I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1184: The Last Chance]

From the early golden age of Hollywood to the rise of blockbuster films in the new century, there have been only a handful of female stars who could draw in box office by themselves, and Angelina Jolie was undoubtedly one of them.

Although she was long surrounded by various controversies, there was no doubt that Jolie's life was a legendary story worth narrating. Thanks to Eric, a major player in Hollywood, the industry had experienced many changes, yet he still held a strong belief in Jolie's potential. However, Jolie, who is 24 years old this year, was still immersed in the state of being on the verge of collapse for a long time, leaving no one able to guarantee that such a vibrant flower, blooming like a poppy, wouldn't suddenly wilt at any moment.

Eric was never the type to rescue others. In his two lives, he had become accustomed to watching from the sidelines. However, after careful consideration, he had made up his mind.

...

Beverly Hills.

A party was taking place at the mansion owned by Elisabeth and Julia, which was practically occupied by Drew. In May, Drew had spent three months in Australia with Virginia and the others. Under the management of executives like Amy Pascal, MGM's operations had not been affected at all.

Even though MGM hadn't released any major films this summer, the early-year hits The Fast and the Furious and the Easter release of American Pie had brought in substantial box office success, more than enough to sustain MGM's film operations for the year. The Fast and the Furious even launched a new spin-off series in MGM's spy film universe.

Moreover, although there weren't any blockbuster films, the medium-budget productions like Resident Evil 3 and The Thomas Crown Affair performed quite well at the box office during the summer. With a production cost of $50 million, Resident Evil 3 exceeded expectations with North American box office earnings reaching $82 million and global earnings surpassing $200 million, making it a solid medium-budget series for MGM over the long term.

The style of The Thomas Crown Affair is similar to Columbia's Entrapment, both of which are treasure-hunting action films. The original director had hoped to cast Pierce Brosnan as the lead, but for various reasons, that plan fell through. The actors ultimately signed couldn't compare to those of Entrapment, with the production budget at only $40 million.

Since its release in early August, The Thomas Crown Affair had accumulated $69 million in North American box office and $120 million worldwide, breaking even in terms of costs and promising profits moving forward.

Aside from that, projects like Bond 19 and The Bourne Identity were also progressing smoothly for MGM. With MGM's television business thriving as television stations began airing their fall lineups in September, the party was a way to thank MGM's management for their efforts, as well as to foster camaraderie among them.

...

When Angelina Jolie arrived at the Trousdale mansion, Eric was engaged in a lively conversation with Jean-Marie Messier, the CEO of Vivendi, but he was a little bit amused in his heart.

Vivendi had been pursuing development in Hollywood in recent years, and he recalled that their next step would be an expansion into Seagram. However, Messier had specifically come from the U.S. with hopes of acquiring MGM to complete his strategy in Hollywood.

After a major consolidation a few years ago, Vivendi held 16.78% of MGM's shares, making it the second-largest shareholder after Drew herself. Messier was evidently aware of this factor, and given Vivendi's fast growth in recent years, he seemed keen on making an offer.

Though MGM's stock had taken a hit due to the Nasdaq crash, its market value still hovered around $26 billion, buoyed by optimism about the future of MGM's television business and the profitability of its spy film universe. Additionally, MGM's debt was only $3.7 billion, indicating a healthy overall development and financial status.

Consequently, as Messier eloquently painted a picture of the promising collaboration with the Firefly Group following a Vivendi acquisition of MGM, along with a hefty offer of $30 billion, Eric showed no inclination to sell the company.

"Jean, I think you should consider other media companies, like Seagram. That company has been doing quite well lately. Of course, Vivendi probably wouldn't want to split its focus between MGM and Seagram, so Firefly could just buy back the shares Vivendi holds at a later time," Eric said, raising his glass after delivering his perspective to Messier.

Noticing that Angelina Jolie was standing nearby with Natasha, he decided not to entertain Messier any longer and made his way over to Jolie.

Together, Drew and LTD's holdings in MGM exceeded 41%. Along with control over management, the Firefly Group had a firm grip on MGM, allowing Eric to reject any idea of malicious acquisitions by Vivendi without concern.

...

"Hey, Angelina, you look stunning tonight," Eric said, approaching Angelina Jolie, admiring her in a light yellow deep-V gown, her brown hair cascading down. He shook her hand and added, "Let's go next door and talk."

Angelina Jolie politely greeted Eric and, upon hearing his next words, paused briefly before a clearly flirtatious smile broke across her face as she nonchalantly nodded, "Sure."

With that, she stepped closer, wrapping her arm around Eric's, then boldly scanned the room as if showing off her newfound catch.

Eric merely smiled and allowed Angelina Jolie her playful gestures, recalling a time many years ago when a rebellious girl with an innocent-looking face auditioned for a role in 17 Again. Life truly was interesting; as the saying goes, Hollywood is a small world.

They crossed the outdoor lawn of the mansion and passed through a small door that had only recently opened to the neighboring mansion. As soon as they arrived, Jolie immediately released Eric's arm but continued to curiously gaze around.

On the other side, the party was lively, while this side retained a certain quietness amidst the bright lights.

When Eric stopped by a chair near the pool, Jolie also paused, standing a few feet away from him, and asked bluntly, "So, Mr. Williams, where do you want to go? The pool? The lawn? Or the bedroom?"

"I've done it all; there's nothing new left," Eric replied, pulling out a chair to sit, but then smiled, surveying the area, and continued, "However, hmm, I haven't tried the rooftop yet. If you don't mind, I can have someone bring a ladder right now."

Jolie instinctively glanced at the villa roof covered in red tiles, realizing Eric had already sat down at a round table and was pointing across to a seat, only to realize he had simply been joking. She stood there, feeling a bit miffed, but eventually walked over to sit across from him.

As she took a seat across from Eric, she noticed him flipping open a blue folder on the table, seemingly ignoring her presence. Jolie felt he must have summoned her for a specific reason.

It wasn't until Eve approached with a coffee pot that Jolie was snapped out of the awkward tension. She remembered a girl from earlier must have stayed across the table, thus the one before her must be the other twin. Everyone knew Drew Barrymore had a lovely set of twins.

After politely thanking Eve and watching her pour coffee for both of them before quietly leaving, Jolie found herself oddly envious of the peaceful aura those two girls emitted. She couldn't help but wonder if Eric Williams had been with them. The answer felt almost certain.

...

After receiving a call from her agent in the afternoon telling her that Eric Williams wanted her to come to the party that night, Jolie instinctively took it as some sort of insinuation and almost reflexively considered rejecting the invite.

With her family's connections in Hollywood, the unspoken rules within the industry held little power over her. Jolie had never envisioned she would one day need to face such circumstances.

Nonetheless, after a moment's hesitation, she resolved to come, almost with a mindset of throwing caution to the wind.

She knew that the Voight family's connections in Hollywood would hold little weight before Eric Williams. On the other hand, if Eric wasn't pleased, the Voight family's influence could vanish entirely in Hollywood, leaving her with no opportunities for future roles.

Jolie had started attending acting school right after middle school and even took some classes in the drama department at New York University a few years ago. However, due to well-known reasons, she had dropped out along the way. In truth, aside from acting, she could hardly imagine doing anything else.

Furthermore, although she had received numerous offers over the past few years, her drug addiction and mental health issues meant that mainstream commercial films had largely eluded her. If this situation persisted for a few more years, Hollywood might completely shut its doors on her.

Occasionally, in the stillness of the night, Jolie would find herself fantasizing about whether she would one day become completely lost, cast aside by Hollywood, abandoned by her family, and end up lifeless in some filthy alley filled with garbage, unwittingly overdosed with needles in her arm. Such tragedies weren't unheard of; she had even played a girl named Gia Carangi last year, who had once been a supermodel at the height of her fame, falling into similar issues and crashing down to earth by the age of 26.

Each time she thought of these scenarios, a deep-seated fear washed over her.

...

Before long, a voice broke the silence, "What's on your mind?"

Jolie looked up, teasingly tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she answered, "So, Mr. Williams, if you don't want to sleep with me, then why did you ask me to come?"

"I still want to sleep with you," Eric replied with a smile. "I'm just worried you might suddenly bite me or something; I have a phobia about that."

Jolie seemed intrigued, her tone laced with evident teasing, "You've been bitten by a woman?"

Eric nodded candidly, "Yeah."

Jolie playfully licked the corner of her lip, "Mr. Williams, I promise I won't bite you."

"You won't get the chance," Eric replied, assessing the beautiful woman across from him. "If I were to sleep with you, I would definitely have to tie you up first."

Jolie scoffed, "Big shots are always so twisted."

Eric chuckled softly, choosing not to engage further in light banter. Instead, he picked up the file before him and said, "Okay, let's talk about you."

Angelina Jolie was definitely not lacking in emotional intelligence; on the contrary, she was quite perceptive. Upon hearing Eric's words, she readied herself and sat up straight, adopting a serious demeanor.

"You previously auditioned for a Columbia film, Girl, Interrupted, right?"

Jolie nodded in acknowledgment.

"I gave that role to Charlize. Otherwise, you would have been a perfect fit," Eric mentioned.

Jolie pouted slightly but didn't voice any complaint.

Eric looked her over again before returning his gaze to the folder. "Borderline personality disorder comes with an impulsive behavioral pattern, creating a series of intense instability in relationships and behaviors. One clear trait is that in the early stages of interactions, individuals idealize those they meet, but those fantasies often shatter over time, leading to broken relationships and perhaps even bitter foes."

As Eric slowly outlined these observations, Jolie's expression noticeably shifted, and she instinctively rubbed her arm where a tattoo had been recently covered up.

Eric glanced back at Jolie. Setting aside the past, it was well-known that she had married her first husband, Johnny Lee Miller, in a passionate whirlwind -- each had tattooed the other's name on their bodies. At their wedding, she famously wore a T-shirt bearing the words "My Husband Johnny Lee Miller" instead of a traditional gown, echoing their vows.

However, within two years, this couple who once promised each other the world ended up as bitter enemies, culminating in a knife fight in their apartment; it was all incredibly tragic.

Eric's earlier fears about Jolie potentially biting him were no exaggeration.

After a moment of silence, Jolie finally spoke up, "Mr. Williams, I'd be honored if you could give me the role of Black Widow, and I'll do my best to portray it well. However, I don't need a psychologist."

"I have no intentions of being your psychologist," Eric shrugged. "Moreover, you couldn't afford someone like me. I'm just trying to figure out how to solve your problems. Truthfully, as long as you fulfill your contract successfully in the future, I won't concern myself with your personal affairs at all."

Jolie focused on the file in front of Eric, asking, "Then why?"

*****

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