Chapter 124: Personal Assistant

"Arthur, Tom Cruise's agent is here to see you," Amy Pascal found Arthur at the party.

"Paula Wagner, right?" Arthur held his drink and walked with Amy Pascal. "Is it about the filming of A Few Good Men?"

"Sort of. Choosing Sophie Marceau as the female lead is to expand the European market, isn't it?" Amy Pascal asked. Originally, Demi Moore had lowered her fee by a million dollars, which was promising. 

Unfortunately, Demi Moore, seven months pregnant, appeared nude on the cover of Vanity Fair. This photo was shocking because no actress had ever dared to bare her pregnant belly before.

"I first approached Isabelle Adjani. She said she wanted to take a break from acting," Arthur laughed and shook his head.

"Sophie Marceau was her recommendation, and I met her at Cannes. The French Kiss indeed has astounding beauty!"

Amy Pascal sighed. "Arthur, you and Nicole Kidman attended various parties at Cannes, and now the tabloids are dragging Tom Cruise into it again. I wonder if Paula Wagner's visit has anything to do with this?"

Arthur laughed. "Tom Cruise has been in the industry for years. He should know Hollywood's tricks by now. She probably wants to discuss some additional conditions. In A Few Good Men, Tom Cruise is definitely a superstar!"

Soon, Arthur and Amy Pascal met Tom Cruise's agent, Paula Wagner, in an adjacent meeting room.

"Congratulations, Arthur, on the brilliant success of The Silence of the Lambs," Paula Wagner began by congratulating Arthur.

"Thank you," Arthur smiled. "What brings you here, Ms. Wagner?"

"Recently, Amy and director Rob Reiner have been preparing for A Few Good Men," Paula Wagner explained with some embarrassment. "But Tom needs to reshoot some scenes for Far and Away. He might not be able to join the crew in August!"

Arthur frowned. "So, when can Tom join the crew?"

"Mid-September!"

Arthur looked at Amy Pascal, who nodded in understanding. Arthur then said, "Alright, let's start filming at the end of September. Tom won't have any issues, right?"

Paula Wagner smiled and nodded. "Absolutely no problem…"

Tom Cruise's participation was crucial for A Few Good Men, and Arthur wouldn't joke about such matters. Even if Tom Cruise had some conditions, they would be met.

"Amy, since A Few Good Men will start filming at the end of September, notify the director and other main crew members as soon as possible," Arthur instructed Amy Pascal after his conversation with Paula Wagner.

"Don't worry, it won't be a problem. Director Rob Reiner also needs time to prepare the crew," Amy Pascal wasn't too worried and asked about another matter. "Regarding Emma in cooperation with PolyGram, the message from the UK is that the crew will be ready by August."

"That's quick," Arthur was surprised. "Once they're ready, start filming as soon as possible!"

The Silence of the Lambs had grossed over $90 million, and hitting $100 million was only a matter of time. The film had received high praise, and its international market potential was also strong.

Soon, before the party ended, Arthur drove his Toyota Supra to the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. 

Jennifer Connelly was there for a screening event for The Rocketeer.

"Arthur, you're here," Jennifer Connelly jumped into the car and kissed Arthur.

"Mm," after a while, Arthur gently pushed the passionate actress away. "Alright, let's go back to Palisades!"

"Okay," Jennifer Connelly seemed very excited. The Rocketeer was set to release next month. It was her first major commercial film as an adult, so no wonder she was thrilled.

As Arthur drove, he felt a bit sorry for the actress beside him. The Rocketeer was a notorious box office failure for Disney. 

With a $40 million production budget and over $20 million in marketing costs, Arthur remembered that The Rocketeer didn't even make $50 million at the box office!

In his past life, the failure of The Rocketeer had severely limited Jennifer Connelly's opportunities to get decent roles. 

It wasn't until the new millennium that she landed significant roles in A Beautiful Mind and Hulk.

"Disney seems to have high hopes for The Rocketeer. They've invested heavily in TV ads and partnered with many brands," Arthur said.

To promote The Rocketeer, Disney had partnered with Pizza Hut and Mars Candy. 

They had also developed a wide range of computer games to support various platforms, including PC, and had produced extensive merchandise like toys, posters, and trading cards.

Jennifer Connelly nodded. "Apparently, Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg has high hopes for this film. Disney Chairman Michael Eisner even visited the set few times during filming!"

Back at their beachfront villa in Santa Monica Palisades, Arthur poured a glass of wine for Jennifer Connelly. "You've made several films in the past two years. It's time to take a break."

"After participating in Scent of a Woman later this year, you should relax and maybe travel somewhere you want to go."

Jennifer Connelly nodded and smiled. "I know you're not very optimistic about Disney's comic adaptation. You're worried that too many failures will make me lose confidence, right?"

Jennifer Connelly put down her wine glass and sat on Arthur's lap. "But you're here, and you won't let my career go downhill, right?"

"Of course not. My woman won't lack roles!" Arthur said confidently, caressing the voluptuous beauty in his arms.

"Then I have nothing to worry about. I'll follow your arrangements," Jennifer Connelly snuggled closer to Arthur. "I'm sure you'll find a good role for me!"

Arthur smiled and nodded, then gently stroked Jennifer Connelly's ample bosom. "You're a Yale and Stanford graduate. Why don't you come work for me as my assistant? My personal assistant!"

"A personal assistant who works day and night?"

"Absolutely…"

*****

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