Chapter 53: Hopefully You'll Have the Guts to Keep Refusing

[Chapter 53: Hopefully You'll Have the Guts to Keep Refusing]

After the news broke that Drew spent the night at Eric's place, many tabloids that hyped up the story saw a spike in sales. During this time, Eric couldn't seem to shake off the paparazzi following him. The day after he purchased the talent agency, reports about it hit the newsstands quickly.

The Los Angeles Daily News analyzed the matter directly, stating, "It's hard to understand why Eric Williams would choose to acquire Kepler Hyde's agency. While Kepler Hyde is a very capable manager, he was forced out of CAA due to a conflict with Michael Ovitz, making it difficult for him to navigate the Hollywood agent scene. Rumor has it that Hyde planned to sell his agency and head off to Europe, but Eric Williams' stubbornness kept him here. It seems our young miracle director has been swept off his feet by success and is unaware of the serious ramifications of angering a giant like CAA."

Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter focused more on how Eric had raised the commission at the agency: "According to a signed actor from what's now called the United Talent Agency, Eric Williams announced right away upon taking over that he was raising the commission for agents to the federal legal maximum of ten percent. It's certain that Eric will prioritize his agency's actors when filming in the future. If his movies can maintain the quality of 17 Again or Home Alone, even bumping the commission to twenty percent would attract many aspiring actors. But that assumption is quite unlikely; filmmaking is like gambling, and no director wins all the time. So, I can confidently say that Eric Williams' new agency will struggle to survive even a year."

Other newspapers soon echoed doubts about Eric's acquisition. To stoke the fire of this story's popularity, some journalists even sent interview requests to Michael Ovitz.

In a twist, Ovitz did not decline as he usually did. Although he stayed out of the public eye, he had his assistant issue a statement expressing confidence in the potential of young director Eric Williams, hoping for a possibility of collaboration between them.

To many, that statement seemed innocuous, but the media spun it with a contrasting angle: it was Ovitz's coy warning to Eric; as long as Eric remained connected to Kepler Hyde, the chance of teamwork was slim.

Of course, that was merely speculative.

Next, Eric's second film, Pretty Woman, was announced through the media, and the ever-present paparazzi quickly uncovered that Eric was trying to land Richard Gere for the leading role.

This revelation excited many in the press, as Gere was a contracted actor at CAA and was presently in a career slump. Under normal circumstances, he would likely accept Eric's offer. Thus, if Eric's collaboration with Gere fell through, it would likely confirm speculation of CAA blacklisting Eric.

...

In a newly renovated conference room at Firefly Pictures, Horner Willy sat casually drinking coffee. He was one of CAA's top agents and, notably, Richard Gere's agent, which explained his presence there.

The meeting room door swung open, and an impeccably dressed Eric walked in, smiling as he extended his hand to Horner, saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Willy."

"It's no problem," Horner Willy replied, arrogance creeping into his tone. He stood slightly to shake Eric's hand but quickly resumed his seat.

Eric subtly frowned and took a seat across from Horner, casting a puzzled glance around the room. "Mr. Willy, may I ask why Mr. Gere isn't here today? He's supposed to be the star of our discussions, right?"

Horner Willy shook his head. "Richard's tied up with other matters. He's delegated this to me."

Already sensing something off, Eric asked politely, "I assume Richard read over the script outline I sent him. What did you both think?"

Horner Willy responded, "Mr. Williams, Richard is quite pleased with your script; however, your offer of five hundred thousand dollars is a tough sell. Keep in mind, Richard's flick An Officer and a Gentleman brought in over one hundred million dollars at the North American box office."

Eric suppressed a smirk, thinking to himself about how self-important some folks could be. "Mr. Willy, I'm quite young and unfamiliar with An Officer and a Gentleman. What year did that film come out? I'll be sure to track down a tape and watch it."

"1982," Horner Willy responded instantly, only realizing too late that Eric had played him.

In Hollywood, an actor's pay was not strictly tied to their highest-grossing film. It depended on their recent work, box office performance, awards, and visibility. Since An Officer and a Gentleman was seven years old and reflected little on Richard's current market value, it was a flimsy reference point.

Before sending the offer, Eric had thoroughly researched Richard's recent career. Over the past three years, Richard's films had bombed. His best action thriller, No Mercy, pulled in just twelve million dollars. A recent cameo role had even grossed a paltry eighteen thousand dollars -- not a typo, eighteen thousand -- and it seemed the studio hadn't even recouped his appearance fee.

Given all this, Eric's five hundred thousand dollar offer seemed generous.

"Alright, Mr. Willy, since you think that's insufficient, why don't you tell me your terms?"

Horner Willy quickly regained his composure, stating, "Mr. Williams, while we could accept the five hundred thousand, you should really recognize the crux of the issue. Mr. Ovitz isn't a tightwad; if Kepler Hyde leaves the States, Ovitz won't target him anymore. This deal was almost sealed, but you insisted on keeping him around, which has put Ovitz in an uncomfortable position, so..."

Eric interjected with a cold laugh, "So you're trying to pressure me into getting rid of Kepler for a partnership, right? What a joke -- forcing someone to leave their own country and still claiming to act with dignity."

"Mr. Williams," Horner Willy cooled his expression, "Though you've achieved some success, don't overestimate yourself. In front of a giant like CAA, you're still an ant. I hope you're smart enough not to act rashly."

"And what if I insist on doing just that?"

"Then we regret to inform you, Mr. Williams, not to forget that Stuart Ronkel, the star of Home Alone, is also part of CAA. If you oppose CAA, good luck getting Home Alone 2 off the ground smoothly."

"Looks like CAA has grown so big that they've forgotten their place," Eric retorted, still smirking. "Don't forget, you're an agency; your actions should always prioritize the interests of your clients, or you won't last long in this business."

Horner Willy countered, "You don't need to remind us of that, Mr. Williams. We've always done just that. Even if we can't reach an agreement, Richard will land another starring role as compensation. CAA has no shortage of quality film projects."

"I just hope that after Pretty Woman premieres, Richard Gere will still feel adequately compensated," Eric said, his tone laced with unspoken significance. He stood up and continued, "Mr. Willy, our conversation ends here. Please pass along to Michael Ovitz that while nobody in Hollywood is irreplaceable, I will continue to extend offers to actors I have my eye on at CAA, and I won't accept any bundling conditions from you. Hopefully, you'll have the guts to keep refusing."

Horner Willy shot Eric a cold look. "I too hope you don't regret today's decision." With that, he walked out, leaving no further room for discussion.

*****

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