Chapter 516: Lucky Star on the Production Line

[Chapter 516: Lucky Star on the Production Line]

After spending more than an hour in a beauty salon, Charlize Theron got her hair done and slipped into the trench coat she had picked out not long ago. She stood in front of a full-length mirror.

The woman in the mirror wore light makeup, and her originally light-colored long hair had been dyed a golden brown. The fitted khaki trench coat, black tailored pants, and knee-high black boots accentuated her figure beautifully.

One of the beauticians who had just attended to Charlize looked at her enviously and complimented, "You are absolutely stunning. But I noticed you didn't wear any perfume. You might want to try the Miss Dior line of light perfume. It's fresh and elegant, perfectly matching your current style."

Charlize glanced at her manager standing nearby, her eyes questioning. When she first saw her manager effortlessly swipe a few thousand dollars for a trench coat, she had felt anxious about how long it would take to repay if this venture ended in failure. But as the spending continued, she grew increasingly numb to it all.

Now that she had come this far, it seemed reasonable enough to add a bottle of perfume to her purchases. After all, if this failed, she definitely wouldn't be able to pay that money back.

Michelle Simmons watched Charlize with satisfaction and nodded lightly. When she heard the beautician's comments, she hesitated for a moment but ultimately shook her head, saying, "This is good enough; you don't need the perfume."

Charlize felt a bit puzzled but didn't argue. Since yesterday, her manager had been reminding her of various things to pay attention to during meetings, all while dressing her in a way that was distinctly different from her usual style. From all this preparation, she could guess what the document with Eric Williams's name was about.

He probably didn't like women wearing perfume, she thought.

After settling the bill, the two didn't linger and headed straight to the car, driving towards the Playa Vista community in Culver City.

...

When they arrived at Firefly Studios, it was only half past ten. Michelle parked in a lot outside the studio, and the two got out. Charlize couldn't help but glance at the studio walls. Though they stood over two meters tall, the massive film stages inside were still visible.

Michelle looked at her watch and didn't lead Charlize across the street to the studio right away. Instead, she found a nearby cafe.

After ordering two cups of coffee and a plate of snacks, Michelle asked, "Charlie, do you remember everything I told you?"

Charlize mentally replayed Michelle's reminders from the previous night and slowly recounted them to her manager.

After Charlize finished, Michelle nodded, saying, "Good. But there's one more thing. I know you're a smart girl, but try not to show off your cleverness in front of Mr. Williams. Just be natural. If you feel really nervous, it's better to say less than to blurt out something incoherent."

Charlize remembered the relaxed face she had seen in the audition room over a week ago. She thought her manager was being a bit too serious, but nodded obediently.

"Do you think I'm overreacting?" Michelle suddenly asked, studying Charlize's expression.

Charlize hurriedly shook her head. "No, no."

"Don't think these are small matters. He became famous at eighteen with just a few films, and now has great power in Hollywood at a young age. Plus, he's a director. Both of those factors could make him a bit..." Michelle paused, refraining from using the term 'childish.' Hesitating for a moment, she added, "Somewhat... emotional. Minor slip-ups might end up making him dislike you. Just a little bit of dislike could mean you lose this opportunity. That's not unheard of; there are rumors that during the auditions for The X-Files, both producers liked one actress, but he simply said, 'I don't like that woman' and dismissed her."

Charlize opened her mouth, surprised by Michelle's casual industry gossip. Remembering that she had just watched The X-Files, she curiously whispered, "Michelle, I heard that the lead actress in The X-Files was also his girlfriend. Is that true?"

Michelle shot her a look. "That's not your concern."

Charlize brushed her hair back, feeling quite confident about her looks. However, seeing her manager's expression, she began to worry again, "What if he wants me to be his... What should I do?"

"If that happens, you would immediately become the envy of ninety-nine percent of Hollywood actresses. In no time, you would have everything that ordinary people could only dream of: a luxurious lifestyle, a dazzling stardom, high salaries, and the best treatment. You wouldn't have to bend to Hollywood's rules or toil like other stars to maintain your status..."

Michelle watched as Charlize's eyes sparkled with uncontainable longing, and she quickly splashed cold water on that idea, saying, "But you can rest assured; he probably isn't interested in you."

Charlize couldn't help but exclaim, "Why? Why not??"

Michelle shrugged. "Who knows? Just like we still haven't figured out why he suddenly laughed during the audition for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Given his nature, if he were interested in you, he would have made a move during the Buffy auditions. The fact is, that didn't happen; he even forgot your scheduled meeting. So, girl, this time, the most important thing is to seize that opportunity Kepler mentioned. Don't overthink it."

Charlize's shoulders slumped slightly, a hint of disappointment crossing her face.

Michelle took a sip of her coffee and continued, "But you didn't forget what I told you on the phone that night, right? If he offers you something in that direction, remember, don't refuse. It would be absolutely beneficial for you. Many actresses in Hollywood would do anything to get into his bed, and he's not an old, ugly man either. You won't be losing out."

Charlize rolled her eyes slightly but nodded, not arguing.

...

They spent time at the cafe until 11:30, when Michelle picked up her mobile phone and dialed Eric's assistant's number. After chatting for a bit, she took Charlize and walked towards Firefly Studios.

The studio guard had been informed ahead of time. After confirming their identities, he handed them temporary passes and let them in.

The main road in the studio complex was spacious, lined with several trucks, golf carts, and lavish SUVs parked next to the sound stages. Around noon, many people were moving in and out of the opened studio doors, and occasionally a group of stars could be seen surrounded by fans as they slipped into their SUVs.

After walking several hundred meters through the studio area and across a small courtyard, a row of commercial lofts made primarily of steel and glass came into view. Continuing forward, they finally reached the administrative section of the studio.

Michelle made another phone call, and soon a young man in his thirties emerged from an office building. After brief introductions, he said, "Mr. Williams is already in the restaurant. Follow me."

...

Inside the studio, alongside a large employee cafeteria, there were several upscale specialty restaurants. Following the rumors from a week earlier, Eric and Nicole hadn't been dining out anymore while at the studio. Instead, they picked one of these restaurants.

After wrapping up the morning's work, Eric checked the time and took Nicole to their usual lunch spot. He didn't rush to order but called Allen to notify him and began sketching on his drawing pad that he brought from the office.

Watching Eric quickly sketch, Nicole couldn't help but ask, "Do you really not need me to step out for a bit?"

Eric looked up at Nicole and grinned. "Nope. I asked Allen to bring that girl and her manager over. It's just a meeting -- to have lunch and chat a bit."

Nicole was already in the know, nodding as she looked at the artwork taking shape in Eric's hands. Against a fiery backdrop stood the bold figures of three women. "What's this? Is it the concept art for your planned Charlie's Angels remake?"

Eric nodded, shifting the sketch pad closer as he continued adding lines, explaining, "Yeah, I intend to completely remold Charlie's Angels into a blockbuster female spy series, somewhat like a female counterpart to 007 if it's feasible."

Eric didn't care much for the original Charlie's Angels series. Not only was the plot disjointed, but its music video tendencies felt overbearing. The director Joseph McGinty Nichol had originally been a music video director but had not managed to break away from the MV shooting style, leading to extensive scenes reminiscent of a music video in Charlie's Angels.

If not for the significant budget spent on practical effects and the hype surrounding female action films, its box office success wouldn't have been likely. Therefore, after two films, the series stopped abruptly and failed to take off again, with subsequent TV adaptations also falling flat.

Now that the rights were under his control, Eric didn't plan to follow the original style. Instead, he had a bigger ambition to turn this story into a longer series of action films. Even if it couldn't rival the classic 007 series, he would strive in that direction.

"007 has already done sixteen films; creating a similar series of films isn't easy. Frank Mancuso, who recently took over MGM, is planning to reboot the 17th 007 installment, and they previously sent inquiries about whether I'd be interested in playing a Bond girl."

Nicole's offhand comments sparked an idea in Eric's mind. He turned his head and scanned Nicole with intent, making her temporarily puzzled, and she shrank her neck, laughing, "Heh, haven't you already gotten tired of this?"

Eric leaned over and planted a quick kiss on Nicole's lips, grinning as he said, "Impossible, I just suddenly had a brilliant idea."

"Oh?"

Eric continued, "Since 007 has a Bond girl, Charlie's Angels should also have a classic villain. Let's call her Fallen Angel."

"Fallen Angel? You're not suggesting I play that part, are you?"

"Bingo, the first Fallen Angel. What do you think?"

"Not so fast! Since you want to develop a new series, the three leading ladies shouldn't be too famous. If I play the villain, I could easily overshadow those three girls in every way. By then, the audience would focus on me, and the movie would definitely become unbalanced," Nicole said confidently.

Eric quickly realized the issue. Nicole's recent film, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, had successfully crafted a strong queen-like persona for her, which would make it challenging for three rising stars to stand in her shadow.

"Well, if the first film doesn't work, we can always go for a second one. We can use the first to create buzz and the second to solidify the Fallen Angel's reputation. After that, the sequel development will be much smoother."

"Now that's more like it; I can give it a try," Nicole nodded in agreement.

Just as they were talking, Allen walked in, leading Charlize Therone and Michelle Simmons into the restaurant.

Nicole's gaze briefly lingered on Michelle Simmons, sharply dressed in a black suit with short hair, before moving to Charlize. After sizing her up, she suddenly leaned in close to Eric and whispered, "She's your type!"

"I haven't ordered my food yet," Eric replied softly, standing up.

"Hello, Mr. Williams. I'm Michelle Simmons. It's a pleasure to meet you," Michelle approached warmly, extending her hand to Eric, then greeted Nicole before quickly yielding the floor to Charlize.

"Ms. Theron, we meet again," Eric took the initiative to greet, openly admiring the woman before him, a lucky star on the production line of Hollywood.

*****

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