When the Camera's Aren't Rolling || Elizabeth Olsen x Child Star

Welcome to wonderland.

THURSDAY || NOVEMBER 5th || 2020

[9 months before the incident]

Greta Gerwig's POV ~

Greta had been on the edge of her seat all morning, well, more like all week, eagerly anticipating this moment. She'd spent the last year carefully curating this movie script with her husband, Noah Baumbach. Together they had poured their own hearts, minds and souls into creating a perfectly imperfect protagonist with a carefully balanced amount of depth, imagination, and sincerity.

The film centres on Chelsea Cranston, a tormented figure in her small town, known for being the sole survivor of a chilling murder-suicide that shook the community over two decades prior. Despite her attempts to bury her pain and rebuild her life, the echoes of her past haunt her every step. When a series of unfortunate events triggers a decline in her mental health, she starts experiencing vivid visions of her younger self. As these hallucinations intensify, Chelsea's grip on reality begins to slip, leaving her feeling isolated and on the brink of madness. But as she struggles to understand the source of her torment, she comes to realize that the only way to move forward is to make peace with the little girl that she once was.

This movie had been a passion project of Greta's, an idea she had sat on for a long time, waiting for the right time to bring it to life. It was a slightly darker story than some of her previous projects, but she was enthusiastic to delve into new themes she hadn't explored yet. The director couldn't help but grow deeply attached to her creations, a trait she sometimes wished she could temper, yet she had come to embrace it as a strength rather than a flaw. It allowed her to see the world in all of its many beauties and served as a muse for her creativity.

Thus, she was determined not to entrust her beloved character to just anyone. It had to be someone worthy of bringing the character to life; an actress capable of delving deep into the character's psyche and conveying the intricacies of the human experience.

Adding to the challenge, she required two actresses for the same role – one to embody the adult version of Chelsea and one to play the younger version. From the very beginning, she had the ideal pair in mind. Two actresses that were so perfect for the part that the fate of the entire project rested on their participation... Perhaps it sounded a tad melodramatic, but she genuinely couldn't envision anyone else in those roles.

Securing the actresses involvement had been nothing short of a marathon, given their high demand in the industry. Moreover, the pandemic eight months prior had brought production to a standstill, complicating matters further. While the world remained in disarray, recent months had seen a gradual return to normalcy in the entertainment industry.

In the bustling studio space, conversations buzzed among producers, casting directors, and studio executives. Renowned producer David Hayman chimed in from London via Zoom, cracking a joke about not being able to recognise everyone with their masks on. Many present, had cautioned against narrowing the audition pool, advocating for exploring alternative options instead of putting all of their eggs in one basket. But Greta had been persistent in her decision, and after months of back-and forth, she managed to find a window of opportunity in everyone's busy schedules to conduct a screen test.

And today was the day. No pressure — just the fate of the entire project hanging in the balance.

Chatter dimmed as the ringing of a phone sounded out through the room. "Hello, Ashley Marks speaking," said the head casting director. After a moment, she smiled. "Perfect, send her up."

Greta's stomach fluttered. This was it.

In a matter of minutes, the first half of her dream duo gracefully strode through the entrance, in the form of the undeniably talented Elizabeth Olsen.