Simon made a wait gesture to Valerie Golino, picked up the phone and said: "Jo, what can I do?"
On the other side of the phone, Jonathan Friedman had heard the news that Daenerys Films was conducting surprise drug tests on the last ten candidates for the male lead in "Batman" and called to help intercede.
After patiently listening to Jonathan Friedman's words, Simon's tone left little room for negotiation and said: "Qiao, before the casting started, Daenerys Pictures has specifically reminded us that if they are casting I really don't think there is any reason to give them a chance... I know this kind of thing is very common in Hollywood, but this is the world. Those A-list celebrities who have already become famous can directly work in Bader. They can go back and forth between the Ford Rehabilitation Center and the movie set casually, and they can be obsessed with drug addiction and shoot public service advertisements for drug rehabilitation, but they can't. They are just small people, and small people should have the self-consciousness of small people, so I am very sorry... Wa Riley, she has come over and is sitting across from me... Then, talk when you have time, bye."
After hanging up the phone, Simon looked at Valerie Golino opposite.
This Italian actress with beautiful curly hair and cat-like light-colored eyes is only 22 years old this year, but her acting resume is by no means simple. Two years ago, Valerie Golino won the Best Actress Award at the 43rd Venice Film Festival for the Italian film "Love Story".
However, in the original time and space, apart from the heroine of "Rain Man", Valerie Golino has not appeared in other well-known films. Even her famous work "Love Story" is only a very poorly known film. Art films.
Simon still remembers some gossip about Valerie Golino and Julia Roberts competing for the lead role in "Pretty Woman". She and Roberts were the final two candidates. The reason why this actress was not selected was because her accent was not standard enough, and more details are unknown.
Because her career in Hollywood was not going well, this actress, who had a high starting point, later returned to the European film industry like many European actresses who failed to enter Hollywood.
Opposite the desk, Valerie Golino pressed the satchel on her knees with both hands, and waited patiently for the young man opposite to look at her for a moment, and then softly said: "Mr. Westeros, may I ask why you asked me to come here? "
Simon didn't answer, just asked: "Have you seen "Batman"?"
After suddenly receiving an invitation from Simon Westeros, neither her agent nor Jonathan Friedman, the company vice president who was close to Westeros, knew the reason. Valerie Golino had been very nervous just now.
After coming to Hollywood for more than a year, Valerie Golino has not received many film appointments, but she has heard a lot of gossip. There are many big shots in the industry who like to attend parties to negotiate for work if they like a certain actress. Reasons like this call to your side, and then certain things will happen naturally. She recently starred in Rain Man, which Simon Westeros reportedly watches weekly and must have noticed in the process.
However, after receiving the invitation, Valerie Golino rushed over after only a slight hesitation.
Anyway, men like beautiful women, and women also like beautiful men. A handsome, talented, young and wealthy guy like Simon Westeros really cannot arouse any resentment from women.
Hearing Simon Westeros mention "Batman", Valerie Golino's original nervous mood immediately relaxed.
It turns out something is really going on.
It's something that the whole of Hollywood is eagerly awaiting.
However, some inexplicable emotions arose in my heart, whether it was disappointment or something else.
After being stunned for a moment, she felt Simon Westeros looking at her patiently. Valerie Golino quickly reacted, shook her head honestly, and said: "Sorry, Mr. Westeros, I didn't Watched ‘Batman’ and I grew up in Italy.”
Simon just nodded and asked again: "Do you have any other film contracts now?"
Valerie Golino thought of the heroine role in the costume masterpiece "Rapid Spring" that Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski has been preparing for two years. She hesitated for a moment and shook her head decisively. , said: "No."
"The thing is like this," Simon said without asking any more questions, "I watched your performance in "Rain Man" and the performance material in your previous films. It was very good. So, I want to invite you. How do you feel about playing the female lead in "Batman"?"
Valerie Golino thought of Daenerys Pictures' huge audition for the male lead in "Batman" and subconsciously asked: "Don't you need to audition?"
"I told you, I've watched your performance."
"So, Mr. Westeros," Valerie Golino asked again, "what role am I going to play?"
"Catwoman," Simon said, "do you know?"
As a popular anti-heroic female character who appeared in the first issue of "Batman" that year, Valerie Golino has heard about her even though she has not read the comics. After carefully recalling the information about Catwoman, Valerie Golino nodded: "Selina Kyle."
"Yes, Selina Kyle," Simon nodded and said, "If you plan to play this role, you can read some comics next. However, information such as the origin setting of Catwoman in DC comics is very confusing. So, in the end, you still need to figure out the character based on my script.”
It is not easy for European actresses to develop in Hollywood, which is very exclusive in nature. Valerie Golino thought of this young man's miraculous directing resume and no longer hesitated at all, saying: "Mr. Westeros, what's next? ?”
Simon smiled and said, "Do you know why I chose you?"
Valerie Golino was stunned for a moment and shook her head.
"It's important that your acting skills are good enough, because the Selina Kyle I want is very difficult for an ordinary actress to play well. I watched the samples of "Rain Man" repeatedly before confirming the role. You came to try this role because you are younger than both Cruise and Hoffman, but in the sample film, you showed an almost maternal soothing power, and you were able to make the two anxious protagonists calm. Calm down. Bruce Wayne in "Batman" is a character who has experienced childhood trauma. Although he is very powerful, he is only a human being after all. He will also be injured in the process of fighting evil and also needs comfort. Therefore, I hope you can keep that sentiment in Rain Man when you create Catwoman."
After Simon finished speaking, he once again looked at Valerie Golino, who still had a girlish look on her face, and said: "In addition, you are only twenty-two years old, which is also very important. Selina Kyle is A strong female thief, in the comic setting, she has a background in gymnastics and is also proficient in fighting. To play this role, actors must undergo a certain degree of physical and fighting training. In this regard, older actresses are often very It’s hard to bear, but it’s not a big problem for you. Of course, this process will definitely be very hard, are you willing?”
Valerie Golino didn't hesitate. She nodded a few times like a chicken pecking at rice. She realized that her reaction seemed too eager and she felt a little embarrassed.
Simon naturally wouldn't mind, and continued: "Also, although I like your accent very much, it is difficult for North American audiences to accept Catwoman speaking with an Italian accent. So, in the next six months, in addition to physical training, you will also Need to take accent lessons.”
Valerie Golino showed an unexpected expression this time: "Half a year?"
"Yes, half a year," Simon nodded and said, "This is what I am going to say right now. If you agree to star, we will sign the contract before the end of the month. Then, for the next year, you will probably not be able to accept any other roles. The movie is scheduled."
It is common in Hollywood to spend one or two years for a role. Valerie Golino quickly figured out that the heroine of Simon Westeros' new film is completely worth the effort, and she is not in Hollywood either. There may be other better options.
"No problem, Mr. Westeros." After thinking about this, Valerie Golino nodded quickly and said, "Can I read the script first?"
"The script is still being revised, and for the sake of absolute confidentiality, even the leading actor will not see the complete script before filming starts." Simon shook his head and refused: "This is not to distrust you, but in this circle, there are always There will be people who will do whatever it takes to get similar revelations, and it will be difficult for you to guard against them."
Valerie Golino showed an expression of understanding, but then she didn't know what to say. She looked at Simon with her light eyes, and then suddenly dodged away. She actually wanted to ask about the remuneration, but she also knew that it was best for her agent to negotiate this kind of matter.
Simon noticed the change in Valerie Golino's expression and just smiled and said: "That's it for now. We will contact WMA for the next thing. You can go back first."
Valerie Golino stood up, politely came over to shake hands with Simon again, and turned to leave the office. When she arrived at the parking lot, she still felt a little like she was dreaming.
The heroine of Simon Westeros' new film is a super-big production like "Batman".
It was so easy to get it.
Those female stars in the company who always laugh at their outsider status must be going crazy with jealousy now.
Feeling some uncontrollable excitement throughout her body, Valerie Golino did not get in the car immediately, but walked to a nearby phone booth and dialed a series of numbers.
It was past closing time on the East Coast, so the call was transferred to a hotel in Manhattan and reached the agent smoothly.
The agent who was far away on the East Coast was obviously overly excited when she heard what she had just said. He told her to stay where she was, talking nonsense, and he would fly back from New York immediately.
After hanging up the phone, Valerie Golino's excitement calmed down a little, but she couldn't help but think of the situation when she just met Simon Westeros.
Inexplicably, I felt a little regretful.
He said he liked his accent, but unfortunately he didn't say anything else.
What a puzzling guy.
Simon was so busy during this period that he had no time to think about anything else. After finishing his meeting with Valerie Golino, he rushed to the Daenerys Special Effects Company, which had just been reorganized and integrated by the two companies.
There were important arrangements in the evening. Around 5:30, Simon returned to his mansion in Malibu.
In the villa, Simon called several times after entering the door, but received no response. After searching for a while, he found Janet in the studio of the villa facing the sea. The woman is standing attentively beside the easel, painting a new work.
On the canvas is a beautiful blue sea and sky, a bit like the Malibu seascape outside the floor-to-ceiling window at this time. However, a long spiral staircase appeared between the sea and the sky. On the narrow staircase, some of the strange-shaped figures were climbing up and some were diving down, which seemed hasty and disorderly. Some people were still colliding with each other. Falling down the stairs.
Janet has tried many art genres, but her favorite is this weird and weird surrealist style, which is probably the reason for her personality.
Simon stood quietly behind the woman without disturbing him, and Janet did not say hello to him. After more than ten minutes of silence, the woman stopped painting, turned around and asked Simon, "How is it?"
Simon stepped forward and hugged the woman's waist, looked at the painting in front of him and said: "There is a certain deep-rooted ambivalence in human beings. People in hell look forward to heaven, and people in heaven think hell may not be bad, so most people They all waste their time on the road, even if they are broken into pieces.”
Janet smiled, tilted her head and pecked Simon on the face, then took off his arms and said, "Help me clean up, I'll go change clothes."
Because of her rich net worth, Janet has always been a person who firmly enjoys life. She originally had the idea of selling some paintings to earn living expenses, but after getting together with Simon, she gradually lost this idea and just regarded it as a hobby. The woman is now mainly responsible for managing the Simon & Janet Westeros Foundation established by the two and acting as the housekeeper for Simon's various purchases.
What I am going to attend in the evening is the media preview of "Basic Instinct".
There is still a month until the film is released, so it is usually a bit early to hold a preview at this time. However, the publicity strategy ultimately discussed by Daenerys Films and Fox was to use the highly controversial nature of "Basic Instinct" to stir up public attention and interest in the film.
In the original time and space, "Basic Instinct" first appeared at the Cannes Film Festival and caused strong controversy. But this time, the film was not completed before Cannes, so everyone could only adopt this method of advance preview. Fox specially invited a large number of well-known film critics from the east and west coasts of the United States to come to Los Angeles to participate in this preview. It is expected that the effect will not be better than What a difference from the Cannes premiere.
The preview starts at seven o'clock.
Since Daenerys Films owns half of the rights to "Basic Instinct," Simon attaches more importance to this film than to the currently-showing "Pulp Fiction."
Without any intention of changing clothes, Simon helped Janet pack up her painting tools and left the studio.
Janet quickly changed into a close-fitting pale pink dress. Her white neck was perfectly dotted with a string of pearl necklaces. She wore white high heels and held a Kun bag in her hand. After coming out of the cloakroom, the woman handed a folder to Simon and said, "The detective company's investigation report on Sophia Fessey was just delivered this afternoon. She is a very interesting woman. You can read it on the way."