone's filming schedule runs late, it might affect us!" Anne Hurd still raised some concerns despite already favoring the candidate.
"Those are minor issues we can work around, right?"
Before Ryan left Los Angeles, good news came via Kingsley. At the same time, a thick stack of scripts was delivered to him. As long as Pattie Kingsley's subsequent negotiations with Carolco Pictures went smoothly, he would be the future savior.
"Nicole, don't worry. I'm not a kid anymore. I know how to take care of myself." At the boarding gate, Ryan hugged Nicole Kidman tightly. To be honest, he didn't want to be apart from her for so long either. But it wasn't just him heading to Canada to film Home Alone—Nicole would soon be off to Seattle and New York to shoot Sleepless in Seattle.
Maybe it was fate's inertia. Even though Ryan hadn't made any suggestions about the film's director or cast, Miramax still brought in Nora Ephron to direct, with Tom Hanks as the male lead.
"Ryan, call me every day," Nicole reminded him seriously.