A couple of weeks ago --maybe three -- I received an email from my agent. This new feature film casting agency asked for a taped audition of me. I had a few days to get it done. Script was attached.
Lo and behold, it's not just an other feature film, but rather a Lionsgate movie, directed by Marc Forster who directed Quantum of Solace, the last James Bond film.
And who is the only other person to date who had been cast -- Gerard Butler. Since then Michelle Monaghan has been cast.
The title of the film -- Machine Gun Preacher. Anyone who wants to know more about the movie can research it on the internet. Let me say, it's expected to be pretty big.
And the role they asked me to audition for is a contractor who has two scenes and dialog with Butler (Sam Childers) himself. 
I take this very seriously. The script for my role has about 10-12 lines. I immediately called my acting coach, Matt Miller in Chicago. Of course he's in New York.
"Matt, I have this opportunity...." blah, blah. I told him the tape has to arrive by Thursday, and it's already Monday...only three days from now.
Matt tells me he'll be back Thursday night. I call my agent and tell her the deal. She says, "wait for Matt, do the tape and I'll get it there on Friday...it'll be fine."
Whew!.
I meet Matt Friday at TP&R Casting in Chicago, one of the premier casting agencies in the Midwest. He's busy doing auditions for a national NFL commercial for Direct TV.
The commercial calls for a Catholic priest and the waiting room is filled with aging men dressed in dark suits, some with collars and hats (I forget what they are actually called).
Here I am in jeans and a powder blue sweater. Having studied my lines over the last three days my mind continues to go over, and over, and over them. I don't want to screw this up.
Matt takes a break from the audition and we go into a separate room filled with cameras and a computer. Matt is great. He's one of those people who can put you at ease effortlessly.
We start the audition, take after take. One scene at a time. "Do this, do that, move this way....." Finally Matt said "we got it. It's great." I was unbelievably relieved.
Matt says "Hey, while you're here, do you want to read for this commercial I'm doing?" I said "I thought you had to be 70 and have white hair. Plus, I hardly look like a priest in this outfit."
"No worries, they can color you hair. Come on let's do it," Matt says.
Sure. Why not. So while I'm there I do the audition for Direct TV. It was only one line of dialog, and very easy. But really, I would be stunned to get that role after seeing all the other guys who looked like the "real deal." But, it was good experience and for that I thank Matt.
Matt tells me he'll finish editing the film audition and get it to my my agent within a couple of hours. He seemed confident. "I think you have a shot; you have the look and everything."
But in this business the competition is extremely stiff, and I'm still a no name, rookie (as Matt politely reminds me).
So now it is past the original call-back date, but I still have hope. You never know. Things get delayed. There've only been a handful cast so far. My big concern is the movie starts shooting in mid-July in Michigan. The other location is South Africa, but my role will be here.
In any case, it was my first big film opportunity since I did Public Enemies. Because the scenes and lines are with Butler himself, I wondered if it was because I had lines with Johnny Depp that I even got called.
On a final note, the week before getting the email from my agent I noted my popularity on IMDb.com -- the internet movie database -- had skyrocketed from 160,000+ to 91,000. That doesn't happen. Remember, there are 2 or 3 million members on IMDb. I suspect they were checking me out.
Not to worry, I'm back down to my normal popularity -- about 170,000.
So if anyone from Machine Gun Preacher is listening (or reading this) I'd really like the role!