I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1183: This Film Isn't Suitable for You]

As one of the few outstanding films from Brazil, Eric had seen City of God. The film's greatest impact on him was the sheer sense of helplessness that comes from being born into a life with no choices, struggling to survive in an environment filled with violence.

When he received the book from Braulio Mantovani, Eric didn't even open it. He didn't have much spare time to read such a thick novel of five or six hundred pages. Instead, he directly asked for more details about the film's production.

City of God was a novel completed by Brazilian author Paulo Lins in ten years, reflecting the lives of the impoverished in Brazilian favelas. Two years ago, when the novel was published, it quickly stirred strong reactions and was soon translated into various languages. Subsequently, the French company Vivendi's Studio Canal acquired the film rights and began writing the screenplay. The project eventually landed in Kathryn's hands, leading to the meeting with the screenwriter of City of God.

After chatting for about ten minutes, Braulio Mantovani realized that Eric's thoughts on the film even began to surpass his own, which made him sincerely admire the young Hollywood mogul. However, wanting to be considerate given the earlier incident, he decided to take his leave.

...

After Braulio left, Eric turned to the woman who was still holding her coffee cup, asking, "How have you been?"

Coming back to her senses and feeling she shouldn't appear too passive in front of the man, she hurriedly put down her cup and said, "I've been great! How about you?"

Eric turned slightly to look at the woman in front of him and replied, "I'm doing well, too."

She wanted to tease him about how much he seemed to be everywhere in the media lately, but didn't want him to know she was following such things. Instead, she brought up the film again, asking, "What do you think about City of God?"

"You are right about adopting a documentary-style approach for shooting," he remarked. "However, to take it a step further, it's best to use non-professional actors. For instance, selecting some kids directly from the favelas of Rio and providing them with simple training would give the film a more authentic effect. Also, shooting in Portuguese is essential."

As Eric was saying this, he suddenly added, "So, this film isn't suitable for you. You don't speak Portuguese, do you?"

Kathryn had initially agreed with Eric's points, but upon hearing the last part, she felt a bit defiant. "Actually, I speak a little. Plus, there's always a translator!"

"That's still going to make it hard to communicate smoothly with the actors," Eric insisted, shaking his head. Watching her gaze, he suddenly shrugged and added, "Alright, I know you're probably capable of these things. Honestly, I just don't want you going to Brazil to shoot this film. The favelas in Rio are too dangerous."

Kathryn hadn't expected Eric to say that suddenly, feeling uneasy as she couldn't maintain eye contact. She instinctively picked up her empty coffee cup and said, "I... I should head back."

"Yeah, I should get going too," Eric replied nonchalantly as he stood up. Noticing Kathryn instantly freeze up, he laughed, "Well, I promise not to bully you anymore. You really are like a shy little girl; there's no sense of achievement in that. Hey, it's been a while since we've seen each other. Shall we walk together?"

Feeling his boldness both annoying and confident, she shot him a disapproving look but didn't refuse. After she turned, her steps hesitated slightly.

...

They walked side by side towards the deck, and Kathryn finally took the initiative to ask, "How's the casting for the Marvel Cinematic Universe going?"

"I've been busy with that lately," Eric replied, sensing her hesitance. "Are you recommending someone to me?"

"Sean called me last week," she explained, adding, "Sean Penn. We worked together on The Thin Red Line last time."

Eric immediately caught on, recalling someone he had just met that afternoon. "Jim Caviezel."

Jim Caviezel was also part of The Thin Red Line, and while he wasn't particularly famous, he had delivered a standout performance in the film. Kathryn looked surprised but nodded, saying, "Sean asked me if I could say a few words for Jim. I turned him down, though since I ran into you... Actually, Jim is a great actor, very genuine, he just hasn't had the best opportunities."

Eric had gotten a sense of Jim Caviezel's character during the auditions earlier that day. "I didn't expect he and Sean Penn were such good friends."

Kathryn smiled a bit. "Jim is also good friends with Kevin Costner. He knows a lot of people but hardly ever asks for favors, which could be why so many people want to be friends with him. You don't find many in Hollywood who engage with others without ulterior motives. When Sean called me, Jim probably had no idea."

Hollywood had its fair share of stars who fell from grace for various reasons. Still, many, like Sean Penn, had widespread connections. Though quick-tempered with paparazzi, Sean was undoubtedly a man of his word in the industry.

Thinking about this, Eric said, "Caviezel's audition for The Hulk was just confirmed this afternoon. To be honest, he was one of the final two candidates. I just felt the other guy was a better fit."

Kathryn simply responded with an "mmm," and they continued talking until they reached the parking lot outside the studio.

As Kathryn found her car, she opened the door to her white BMW, noticing Eric still standing nearby. "You?"

"You're still living in Cold Water Canyon, right?" Eric asked innocently. "I happen to be heading to Trousdale Manor. Mind if I get a ride?"

Kathryn's movements hesitated, her tone betraying a hint of trepidation and resentment as she glanced at him. "You just said -- what about that?"

"Okay," Eric said, unable to stand her gaze. He raised his hand. "That was just a joke. Besides, regarding City of God, I really don't advise you to do it yourself. You can take on a producer role, find a local director in Brazil. It could work just as well."

"Yeah, I'll think about it."

Kathryn acknowledged, sitting in the driver's seat. Sensing that the little man beside her had no intention of barging in, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss. Still, she said goodbye and slowly started the car.

Although he enjoyed teasing Kathryn and watching her get flustered, Eric never pushed if she truly resisted. He understood why Kathryn was in this state; after all, the age gap between them was quite significant.

...

After their encounter that evening, Eric continued to follow the developments of City of God.

Given Vivendi's investment in MGM, the film would see collaboration between MGM and Studio Canal. However, Kathryn showed no signs of giving up on the project, and Eric understood her little obstinacies, opting not to push her. Even if she ended up going to shoot in the favelas of Rio, her safety would undoubtedly be well protected. After all, the Brazilian government wouldn't allow an Oscar-winning director to face any mishap while filming in their country.

...

Meanwhile, the casting for the Marvel Cinematic Universe progressed steadily.

Once Christian Bale was confirmed as the lead for The Hulk, the media inevitably sparked some controversy. However, this was common for superhero casting. Many actors faced skepticism upon landing their roles -- a trend that often shifted once the film was released, provided the actors met expectations.

With The Hulk's actor confirmed, other major roles followed suit. Since Chris Evans had just turned eighteen, he wouldn't be taking on Captain America. After thorough vetting, the role was finally given to Josh Duhamel, known for his role as Captain Lennox in Transformers. Josh Duhamel was now 26, roughly the same age Chris Evans had been when he landed the role.

Moreover, Josh Duhamel's American soldier persona from the Transformers series was well-remembered. At its core, Captain America was indeed a soldier, so the casting resembled the quintessential strong and righteous leading man for patriotic films.

With Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, and The Hulk confirmed, the foundation for Marvel's cinematic universe was starting to take shape.

Of course, there remained a critical role: Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff, for which Eric still didn't have a suitable candidate.

However, after months of auditions, the final candidates were down to two: Angelina Jolie and Milla Jovovich.

...

From a purely rational standpoint, both women were undoubtedly fitting for the Black Widow role. However, each had their own set of challenges.

Angelina's issues were the gravest; she had struggled with addiction for years, showing no signs of recovery. Without her family's Hollywood connections, she wouldn't have landed any roles in recent years. The reason she reached the final audition was as much due to her suitability for the role as her father Jon Voight's intervention -- she hadn't yet severed ties with him.

Even if Angelina could successfully overcome her addiction, her headstrong nature didn't fit the typical portrayal needed for a character in the Marvel cinematic universe.

Ultimately, Eric needed an actress who could follow direction more readily.

As for Milla Jovovich, Eric had never been particularly keen on her. During the auditions for The Fifth Element, he had sent her away due to a bad mood that day.

"This is a role that requires a commitment of at least five years and involves nine major films. We have to ensure the role is secure," Eric stated candidly while gazing at the thick-lipped actress sitting across from him in the Firefly Studios audition room. "So, how can you guarantee that you won't touch any illicit substances during that time?"

Upon hearing Eric's question, Jolie became visibly anxious yet tried to maintain a respectful tone. "Mr. Williams, my agent has already discussed this with Firefly. You can carry out drug tests on me at any point during this process."

"Of course, we can, but everyone knows the real responsibility lies with you. If you continue to indulge in those substances, we can't monitor your every move. Moreover, if something goes wrong, the entire film plan from Firefly could be compromised. If that happens, even if we take legal action against you, it won't help. We might even have to cover for you. Have you thought about this, Jolie?"

Angelina Jolie's eyes flickered. She didn't directly answer Eric's inquiry, realizing she might not land the role. With a resigned tone, she said, "So, Mr. Williams, you are saying I've been eliminated, right?"

"If you think that," Eric pointed toward the door, "you can leave right now."

Angelina instinctively considered standing up but hesitated, ultimately settling back into her chair.

Pleased, Eric nodded and continued, "Now for another issue; the contract for this role under Firefly is very strict. If you take on this character, you can only play Black Widow, and aside from that, you can only appear in one other film per year until the contract is fulfilled. The budget cannot exceed $50 million. Are you willing to accept this?"

The major film series in Hollywood didn't start booming until after 2000, and the rules Eric mentioned were more commonly seen in television than in film at that time.

Therefore, Jolie appeared somewhat hesitant at first, but after a moment, she nodded, saying, "Okay."

"Good, then this concludes today's meeting," Eric announced. "You can wait for our response now."

Upon hearing Eric, Angelina stood up, politely said goodbye to everyone, then left.

...

Eric turned to Joss Whedon beside him, asking, "So, what do you think?"

This was the third audition this week for the final candidates. Just before Angelina, Milla Jovovich had also just walked out.

Joss Whedon was a bit puzzled as to why Eric was going to such lengths for the Black Widow role. However, considering the iconic female characters Eric had created since his debut, Joss was less questioning about Eric's high standards and commented professionally, "If you disregard all other factors, both are great choices. However, if I were to choose, I would pick Milla. She seems more reliable. Eric, you appear to prefer Angelina, don't you?"

Eric nodded in agreement, "If it weren't for her drug issues and if her temperament were more compliant, that role could have already been hers."

"This is Hollywood, after all," Joss laughed lightly. "There aren't many 'good kids' here. Your expectations are somewhat unrealistic from the start."

*****

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