Chapter 97: Two Essential Items for the Party

The weather at the end of September was no longer as hot as before. Sitting by the window in the restaurant, Duke withdrew his gaze from the passersby outside and looked across the table. Charlize Theron's blonde hair seemed freshly dyed, even more striking than the last time he saw her. Beneath her bangs, her sculpted features created an almost perfect face, which, supported by her long, graceful neck, made her appear extremely attractive.

Although she didn't yet have the commanding aura she'd be known for later, her beauty was already dazzling.

As someone with a complicated past, Duke knew very well that in all of Hollywood, the number of actresses universally acknowledged as beautiful by both Eastern and Western standards was quite limited. The woman across from him was undoubtedly one of the top.

"I auditioned twice for the role."

Since placing her order, Charlize Theron's eyes had been shimmering, and she finally couldn't hold back any longer. "Duke, I didn't even see you there."

"I only attended the second round of auditions for the lead actors," Duke replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "The casting director handles the auditions for the other roles."

While it was true that the final casting needed his approval, along with that of two production managers, Duke, like most directors, didn't interfere with the auditions unless it involved key roles. In Hollywood, a highly professional place, even if some actors were cast due to connections, as long as they met the requirements and didn't cause any conflicts of interest, Duke generally wouldn't veto them.

The production of *Independence Day* was extremely complex. While Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox were the official investors, they had actually raised funds from more than a dozen banks and over a hundred individual investors. Some of these major investors' reasonable requests had to be considered.

Managing such a large production was never easy, and alongside the strict rules, there were always some personal favors to take into account.

"Duke…"

Charlize Theron looked straight at Duke. Her beautiful face could make any normal man's heart skip a beat.

Having once been accustomed to the softer beauty of the East, Duke no longer rejected the more striking Western beauty. In fact, Charlize Theron embodied the perfect fusion of both. Duke couldn't deny that her appearance moved him; any man who wasn't attracted to her must not be normal.

However, Duke wouldn't let her beauty cloud his professional judgment. "Charlize…"

He paused and then chose a more tactful approach, "Before I left the studio, I took a look at your audition tape."

"Really?" Charlize Theron's face lit up with a bit of surprise, clearly not expecting that after their last meeting, Duke had gone to review her audition.

Recalling her disastrous performance in the tape, Duke, despite her happy expression, said, "You have very poor camera presence. Throughout the audition, you basically maintained one expression. Let me put it this way: your acting is simply not up to par."

"I…" Charlize Theron was stunned.

"You still carry too much of a model's demeanor," Duke shook his head at her. At this point, Charlize was just transitioning to acting and wasn't even considered a beginner. "You lack the most basic acting skills. No director would hire an actor like that."

Of course, if she only wanted to play a non-speaking background character, he would pretend this conversation never happened.

Even though Duke tried to be as gentle as possible, Charlize Theron's expression still changed. The hand holding her coffee cup trembled slightly, as if she might get up and leave at any moment.

Duke paused, quietly observing her. If she couldn't handle this basic feedback, she'd likely have to face failure several times before realizing she wasn't a real actress yet.

Just like many other aspiring stars he had encountered, most actors' skills were honed through years of practice. If you had judged them a few years too early, their acting would have been painfully amateurish.

If Charlize Theron had any performance skills right now, they were invisible. Even though she was competing for a role with only a few lines, playing a stripper, she still wasn't qualified. The casting director was right not to select her.

Despite picking up some bad habits from the modeling world, like drinking and drug use, Charlize Theron was a smart woman. The man sitting across from her had enough of a reputation in Hollywood that he didn't need to crush or humiliate a struggling actress like her.

She slowly let go of the coffee cup and reached out to grab Duke's hand on the table.

"Duke, you're a professional. You've helped many actors rise to fame," she said with unusual sincerity. "Could you give me some advice?"

Feeling her finger lightly brush against his palm, Duke couldn't help but smile. "Have your agent contact an acting school and start taking basic acting lessons. What you need now is professional training, not blindly chasing opportunities."

The waiter brought over their dinner, and Duke put the conversation on hold. Once the waiter left, he picked up his knife and fork.

"Opportunities are very important in Hollywood," he said, looking at her. "But opportunities are only for those who are prepared."

They weren't even friends, and Duke only offered this much advice because of his fondness for her beauty. Whether she took it or not, he wouldn't give her the role. Professional integrity as a director required that.

Dinner passed in relative silence, with Charlize Theron clearly contemplating his advice while Duke's mind focused more on his work.

As they were leaving the restaurant, Charlize received a call from her mother and hurried off. Just as Duke was about to get into his car, she came rushing back.

"Are you free this weekend?"

She seemed a bit flustered as she spoke. When Duke nodded, she continued, "Want to come to a party? It's being thrown by a friend I knew from my modeling days in Paris."

"Where? Who's hosting it?" Duke asked, looking at her.

"Cameron Diaz. She's also transitioning to acting."

After a moment's thought, Duke said, "I'll let you know before the weekend. I'm not sure if I'll have something come up."

"Alright, I'll call you then."

Waving goodbye, Charlize Theron turned and left.

Preparations for *Independence Day* were progressing smoothly. Locations were being finalized, and props, models, sets, and equipment were all arriving on schedule. The set designs were nearing completion, and Duke had to approve everything personally to ensure there wouldn't be any problems later. Small mistakes during preparation could turn into massive issues during filming.

The core members of the crew had worked together before, and after their experience on *The Rock*, they communicated and cooperated more efficiently. Even though there were still some difficult personalities, like Joss Whedon and Zack Snyder, their contracts and the potential success of the film ensured they put aside their differences to get the job done.

Hollywood productions were never harmonious, and Duke knew that well. Conflicts were fine as long as they didn't affect the work. Otherwise, he wouldn't hesitate to fire both parties.

Hollywood was filled with talent, after all.

With two massive box-office hits under his belt, Duke had gained some authority. Along with support from the producers, this was enough to suppress any discord on set.

Additionally, after discussions with the Pentagon, Duke had sent Will Smith and the other actors who'd be piloting planes for military training. They didn't need to become amateur pilots, but at least they needed to look convincing on screen.

Will Smith's acting wasn't great either. His skills barely met Duke's minimum standards, but years later, his likable personality and charisma would make him a box-office draw. His race and charm also played a significant role.

The casting for *Independence Day* included Black, Asian, Latino, and Jewish actors, along with traditional white leads. This inclusive approach had contributed to the original film's success, as it resonated with different American demographic groups.

"This is a testament to American unity," Duke remarked sarcastically.

The person Duke was speaking to was, unsurprisingly, Sofia Coppola. "Every group in America loves this land!"

"Everyone's a patriot."

Sofia was still flipping through Duke's director's notes, even though it was after hours. "But you're definitely not one of them!"

"That's slander," Duke replied, placing the files he had organized on the corner of his desk. "Got any plans for the weekend?"

"Going home," Sofia answered without looking up. "Going fishing at the beach with my parents."

"I was thinking of inviting you to a party."

Walking around his desk, Duke tapped on the back of Sofia's chair to remind her it was time to leave. "What kind of gift should I bring to a female friend's party?"

"What kind of friend?" Sofia finally looked up. She knew Duke didn't have many friends, especially female ones. In fact, it seemed like she was his only close female friend.

"That South African model?"

When Duke nodded, Sofia rolled her eyes. Her voice was filled with sarcasm as she spoke with her distinctive nasal tone. "For a model's party, you need to bring two things: drugs and condoms."

"Oh, and one more thing," she continued mockingly, "if you're uncomfortable around homosexuals, it's best not to go. There are way too many gay and bisexual people in the modeling world."

"Is it really that bad?"

Though Duke had heard rumors, he hadn't witnessed it firsthand.

"Sweetheart, don't forget," Sofia said as she closed the notebook and stood up, "I used to work for Karl Lagerfeld."

"Also, let me remind you." She patted Duke's shoulder, "You'd better take some Viagra before you go. Those female models..."

Duke rolled his eyes at Sofia Coppola, who was laughing at him, and walked out of the office.