Chapter 111: The Trigger

[Chapter 111: The Trigger]

The young woman had a delicate and flawless appearance, as if crafted by a skilled artist. Her long, glossy black hair framed a pale face and a high nose. To fit the audition mood, she wore a business suit typical of an office girl and held a white handbag. Sitting across from Eric, she radiated an aura of serene beauty.

Deborah was just a thirteen-year-old girl then, but years later, the woman who finally broke free from her awkward career no longer possessed the stunning charm of her youth; only a bit of maturity and intellect remained from the passage of time. For her, her twenties were truly her most breathtaking moments.

Eric didn't need to glance at his notes; he effortlessly said, "Ms. Connolly, why don't you introduce yourself?"

"Hello, everyone. My name is Jennifer Lynn Connolly. I'm nineteen years old and currently studying English literature at Yale..."

Her voice carried a slight rasp, hinting at allure. During the questioning phase, Jennifer Connolly remained calm and composed until it was time to perform. Although she had already appeared in several films, she had never received professional acting training, leaving her skills still rather naive, even slightly wooden.

But that was okay; nobody was born ready for the spotlight. There was room for improvement. The important thing was that Eric was certain Jennifer Connolly could bring something fresh to the audience. When she showed vulnerability during her scenes where she was held hostage by the robber Andy, her performance could evoke tremendous sympathy, powerful enough to captivate everyone.

Once all the auditions were completed, Eric marked a check next to Jennifer Connolly's name and looked up, asking, "Ms. Connolly, would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"

All the staff in the audition room froze, taken aback by his directness. It felt a bit inappropriate, considering he was suggesting this in front of everyone. 'You could at least keep that to yourself and spare us the awkwardness,' they might have thought.

Jennifer Connolly was momentarily stunned as well. Her expression changed several times. She had specially returned from Italy for this audition and managed to wrap up all her scenes just in time, though she had a slight disagreement with the director.

But if she could land this role, she was prepared to overlook everything else. Filming an art film in Europe seemed like a good opportunity, especially when many actresses in Hollywood encountered career stagnation. During this era, European cinema hadn't completely declined, so many actors hoped to earn accolades at European film festivals. If they won awards and returned home, it could provide a solid foundation for their careers.

If this invitation was made in private, Jennifer Connolly might not have hesitated much. But in front of everyone, her pride made it difficult for her to let go of her reservations. She found herself in a tricky position.

"I'm sorry, that was abrupt of me, Ms. Connolly. Thank you for your audition. We'll let you know the results soon, and you're free to go now."

Eric immediately regretted his invitation; the intention was to ease her discomfort, but Jennifer Connolly misunderstood him as taking her hesitation as a rejection, which would surely mean she wouldn't get the role.

Standing still, she hesitated before finally whispering, "Mr. Williams, I... I'm willing."

"What?" Eric raised his head again, his focus broken; he hadn't clearly heard her soft response.

Jennifer Connolly felt her cheeks flush at his reiteration. She didn't want to repeat it in front of so many people.

Nicole couldn't resist chiming in, "Hey, Eric, don't be too much. The girl said yes."

Eric finally realized and nodded quickly. "That's wonderful, Ms. Connolly." He promptly scribbled a series of numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to her, saying, "I hope you'll get in touch with me at seven tonight. I'll come to pick you up. We've got auditions to continue, and there are plenty of girls still waiting."

Jennifer Connolly lowered her head and hurriedly folded the note and placed it in her handbag before leaving the audition room in a bit of a fluster.

"Hey, Eric, is that a done deal?" Nicole asked curiously.

Eric nodded, "Barring any surprises, she's the one."

"Do we really need to continue the auditions then?"

"Of course," Eric replied, pulling out the next set of actor profiles. "There are still so many waiting, and who knows, we might discover someone even better, so let's keep going. Next!"

Everyone in the audition room realized that Eric had already made up his mind, and the remaining auditions felt less enthusiastic. By five in the afternoon, after the last girl finished her audition, the crew couldn't leave fast enough.

...

After returning to his office and tidying up, Eric was preparing to head out when Jeffrey knocked and walked in.

He handed Eric a document and said, "Eric, here are the latest negotiation results. CAA has made some concessions. Cruise and Hanks have the same terms: five million for the fee plus a 12% profit share."

Eric glanced through the document and considered, "Never mind, Jeffrey. Let's hold off on negotiations for a few days. Let's wait until next week. The film Road House is set to premiere Friday, and I bet there will be quite a spectacle to witness by then."

"I came to tell you just that," Jeffrey chuckled. "The critics' early screenings didn't go too well, and since then, they've gradually premiered across North America. The feedback has been divided, with praise and criticism evenly split. Although United Artists is trying to drum up interest, it hasn't had the desired effect. Many people seem to be waiting to see how it all plays out."

Eric shrugged. "Who cares? As long as it works in our favor. I suspect, after the box office flops, CAA won't have the confidence to keep dragging things out. Otherwise, Cruise and Hanks wouldn't agree to anything."

"Shouldn't we consider contacting WMA and other agencies for some of their actors to create the illusion of a cast change?" Jeffrey suggested.

Eric shook his head, declining. "No need, at least not for now. It's not at that point yet. Let's see how things develop."

The two of them didn't discuss much more and soon parted ways. They didn't realize that the stir they were creating was far beyond anything Eric had anticipated, like a lit fuse waiting to ignite.

*****

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