Chapter 52: I'll Be the Bad Guy

[Chapter 52: I'll Be the Bad Guy]

Kepler Hyde agreed to the terms, and the discussions about the acquisition began. To Eric, the only real asset of Hyde's agency was Kepler Hyde himself.

Kepler, while not one of the five founding partners at CAA, was hardly lacking in talent. The remaining agents and the twenty or so underachieving actors in his firm had little to no value -- at least, that was the case before Eric's acquisition.

Hyde's agency had once welcomed top-tier actors, but thanks to Michael Ovitz's influence, several well-known names were forced to leave after a short time. Those who remained did so mainly because they couldn't find better opportunities; after all, Kepler was quite capable. The actors he managed might have struggled under CAA's shadow, but they still managed to land roles in a few independent films and television shows.

"Eric, one million dollars is hard for me to accept..." Kepler expressed his discontent with Eric's offer, as his salary at CAA had been far above a million.

Eric calmly replied, "Kepler, the value of your agency lies only in those twenty-some actors' contracts, and frankly, they don't mean much to me. If I wanted to, I could find hundreds of actors at that level any day."

Kepler countered, "Eric, they're all outstanding talents. With my years of experience as an agent, I assure you my judgment is sound -- they just lack opportunities."

"All the struggling actors in Hollywood lack opportunities, Kepler. That million is purely my offer to you personally, and I am even leaving you with a 10% equity share. Trust me, in a few years, you'll realize it was quite a bargain for you. As for them, the only thing I can give is the chance they've been dreaming of."

Kepler knew Eric spoke the truth and sighed, slightly nodding his head in agreement.

With the negotiations resolved, the two quickly signed a contract, transferring ownership of the agency. Naturally, the name needed to change, and Eric rather mischievously named it "United Talent Agency," abbreviated as UTA. In the future, UTA would stand alongside CAA and WMA as one of Hollywood's big five agencies, though in reality, UTA wouldn't be founded until 1991.

...

After wrapping up these business matters, it was already lunchtime. After a meal, Eric followed Kepler Hyde to the agency's office in Burbank, where Kepler only rented a few modest spaces that appeared rather shabby.

However, the office was packed with people, all aware that it was a special day for the agency.

As Eric took in the eager expressions of the agents and actors, he thought of a question and nodded to everyone, beckoning Jeffrey and Kepler into a private office. "Kepler, what's the current commission for your agency?"

"Six percent, I believe."

"Isn't that a bit low?" Eric asked, surprised. "Wasn't it ten percent?"

Jeffrey chimed in, "Eric, that was a long time ago."

Kepler explained, "Ever since CAA broke that norm in pursuit of competition, commissions have dropped significantly. Especially for small agencies like ours, it's essentially impossible to maintain a ten percent cut. Only CAA and WMA have the leverage to charge that much. Since CAA rose to power, they've even reinstated the ten percent split for those second-tier and third-tier stars."

After thinking for a moment, Eric said, "Let's change the agreement to raise the commission to ten percent."

"Eric, isn't that a bit unreasonable?" Kepler hesitated, but Jeffrey couldn't contain his disagreement.

Eric continued, "If we don't change it now, the impact will be much greater once the agency grows. So... who will announce this?"

Jeffrey and Kepler exchanged glances, both inevitably turning their eyes toward Eric.

"Uh, alright, I'll be the bad guy."

...

"I don't think I need an introduction; you all know who I am. I am officially announcing myself as the new owner of this agency, now renamed UTA. My next film will begin shooting after the New Year, and as long as you fit the image and pass the audition, you will be prioritized for roles in the film. As you all know, Stuart Ronkel and Matthew Perry were once unknowns, but thanks to their involvement in Home Alone, they have now become hot commodities. Even some who could only land supporting roles in television have transitioned to the big screen because of it."

Seeing the unmasked joy in the crowd, Eric knew he had set the stage well. He shifted gears and said, "However, I am a businessman, not a philanthropist. While I'm offering you hard-to-come-by opportunities, I expect returns. Therefore, the contracts for the agency's actors need to be revised to reflect a ten percent commission. If anyone finds this unacceptable, they are free to leave."

After making his statement, Eric turned and returned to the office to give everyone time to think. He believed that as long as these folks had any sense about them, they wouldn't choose to leave at this moment.

...

In the office, Jeffrey and Kepler were already discussing preparations for Pretty Woman.

"Eric, Jeffrey mentioned you wanted to invite Sophie Marceau for the leading lady?" Kepler inquired.

Eric nodded, "Yeah, is there a problem?"

Kepler replied, "If you want to start filming right after New Year, I advise you to consider someone else. Sophie Marceau is currently filming for Andre Zolla's new project, and knowing Andre's pace, it's doubtful she'll finish in time for your Pretty Woman."

Eric recalled that Sophie was likely busy with a project some viewers had dubbed an avant-garde film, My Nights Are Better Than Your Days -- beautiful name, but the content was indeed a bit out there, consistent with Zolla's usual style.

"Then let's go with Julia Roberts. Kepler, I hope you'll personally represent Julia."

Jeffrey urged again, "Eric, you must know that your film cannot afford to fail. A lot of people are watching closely, waiting for you to stumble, so..."

"Jeffrey, I get your point. But," Eric chuckled, "didn't you read that gossip in the papers? With the reputation I've built from my first two films, even if this next one ends up being terrible, it'll still make money. So, as long as the film is decent, failure is nearly impossible. Why not seize this opportunity to put a star of our own on the map?"

"What if Julia Roberts doesn't perform well?"

Eric smiled, his expression carrying a hint of mischief. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to personally groom her."

...

As Eric had expected, none of the actors at the agency chose to leave. They all accepted the new contract proposals.

After wrapping up these matters, Eric was about to drive home when Jeffrey joined him in the passenger seat, saying, "Eric, my car is in the shop for maintenance. Mind giving me a lift?"

"Not a problem."

As they hit the road, Jeffrey asked with concern, "Eric, what's the deal with Drew? I saw in the papers that she came to see you yesterday, and apparently her mother, Jaid Barrymore, was at your house too?"

Eric didn't hide anything from Jeffrey; he recounted the events of the previous day in detail.

"That's... okay, but Drew is a talented young actress. Are you planning to have her live with you indefinitely? You have no blood relation to her. Continuing like this, especially with the media swirling around, even if Drew's mother doesn't cause trouble, Child Protective Services might intervene. After all, Drew is just thirteen."

"Don't worry, I'm aware of that. I've already made plans to send Drew to a boarding school."

"That's good to hear." Jeffrey nodded. "Eric, you're not seriously harboring any sort of... Lolita complex, are you?"

Just then, the car, which was cruising steadily, suddenly slowed down. A Chevrolet that had been closely following nearly rear-ended them. The driver, a overweight white guy, stuck his head out the window and began yelling.

Eric steadied himself and maneuvered the steering wheel to shake off the Chevy. "Jeffrey, you tell me, where does Drew resemble a Lolita?"

"Just be mindful of your boundaries," Jeffrey retorted, apparently convinced of Eric's supposed inclinations.

*****

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