Even a simple waiter role becomes an elaborate character study when Simon Williams is involved—and that’s exactly the problem.
In this self-tape scene, Simon auditions for “an Andy feature in the vein of Igby Goes Down or The Only Living Boy in New York.” The role? A waiter. Simon’s preparation? A three-generation backstory involving the Bronx, a father who dreamed of owning a restaurant, and childhood trips to the Carlyle Hotel for tea.
Method Acting vs. Reality
The comedy emerges from the gap between Simon’s artistic ambition and the actual requirements of the audition. His off-camera reader Marcy—who appears to be his agent or a casting assistant—can barely hide her skepticism when Simon explains the emotional significance of the Carlyle Hotel.
“Not sure how you’ll convey all this with ‘Would you like to charge it to your room?'” she deadpans.
Simon, undeterred, requests to see the sides (script pages) to prepare properly, only to learn that the two-person team “can handle it” and that he should have read the waiver stipulating that Marcy reads all off-camera lines.
The Spiral
What follows is a masterclass in audition anxiety. After Marcy delivers the simple line “Would you like to charge it to your room?” with increasing impatience, Simon can’t stop second-guessing his delivery.
“How is it that? Is it that? That sounds weird,” he mutters, trapped in a loop of self-doubt.
Despite Marcy’s attempts to move on (“I think we’re good. Thank you, Marcy”), Simon continues fixating: “Is it that? That—that sounds weird, right?”
The scene captures the brutal reality of the casting process, where actors pour their souls into three-word lines and walk away questioning everything. For Simon Williams, even failure is performed with commitment.
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