Chapter 58: The Complicated Prince

[Chapter 58: The Complicated Prince]

"Eric, have you moved Drew into your place?" After an exciting moment, Aniston lay on Eric's chest, gently scratching his pecs while she asked.

Eric nodded and recounted everything to Aniston, just as it had happened.

Aniston skeptically replied, "But... you're not related, so why spend so much on her? A million dollars? You've never spent that much on me. Hmph, there must be some kind of ulterior motive."

Eric playfully swatted the girl's smooth derriere under the sheets and said, "I just see Drew as a sister. You, however, are my girlfriend. If you want, I'd gladly spend ten million, even a hundred million on you."

Hearing sincerity in Eric's voice warmed Aniston's heart, yet she pouted, "I don't want to spend your money." Though she said that, her little hand began to explore under the covers, soon rekindling Eric's interest.

"You brought this on yourself, little girl." With a chuckle, Eric pinned Aniston beneath him.

"Ah... not there, it hurts..." Aniston cried out, squirming as Eric's strong hands held her firmly, but to no avail.

After a brief tussle that yielded no success, Eric reluctantly gave up on his wicked plans.

The voice said sweetly, "Eric..."

"Don't even think about it," Eric joked.

Even knowing he was just teasing, Aniston still shivered nervously.

...

"Al Pacino, in the Godfather series, he was so manly. Too bad he hadn't made a movie in years."

After a fulfilling night, Aniston's face glowed as she carefully tied Eric's tie. Noticing Eric's slightly jealous expression from her praising another man, she quickly tiptoed and kissed his cheek, "Alright, fine, my Eric is the most handsome. Al Pacino is just an old man now."

"I had planned to invite you to see Al's play on Broadway tonight, but after hearing that, I think I'll skip it."

Aniston laughed and declined, "Even if you were serious about that, I genuinely don't have the time. Christmas break is approaching, and the director has been pushing to finish filming. Speaking of, Eric, are you staying in New York for Christmas?"

Eric shook his head. "I'm not sure. If Al Pacino accepts the invitation, I could stay for Christmas. Otherwise, I'd have to rush back to Los Angeles for auditions."

"Oh," Aniston spoke, her tone a bit forlorn.

"Jenny, why don't you come back to Los Angeles with me? Your family is there, right?"

Aniston shook her head, "No, I don't want to go back. They... all have their own families now. I feel like a third wheel."

"That's not true; they still love you."

"You wouldn't understand, Eric," Aniston sighed sadly, tugging on her boyfriend's collar, "Alright, Eric, let's go."

...

"Hello, Mr. Pacino." While Eric had seen Al Pacino's countless film personas, he still felt a rush of excitement meeting the real deal.

"Hi there, Eric. Just call me Al."

Introduced by Kepler, they shook hands and sat down.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Al Pacino asked, "Eric, I've seen the outline for the script of Pretty Woman. You may already know that because of that incident back in '85, I haven't acted in a movie for four years. Although I appreciate your invitation when others were hesitant, I still feel that this script isn't quite right for me."

Eric inquired, "Al, could you elaborate on that?"

Al Pacino explained, "This script revolves around a female lead, and I previously asked Kepler about casting a newcomer named Julia Roberts for the role of Vivian. I specifically watched her film, Mystic Pizza, and honestly, her acting was rather average. If the script remains unchanged, my portrayal of Edward would overshadow the female lead, Vivian. In such an unequal dynamic, the film would come off as unbalanced."

Pausing briefly, Al Pacino locked eyes with Eric and confidently stated, "Eric, this isn't arrogance. I've received five Oscar nominations, and while I've never won due to the Academy's bias against newcomers, that doesn't diminish my talent."

After thinking for a moment, a smile crept onto Eric's face as he understood Al Pacino's intentions; this seasoned actor still desired the role, but he was displeased with the female-centric script. Al was likely trying to persuade Eric to modify it during their meeting.

Curious about his thoughts, Eric asked, "Al, if you took on the role of Edward, what changes would you propose for the script?"

Al Pacino's eyes lit up as he gathered his thoughts to share his ideas: "Firstly, we need to expand Edward's screen time, making that character much richer. I also think Edward's personality needs to be more pronounced..."

Al talked for over ten minutes until he had completely voiced his opinions. As a veteran actor, many of his suggestions sparked fresh insights for Eric. Without his background as a reborn individual, if this script had originally been his idea, Eric would have almost nodded along in agreement.

But now, there was no way that could happen. "Al, you really want to be in this movie, don't you?"

Taken aback, Al Pacino stared at Eric's understanding expression, then relaxed his shoulders and smiled, "Yes, I truly want to take this role because it's the first script I've seen since my little breakout years ago, and other studios are still hesitating to invite me for films. I don't know how long this hesitation will last, so I have to seize this chance."

"Al, your suggestions were very insightful, and I'm even tempted. However, the script cannot be altered. Pretty Woman is a classic fairy tale about a prince and Cinderella. Following your suggestions would create a distinct 'prince' character, but it would complicate and ground the fairy tale too much. The essence of fairy tales lies in their departure from reality, offering people a wonderful fantasy."

Al Pacino nodded, slightly disappointed, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something further.

Before he could, Eric jumped in, "Al, have you heard about Home Alone?"

"Of course, Eric. Even though I haven't starred in films lately, I'm still up to date with Hollywood news."

"Then you must know because of a bet with Columbia, I'll be earning a substantial amount in the future. So, if you take on Pretty Woman, I can promise you that after this film, I'll specifically invest in another project starring you, and I can assure you'll be satisfied with the role."

Al Pacino hesitated, "Can you give me any hints about this other movie?"

"Absolutely," Eric nodded. "I recently viewed an Italian film called Scent of a Woman and intended to buy its adaptation rights. In my envisioned script adaptation, you would play a blind colonel who, having lost interest in life due to his blindness, plans to indulge one last time before taking his life. He hires a high school student as his guide and embarks on a journey of indulgence -- touring, womanizing, racing, and so on. Ultimately, the student helps the colonel find direction again. This role is quite complex, providing you with ample space for creativity..."

As Eric elaborated on the concept, Al Pacino's excitement grew, his imagination already racing on how to portray the blind colonel.

Once Eric finished, Al Pacino remained absorbed in the Scent of a Woman script, lost in thought for five minutes before suddenly lifting his head and eagerly saying, "Eric, I'll take this script. I'd even perform for free."

"But, Al, I must finish Pretty Woman before considering any other projects."

"No problem, I'll take it on. During filming, I'll follow your lead. I'll... I'll do my best to tone down my performance so it doesn't overshadow Miss Roberts."

Sensing a prime opportunity, Eric tested the waters, "Al, I heard you don't have an agency at the moment. How about coming to UTA? Kepler is an excellent agent..."

Al Pacino hesitated just a bit, "Is this a bundled condition?"

Eric quickly shook his head, "Not at all; this is a genuine invitation. Even if you decline, I would still want you in those two films."

After thinking it over, Al agreed, "Alright, but I know you have some friction with CAA. If my future projects get affected because of that, I'd like to retain the freedom to leave."

Eric only wanted to secure this phenomenal actor for now; as for the future, he was confident his mind was filled with outstanding movies, and keeping Al Pacino at UTA wouldn't be an issue at all. "Of course, I'll have Kepler draft a very flexible contract. You can leave UTA anytime."

"Okay, I agree." Al Pacino nodded swiftly.

*****

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