Chapter 107: The Thoughtful Girl

[Chapter 107: The Thoughtful Girl]

"I just mentioned it casually; you don't have to keep following me, do you?" Eric said while driving, glancing helplessly at Drew, who lounged in the passenger seat.

Drew let out a light grunt, chewing her gum vigorously as she continued to focus on her handheld game device, the beeping sounds echoing in the car.

"Jenny is coming back to Los Angeles at the end of the month, and she might just move in with us."

"Uh-huh," Drew replied, her voice slightly louder, though she didn't really mind the comment.

From the beginning, Drew never thought Eric and Jennifer Aniston would work out. Eric had a domineering nature that, while often appearing approachable, would not tolerate anyone defying his will when he chose to be stubborn. And Jennifer was such a headstrong girl, with a blend of confidence and a slight inferiority complex; they might get along at first, but over time, their mutual concessions would wear thin, especially with Eric's notorious wandering eye. It was hard to see how Jennifer could put up with that.

Drew often fantasized that she might be the one best suited for Eric. She could handle his strong will, his infidelity, everything about him. To better understand him, Drew had even tackled a few books on personality psychology despite getting dizzy just from reading. She loved him enough to give everything, but she knew that, in the end, he wouldn't belong to her. The thought alone felt sorrowful.

The reason she clung to him that day wasn't merely out of jealousy -- okay, maybe a little. But mostly she was trying to assert her presence. She knew he understood her perfectly; he was so smart, how could he not? All she wanted was just a little more from him, and that didn't feel greedy at all.

...

It was Drew's first time at the Firefly Films headquarters. Although she grew up in front of the camera, she didn't know much about the inner workings of a film company. Filled with curiosity, she had dragged a female employee, who was working overtime that weekend, to show her around. They checked out the dubbing and editing rooms, and Drew even tinkered with some equipment. However, Firefly wasn't a very large film company, so after about ten minutes touring the facilities, she settled into a small screening room to watch a tape, leaving Eric alone.

...

Once he had instructed someone to add the names Drew submitted to the audition list, Eric began to sift through the roster of actors who had already passed the first round of selections.

After flipping through a few pages, the actors reflected the criteria he had laid out. It was obvious there would be some vestiges of favoritism -- he had already slipped a few inside favors into the mix himself, let alone what others at the company might do.

He was confident that during auditions, even the order in which the characters would see the other actors could be manipulated, but as long as there weren't any significant mishaps, it was all good. Would it be unfair to those talented actors who lacked connections? Sorry, but fairness had never been a thing in that world.

As the company expanded and tasks multiplied, Eric could no longer hold on to every bit of power. The casting rights for minor roles would gradually be handed to others. Those responsible for casting wouldn't mess with their careers -- if they selected actors who didn't meet the requirements and it impacted filming, they would most likely get fired. Therefore, actresses who thought they could get roles by sleeping with the casting assistant would often find themselves empty-handed if they couldn't perform.

After reviewing parts of the audition list, Eric didn't rush to leave. Since he was there, he looked over detailed budget sheets for three movies. Because Columbia Pictures handled the investment, the budget was set at $40 million, a steep cost for a non-special effects film. But Eric had no intention of cutting Columbia a break; if the money wasn't spent, they wouldn't forward any leftovers to him.

Instead, Eric shifted his spending focus to the cast. For the female character in the Interpol division, he directly sent a guest role invitation to Sigourney Weaver. She accepted, of course, but her guest fee was substantial; no problem, he wasn't spending his own money.

As for that scene-stealer detective, Eric had his eyes on Joe Pesci, who played the role of the bumbling thief Harry in the original. When preparing Home Alone, Eric had thought of inviting him, but the budget didn't allow for it at the time, and they had to settle for a TV actor instead. Unfortunately, that actor was outshined by newcomer Matthew Perry, who turned the original character's role on its head.

At this time, Joe Pesci got offered a role in another blockbuster, which came from Warner Bros., a series that had already produced four movies and a TV series in the future, Lethal Weapon. Before he made the decision, he received Firefly's offer, and that cleared up his indecision. Of course, Eric had him audition specifically, and it turned out well; Joe Pesci's comedic voice and natural talent made him a perfect fit. The only concern was whether Tom Hanks, who was equally talented, would overshadow him during filming.

As for other supporting roles that didn't have actors selected yet, Eric maintained a standard of at least second-tier actors; if someone didn't have a couple of film credits and connections, they were automatically out of the running without even an audition.

Eric's budget for personal investments was much smaller, set at $10 million. Al was gearing up to shoot the film Scent of a Woman, aiming for an Academy Award, and took only $3 million as pay. The overall film budget for The Others was only $5 million, with Jonathan Demme's directing fee at $500,000. Virginia's pay was the same as Julia's, at $300,000. Since all scenes were set in an English manor, the remaining funds were more than sufficient for production.

After reading through the lengthy budget sheets for the three films, Eric stretched, glancing at the clock -- it was already six in the evening. He got up to leave and asked the staff left behind if Drew had already left early. The little girl was quite perceptive; Eric felt it would be rude not to come back home that evening. He called Virginia to inform her he wouldn't be coming over and then drove back to his Beverly Hills mansion.

...

Drew obviously brightened up when he returned, but they still dined on takeout that night. Having been busy all afternoon, Eric was too lazy to cook, and Drew didn't have any talent in the kitchen. Though she could manage a few things, she certainly wasn't inept enough to mix up salt and sugar or confuse vinegar and soy sauce; her cooking was just nearly inedible.

"Eric, why don't we hire a chef?" Drew proposed on a whim at the dining table, clearly tired of pizza delivery.

Eric popped a slice of pizza into his mouth and nodded. "It'd be best to hire a few maids too. I prefer Japanese maid outfits; how about you?"

"I like..." Drew started to say, but then shut her mouth and shot Eric an annoyed glare. "You're such a domineering male, even if your territory is empty, you won't allow any male to intrude."

"Wow," Eric said, curiously sizing her up. "I never expected you to come up with something so insightful. I really underestimated you."

Drew pouted, returning to her dinner and ignoring Eric from then on.

*****

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