typeface
large
in
Small
Turn off the lights
Previous bookshelf directory Bookmark Next

Chapter 10 Stepping on other peoples toes

"Why did you CAA put Demi Moore in A-list stars? Is she very popular now?" Ronald asked Niceta on the phone.

For female stars to rise to the top, they must rely on the power of their roles in blockbuster movies. When audiences remember a star, they actually remember their glamorous roles in movies.

After all, Michelle Pfeiffer has become a sexy cat due to her stunning performance in "Scarface", and Kelly McGillis has become the national imagination of high school students as a female teacher because of "Top Gun". Demi Moore has

What masterpiece? Her boyfriends?

"Hey, hey, you have to ask yourself, Ronald. It was you who put her on this list that only looks at popularity and appeal." Niceta laughed endlessly on the phone.

"Me? I'm not...her boyfriend."

"It's about the Coca-Cola commercial you shot for her. After it was broadcast on the TV station, her action stunts caused a sensation. Many teenagers specially recorded her commercial clips and then played them repeatedly at parties.

Besides, you photographed her so beautifully, with such sexy sensibility, and her eyes are like a beauty that is radiating towards you even through the TV. She is exactly the type that high school boys like most, she looks like a beauty who has just graduated from college.

, can arouse the desire to conquer in those boys with overflowing hormones. Besides, her previous roles in the movies "St. Elmo's Fire" and "Last Night" are very consistent..."

"This..." Ronald scratched his head. He didn't expect that the commercial he shot unintentionally would make Demi Moore's popularity rise so quickly. No wonder she was eager to find a way to get through with him and star in a movie that would have a box office.

"Die Hard" has great potential.

No matter what kind of star they are, their image is established by a movie that everyone knows. Demi still lacks a movie that allows audiences across the country to know who she is.

"And now Demi and TV star Bruce Willis often show off their affection in front of the media. Her public relations manager is very good. As long as there is a picture of Willis in the Los Angeles newspapers, they will hit on her..."

"It's true..." Ronald was very clear about Demi Moore's ambitions. This method of falling in love with a popular star was also her old trick. If many actresses want to take shortcuts, finding a male star to fall in love with is a good idea.

good idea.

Of course, on the other hand, there are also many situations like Cher's little boyfriend.

"What do you think? Is it a good idea to use Demi Moore to play Tess?" Niceta asked Ronald. Unlike his boss Michael Ovitz, Niceta prefers not to interfere in the selection of his directors.

The director decides. Although this will reduce short-term profits, in the long run it will help maintain cooperation with the director.

"I think she is a suitable candidate and can be invited to audition. However, it is not the time to think about this yet. I first need to finalize the director contract with Goldberg. I don't want to receive a lot of calls from people asking for auditions right now.

.Besides, Mike Nichols has not officially quit yet, and I don’t want people to misunderstand.”

"Okay, let's make some preparations now. I'll go find out the schedules of the stars you want to work with. That way you'll have an idea."

"Then let's talk one by one." Ronald began to discuss with Niceta on the phone which star might play the role in "Working Girl".



"Hmm...you really want to choose female stars to play the roles, and then let less famous male actors match them? Why?"

After more than an hour of discussion, Niceta suddenly discovered that Ronald's tendency was clearly to want female stars to take on the role.

"This is a very different movie. The perspective revolves around the heroine. It is similar to Dirty Dancing and Moonlight. I just think so from the convenience of casting and narrative."

"Really? Hahaha... Let's do this first. I'll go to the office to sort out the audition photos of your favorite stars, and then communicate with Mr. Goldberg first. When you come back from New York, I'll go to Fox with you to finalize it.

contract."

Niceta heard that Ronald didn't mean what he said. In fact, Ronald didn't say anything, but in his heart he and Mike Nichols were probably on the same page.

Except for those big commercial productions that require big-name male stars to participate, neither Ronald nor Nichols wanted to have a star who could not completely obey the director's instructions.

Male stars in Hollywood are about ten times more influential and able to drive box office than female stars, just like their salaries. Naturally, the number of times they lose their tempers and make their own decisions on the set is about the same as that of female stars.

About ten times that of a star.

If a big production wants to be successful at the box office, it can only have one or two stars in the lead role, plus an ordinary cast. Otherwise, the two tigers will always have conflicts on the crew and hinder the performance.

Instead of finding a big-name male star to play Jack Traynor, it would be better to use two female stars to play Tess and Catherine.

This is also the reason why Ronald is reluctant to follow the dream casting choice and let Harrison Ford be the male star.



"Ring ring ring ring..."

After a while, Ronald's phone rang rapidly.

"I'm Ronald." Ronald put down the pencil for revising the script and picked up the microphone.

"Ronald, did you leak the secret? Why did all the agents call me when I got back to the office and ask me if you were going to direct that 'Working Girl'? The agents of all the female stars in Hollywood were there

Call me and Paula.”

Niceta's urgent voice was on the phone, and the news that Ronald was going to direct the film seemed to have been revealed through some channel.

"What? Leaking secrets? I'm very cautious and haven't told anyone. I also told you to keep it a secret, do you remember?" Ronald frowned. He has always been careful not to step on other people's toes with this kind of thing.

On the head.

Mike Nichols is using the excuse that he has other personal matters to bargain with Goldberg. If the news of Ronald taking over now gets out, although it is not theoretically a grab, the director is in a very small circle.

, it is very inappropriate to start posting news about auditions before I have officially signed a contract.

"Someone among us has leaked the secret. I will check carefully. You should also check with those people. You told those people that you intend to direct 'Working Girl'." Niceta hung up the phone in a hurry and went to deal with the matter.

It's not very serious, but if there is a traitor in the communication channel between him and Ronald, this will be a very serious problem.

Ronald put down the phone and began to think about who he had told the news to. Apart from his two agents and screenwriter Kevin Wade, he only had two close female friends.

Kevin Wade is an industry insider and knows the rules, so it is unlikely that he will leak anything here.

Diane knew that she had a script, but she didn’t know the details, and the possibility was not very high. But her agent was Paula, could it be that she was Niceta’s wife for profit...

Only Helen...she has completely read the script of "Working Girl"...However, she is a very simple-minded person. But people with simple minds are often easily taken advantage of...

Ronald felt a little uncomfortable thinking about it and felt a little suffocated in his chest. He knew in his heart that no matter who leaked the news, he didn't want to get into it. Who doesn't have a little bit of ambition of his own?

And leaking the information so easily is not conducive to getting this role. Ronald is a person who is soft on the outside but strong on the inside. If he doesn't cooperate, no one can force him to submit by leaking information.

It may not be very difficult to find out. I have the trump card of private detective Frank McPike, a former elite in law enforcement who is very efficient in handling this kind of matter.

However, these people who may leak the secret are all people close to him. No matter who they are, if he knows who did it, he may have a grudge in the future.

A little distraught, Ronald put on his coat and left the apartment, intending to go for a walk.

"Mr. Li, where are you going?" The elevator attendant is a Puerto Rican, and Ronald usually tips very generously. Therefore, he is very attentive to Ronald's service and tries his best to do his best.

"Where to go?" Ronald was stunned for a moment. He had nowhere to go. Usually, you can discuss things with your agent about the entertainment industry. For business and important social matters, you can ask Douglas Jr., but this kind of thing involves your private life.

For a while, I couldn't find anyone to talk to.

"If you want to use a car, I can help you call the limousine driver in our building, and he can take you anywhere in New York and New Jersey. Our tenants have discounts, and other tenants use them quite a lot."

"Oh." Ronald himself usually had Little Bud driving the car and didn't use the building's services much. This time he took leave before the premiere to visit relatives in Staten Island.

"Call me a car. I'm going to Staten Island."

"Staten Island, then I'll find a smaller car. The ferry has car size restrictions, sir."



"Mr. Li, we're here..." The driver drove the car to the door of his aunt's house in Staten Island and woke up Ronald, who was in a daze.

"Thank you, you can go back. I'm going to stay here for one night." Ronald got out of the car and walked towards the door.

"It's a pleasure to serve you. The bill will be delivered to your apartment." The driver called from behind.

"Ronnie", Aunt Karen opened the door and was very surprised to see it was Ronald. "What a big surprise. I thought you wouldn't come home this time. My child, you have been too busy recently. It has been a long time.

Came to see my aunt."

"Auntie," Ronald stepped forward and hugged Aunt Karen.

Aunt Karen's boyfriend happened to be away from home. She and Ronald seemed to have returned to the time a few years ago. The two went into the house and sat down. Aunt Karen could tell that her nephew was worried, but she didn't take the initiative to ask about it. Instead, she looked like

As usual, I got him some baked biscuits, and then poured a cup of black tea for Ronald.

"Well, I can never forget this smell. It seems that I will come back to see you more in the future." Ronald felt more relaxed all of a sudden, and his irritability was much less.

"There is no need to come back specially, Ronnie. Auntie is not so fragile. I have my own life now and have a lot of things to do. You also have a career, and so does Donna. As long as the family has each other in their hearts, when you encounter difficulties, don't forget that there are others

Donna and I are here."

Ronald smiled. His aunt was right. You don't need to think too much about people close to you. Just ask directly. Even if one of them leaks the news, it is probably unintentional.

After giving up the idea of ​​hiring a private detective to investigate, Ronald spent a lot of time at home with his aunt and had dinner prepared by his uncle-to-be.

"Helen, the news that I intend to direct 'Working Girl' has been leaked." In the evening, Ronald went to his room and called Helen Slater first.

"Ah? How could this be? Have you communicated with director Mike Nichols? He is very respected on Broadway." Helen knew Nichols' status in the New York circle, and he was still the most authentic

An Ashkenazi Jew, a Holocaust survivor in Germany, and a distant cousin of Einstein, he was favored in Jewish circles.

"My agent is handling it. I will call Director Nichols. I also want to ask you if you accidentally told someone? If this matter gets serious, it may

It involves you."

"Huh? No...I didn't even tell my agent."



"Diane, the news about the new film I want to direct has been exposed."

"Ah? You've already signed a contract? Didn't you just get in touch with me when you were in Los Angeles last time?"

"No, it was accidentally revealed that Fox has another candidate, Mike Nichols, so it's a bit complicated. I'm handling it. I'm calling to ask you, have you told anyone else?"

"No, I know the rules. If I want to audition, I won't tell anyone. Hehehe..."



It seems that Diane Ronald is relieved. He no longer thinks about who leaked the news, but is preparing to deal with the subsequent impact.

"My movie will be released in New York over the weekend, will you and Donna watch it? This time it's a love story for middle-aged people." Ronald was preparing to return to Manhattan early the next morning to say goodbye to his aunt.

"Then I'm going to check on Donna. I'll call her."

Ronald didn't rent a car and took the express rail to the ferry, then took the subway back to his apartment on Fifth Avenue.

"Ronald, Mike Nichols was interviewed by CBS Morning News. Look, there's a replay on Channel 25." Richard, the agent who came over from Los Angeles overnight, talked to Ronald as he entered the door.

Nader said.

Turn on the TV, a rerun of the CBS morning news, and the two hosts are connecting with director Mike Nichols.

"Okay, let's not ask questions about you and our colleague Diane. I heard that you are currently preparing a new film? After finishing the filming of "Genius", will you be filming another one soon?"

"I originally had some intentions to cooperate with Fox, but they prefer to use a star strategy, and I prefer to find candidates with suitable scripts. So, I will not continue to work on this project... now? Now I will take a break."

"Who will take over? I heard they found commercial film director Ronald Lee. I like his work very much, especially the recent one with Cher. Yes... I will wait to see the stars when the time comes.

This is a very good version of the movie, and Ronald will not disappoint us."

"Wedding? Haha, you must be asking for Diane. We now have enough time to prepare for the wedding. Is it Jewish? That depends on Diane's opinion..."

Mike Nichols’ fiancée is CBS host Diane Sawyer. On the show, he turned the topic to his married life with his Puritan fiancée and his views on the suffering of the Jews.

.

"Huh, he gave up." Richard wiped his sweat, "But in theory, we stepped on his toes. As a courtesy, you have to call him and explain the situation.

"You call his agent, and I'll speak to him when he gets through." Ronald shook his head. Richard didn't understand the director's business. On the surface, Mike Nichols was conceited about his status in the industry and didn't agree with Ronald.

Nader is a junior fighting for opportunities.

In fact, Mike Nichols is unwilling to succumb to Twentieth Century Fox's star strategy and does not want to use stars with poor acting skills to star in his scripts. As a great director who lives both in Hollywood and Broadway, his requirements for actors are:

very high.

Moreover, such a public statement was tantamount to limiting his choices. After Ronald took over the film, he had no choice but to pursue a commercial route without looking for stars.

"Hello, is this Mr. Nichols? I'm Ronald, Ronald Lee."

"Hi Ronald, can I call you Ronald? I'm glad you called me."

"Of course, I want to explain the situation to you. When Goldberg from Fox sent me the script, I didn't know that you were also interested. As for the subsequent leakage of the news, it is not my problem."

"Ronald, this is a good script. I hope you won't make too many concessions because of the stars. You will soon taste the privileges of stars. I wish you good luck, hahaha. Anyway, I just went to prepare for my

This is my fourth wedding... I hope the wedding can be more comfortable. You know, the most important thing for American girls is the wedding..."

It can be seen that Nichols is still a little concerned about Ronald ruining his plot against Fox. But he has become famous, and now and the writer of Richard King and current CBS host Diane Sawyer

Ye Chu was in love and was not very disappointed at losing the opportunity to direct "Working Girl" according to his own ideas.

"Where's Rick (Nicita)?" Ronald put down the phone and asked Richard how the investigation was going.

"No clues were found. Rick used other reasons to replace his two assistants. Several junior agents under him did not touch them immediately. Rick was going to find someone to investigate secretly."

Richard was sweating a little. If he and Niceta leaked the secret, it would be a very unprofessional performance of Ronald's service.

"I usually organize the files myself and lock them in the safe when I get off work. I can guarantee that it was not accidentally leaked by me. Even if it was, it is a professional commercial espionage technique."

"It's not that exaggerated, I believe you." Ronald patted Richard on the shoulder.

"You stay here with me. You help me handle the New York premiere of 'Moonlight' at the weekend. Someone will definitely come and recommend me. You help me handle it..."

"No problem. When the time comes, I will block all the people who are not related to 'Moonlight Sultry'." Richard quickly expressed that it was no problem.

"I have complete confidence in you and Rick. Just continue to pursue it. Don't let this episode ruin our rhythm."


This chapter has been completed!
Previous Bookshelf directory Bookmark Next