Simon actually hadn't considered the female lead for "True Lies" yet.
As long as it's not Jamie Lee Curtis, that's fine.
He didn't reject Farrah Fawcett's self-recommendation outright, but only indicated that she would be given an audition.
Farrah Fawcett was somewhat disappointed. Such a response clearly carried a hint of rejection. She was about to say something more when Simon interjected, "Farrah, can you let me and Joe talk alone for a while?"
The man's tone was still gentle, but Farrah Fawcett dared not persist. Realizing tonight was a bust, she leaned in close and whispered, "You can call me anytime," before getting up to leave.
Once Farrah Fawcett was out of sight, Jonathan Friedman explained with a smile, "I know she's not your type, but it's hard to refuse a favor."
Simon nodded in understanding with a smile.
The woman just now had a great figure, appearance, and voice, and she hadn't undergone plastic surgery.
But she was a bit too tanned.
This was completely contrary to Simon's aesthetic preferences.
Moreover, recalling some information from memory, Simon was even less interested in Farrah Fawcett and had some other thoughts.
Maybe he should be more careful in the future.
He's never been too worried about getting entangled in something. His current wealth and power are enough to offset many things. He just doesn't want the women around him to get hurt.
After being reborn for so many years, Simon's innate indifference and detachment from this world remained, but he became increasingly concerned about those around him.
After Jonathan's brief explanation, he brought up another topic, "Simon, what do you think about MGM's recently initiated project 'Outbreak'?"
Not just "Speed," MGM had recently confirmed several other projects.
One of them was "Outbreak," adapted from a bestselling novel. The film tells the story of a virus outbreak, caused by illegal animal smuggling, that almost wipes out a town's residents, and involves elements of biological weapons research. The theme is still the classic personal heroism, with the male lead saving the world.
The original "Outbreak" starred Dustin Hoffman.
Simon had seen this movie. Dustin Hoffman's character didn't have the aura of a savior at all; he actually paired quite well with the monkey in the film.
To be fair, Harrison Ford should have been the male lead.
In fact, the project was initially tailor-made for Harrison Ford.
But Dustin Hoffman got the role instead, evidently another package deal forced by CAA, completely disregarding whether the actor fit the role.
Michael Ovitz always persuaded Hollywood studios to let their artists try different kinds of roles.
There's nothing wrong with actors seeking breakthroughs, but it doesn't mean they should mess around.
Simon wouldn't allow past mistakes to repeat. Seeing Jonathan's question, he understood his meaning and smiled, "Do you want Bob to try?"
Jonathan nodded, "Yes, after 'Heat,' Bob has the schedule."
The Bob here referred to Robert De Niro.
After snatching De Niro from CAA, he had been Jonathan's trump card in recent years, continuously collaborating with Daenerys Entertainment on successful projects like "Pulp Fiction," "Dead Poets Society," and "The Sixth Sense." De Niro was currently working with Al Pacino on another Daenerys Entertainment-invested cop film, "Heat," which Simon was very fond of.
For "Outbreak," Simon initially thought of Harrison Ford.
However, it wasn't convenient as Ford had already signed on for Paramount's "Clear and Present Danger," the sequel to last year's "Patriot Games," part of Tom Clancy's Cold War anti-terrorism trilogy from the 1980s. The first two films, "The Hunt for Red October" and "Patriot Games," had both been successful, making the third installment, "Clear and Present Danger," a logical continuation.
With Ford unavailable, Simon had considered the two Bobs closely associated with Daenerys Entertainment: Robert Redford and Robert De Niro.
"Outbreak" was slated for release around the end of next year or early the year after, depending on the final product. Both Bobs' schedules were open, but their suitability for the role was questionable.
Redford could play a gentleman, a cowboy, or a villain, while De Niro was versatile.
However, both lacked the main character aura necessary to save the world.
Sandra had just mentioned Stallone, which gave Simon some thoughts, but he quickly dismissed them.
"Outbreak" was a drama requiring acting skills.
Stallone and Schwarzenegger were better suited for saving the world with heavy artillery, not serious acting.
Simon candidly shared his thoughts.
Jonathan was somewhat disappointed but understood, "In that case, Ford is indeed the best fit. What do you plan to do now?"
Simon replied, "If Ford could star, it would be a $50 million blockbuster. But since he's unavailable, I plan to scale it down to a mid-sized film with a $25 million budget. For the male lead, I'm considering Sam Neill."
As the male lead of last year's "Jurassic Park," Sam Neill, though the real stars were the dinosaurs, had gained worldwide recognition. His salary was only half that of Ford, Redford, or De Niro. His scholarly and warm character in "Jurassic Park" made him a suitable fit for the righteous and fearless doctor in "Outbreak."
Sam Neill was an artist under WMA.
Despite gaining fame from "Jurassic Park," Jonathan didn't see much potential in him.
Hollywood already had an abundance of middle-aged male stars, and whether intentionally or not, top-tier stars like Harrison Ford and Robert Redford wouldn't give Neill many opportunities to shine.
Now, with Simon planning to offer Neill additional projects beyond "Jurassic Park," Jonathan naturally wouldn't miss the chance. With Simon's backing, Hollywood's usual tricks wouldn't work. Although Neill wasn't his direct subordinate, having another top star under WMA, without conflicting with his stars like Robert De Niro, was a win for Jonathan.
"If that's the case, I'll arrange a meeting between Sherry and Neill tomorrow. What do you think?"
Simon sensed Jonathan's eagerness and smiled, "Sure."
"And what about the female lead?"
Although the budget was halved, no one understood better than Jonathan the magic this young man possessed. Projects he had backed rarely failed.
If Sam Neill could rise beyond "Jurassic Park," the female lead would also have an opportunity.
In the original "Outbreak," the female lead was Rene Russo.
Sam Neill and Rene Russo had just co-starred in "Jurassic Park" last year and signed contracts for two sequels. Their appearance together in another film would undoubtedly boost its popularity.
However, according to Hollywood convention, stars who had just co-starred shouldn't collaborate again immediately, unless it was a sequel.
Historically, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's "Sleepless in Seattle" was a huge success, but it wasn't until six years later that they reunited for "You've Got Mail." Richard Gere and Julia Roberts' second collaboration, "Runaway Bride," came almost a decade after "Pretty Woman."
With Rene Russo unsuitable, Simon had considered another actress with a similar vibe, Sela Ward.
Sela Ward, known for her role as the perfect housewife Bree Van De Kamp in "Desperate Housewives," had been quite popular recently.
Unfortunately, Sela Ward wasn't available.
TV shows are filmed and aired simultaneously, and the second season of "Desperate Housewives" would run from this fall to next spring. To meet the 1994 end-of-year release for "Outbreak" and ensure Sam Neill's availability for "Jurassic Park 2," filming had to start early next year, when Sela Ward would still be tied to "Desperate Housewives."
Thinking about this, Simon shook his head, "No suitable candidates for now. You can make recommendations."
Jonathan joked, "How about Farrah from earlier?"
"Too much of a pretty face. The female lead is a doctor, needing someone with the charm of Rene Russo or Sela Ward, and must be able to act."
"I'll find someone based on your criteria."
After chatting for a while longer, Simon left the party early.
Allison was surprised to see her boss heading home, thinking he wouldn't come back tonight and might even take some woman from the party to another city on a whim.
She had even pre-arranged a private jet.
Entering the Shell Villa, Simon handed his suit to the approaching A-girl, noticing her expression, and teased, "What bad things are you thinking?"
"Nothing," A-girl shook her head, pretending nonchalance, "Do you need a bath?"
"You go rest, no need to worry about me."
"Oh."
Agreeing verbally, Allison still waited until Simon went upstairs before taking the suit to the laundry room on one side of the villa.
The Shell Villa was very quiet at night. With good soundproofing, the sound of the waves couldn't be heard, making it very peaceful. The sound of her high heels echoed as she carried his suit, feeling inexplicably reassured. She couldn't resist sniffing it, then felt embarrassed, thinking she was being perverse.
After some minor tasks and a bath, A-girl finally went to bed very late.
At six months pregnant, Janet felt once again sealed off from the world.
Though not as cautious as the first time, as her pregnancy progressed, her maternal instincts made her very careful again. She had stopped working and followed her pregnancy routine. Inevitably, worries increased, especially after noticing significant weight gain and more severe stretch marks than the first time, leading her to declare once again that she wouldn't have more children.
In contrast, the female assistant eagerly anticipated her baby.
Both babies' genders were known: Janet's was another boy, while the assistant's was a girl.
The assistant was quite
satisfied.
She thought "Seattle Westeros" was a better name for a girl.
Janet's baby also had a name.
This time, Raymond Johnston decided it himself. Perhaps still resenting Melbourne's name, the old man firmly declared during their last visit to Melbourne that if it's a boy, he would be named Nicholas, and if a girl, Anita, after Janet's grandparents.
It's a tradition in the West to name children after their elders.
The old man didn't insist on naming the baby Raymond or Tracy. Since Janet's grandparents were no longer alive, Simon didn't object. Otherwise, it would have felt odd to him.
As for the assistant's pregnancy and Janet's plan to publicly claim she had twins, it wasn't a secret in the Johnston family. Simon didn't intend to hide it, and it couldn't be hidden from family anyway.
The old man didn't say much but wasn't very friendly to Simon during their last visit.
Anthony Johnston had a conversation with Simon about inheritance rights, hoping the assistant's child wouldn't bear the Westeros surname.
Simon was candid, explaining that his assets were already enormous and would only grow, making it impossible to leave them to any one or a few children. The best option would be a family foundation, ensuring no child would inherit too much.
Regarding the surname issue, Simon was firm, saying he didn't want his children to face experiences similar to his.
If Simon were still a poor boy, the Johnstons wouldn't have much say.
However, Simon had become so influential that many saw the Johnston family as implicitly under the Westeros umbrella. With Simon's firm stance, the Johnstons didn't bring up the assistant's child again.
Privately, Janet told Simon that her family advised her to guard her husband closely and not to be too lenient.
She even asked Simon if he was scared.
After the summer celebration party for Daenerys Entertainment, negotiations concluded, and the "True Lies" project was finally settled.
Arnold Schwarzenegger voluntarily reduced his salary from $15 million to $12 million.
James Cameron didn't make many concessions.
This project was initiated by Schwarzenegger asking a favor from a friend, and Cameron wasn't interested in such films. If the studio insisted, Cameron was willing to step down.
The compromise was an increased budget of $80 million, with Cameron's fixed director fee of $8 million halved if overspent. However, the reduced $4 million would be converted into profit-sharing clauses.
If the project was profitable.
In Simon's memory, "True Lies" had a production budget of $115 million but was still very profitable.
With Schwarzenegger and Cameron both making some concessions, Simon didn't push too hard.
MGM and Fox soon signed a cooperation agreement, with Fox handling distribution at a 10% commission, slightly higher than Simon's initial 8% proposal but 2.5% lower than Warner Bros.' 12.5% for the DC movie universe project, a middle ground for both sides.
As for the female lead, Simon didn't have a suitable candidate. Actors like Farrah Fawcett, trying to secure roles through favors, didn't seem right, so he left it to the production team to decide.
As long as it's not Jamie Lee Curtis, that's fine.
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