Chasing Stars in Hollywood

Marvin Josephson's cocktail party at his Beverly Hills mansion was a major social event for ICM's artists before the Oscars.

Earlier that Wednesday, Daenerys Entertainment had officially signed the contract with the actor playing Clark Kent in "Superman." Since the actor was represented by ICM, Marvin Josephson personally attended the signing ceremony and also extended an invitation to Simon for this cocktail party.

The confirmed actor for the role of Superman was Brad Pitt.

Simon had taken notice of Pitt two years ago.

In Simon's memory, Brad Pitt had been interested in playing Superman in Warner Brothers' 2006 reboot "Superman Returns," but at the time, Pitt was already too famous, and Warner had to pass on him.

Currently, Brad Pitt was 29 years old. He had debuted in the mid-1980s, but unlike Tom Cruise, who was only a year older and had a smooth rise to fame, Pitt had been struggling in minor roles in the industry.

His most notable recent role was in "Thelma & Louise," where he played a "male flower vase," which was a result of Simon's specific arrangements.

To prepare Pitt for his Superman role, he was also set to star in Daenerys Entertainment's "A River Runs Through It," directed by Robert Redford. This literary adaptation, which was originally Pitt's breakthrough role, was planned for release at the end of the year to contend in the awards season.

Brad Pitt's contract, similar to the one signed by Batman actor Adam Baldwin, was a 15-year deal for five films. However, unlike Baldwin's $30 million deal, Pitt's starting salary was $250,000, with each of the subsequent four films increasing by $2.5 million each.

If the "Superman" series met expectations, the total value of Pitt's five-film deal would be around $25 million.

Though a $25 million package deal was negligible compared to the potential value of the "Superman" series, for an actor at Pitt's level at the time, it was an opportunity they would fight hard for.

In addition to Clark Kent, the actor for Cyborg, Victor Stone, had also been decided recently.

The role went to Will Smith, who had been transitioning from the rap scene to Hollywood over the past couple of years.

Will Smith debuted as a rapper in 1985. Despite winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group three years ago, he was only barely a second-tier artist in the music world, with his Grammy-winning album selling just 500,000 copies.

Due to excessive spending and tax evasion, Smith was fined $2.8 million by the IRS two years ago, which bankrupted him and forced him to turn to the film industry to earn extra money.

His role in the ABC sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," which premiered in 1990, allowed Smith to establish himself in Hollywood.

In this era, opportunities for black actors were far fewer than they would be in the next century.

With the DC Cinematic Universe booming, the role of the black superhero Cyborg attracted fierce competition among black actors, including Smith.

With Simon's backing, and being well-suited for the role, Will Smith secured the part.

Smith's five-film contract, similar to Pitt's but due to Cyborg's lower popularity and Smith's status as not a major star yet, was valued at $20 million in total.

The contract started with a $200,000 salary for the first film, with the next four films increasing up to $2 million each.

Simon arrived at the cocktail party with Nicole Kidman around 8 PM, well after it had started.

Cocktail parties generally have a relaxed atmosphere with no strict start time, so they weren't considered late.

Moreover, Simon Westero arriving late...

Well.

In Hollywood today, that might sound like a joke.

Noticing Simon's arrival, Marvin Josephson, accompanied by his daughter Nancy Josephson, came to greet them.

After several reorganizations in the 1980s, Marvin Josephson had mostly stepped back from managing ICM, retaining only the position of chairman as a major shareholder.

Nancy Josephson was being groomed as Marvin's successor and was already making a name for herself at ICM.

As a later arrival to the industry, Simon knew that Nancy Josephson would become co-president of ICM in a few years, and one of her prominent clients would be Johnny Depp.

Johnny Depp became famous with "Edward Scissorhands" two years ago and was now a well-known young star in Hollywood. Depp had even tried to secure the role of The Flash but was turned down by Simon, who felt Depp's style didn't suit Barry Allen.

With the Oscars approaching next Monday, many of ICM's big stars had gathered in Los Angeles, just like Nicole Kidman.

Thus, the mansion, spanning over an acre on Beverly Hilltop, was filled with guests inside the villa, outside, and on the backyard lawn.

Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Denzel Washington, Susan Sarandon, Demi Moore, Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, and many other ICM stars and secondary artists were present, along with executives from various production companies.

Many Hollywood film projects are often unknowingly finalized at such social gatherings.

Marvin Josephson's invitation to Simon was not solely to strengthen personal relationships.

After greeting some familiar faces like Mel Gibson, Marvin led Simon to a corner of the backyard lawn where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Columbia Pictures CEO Peter Guber were standing.

"Simon, Amy mentioned you weren't interested in the 'Phantom Hero' script. I think you should hear Arnold's thoughts on it. This could be a blockbuster like 'Terminator 2.'"

Following last year's "Terminator 2," Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity had returned to its peak, making his next film a key focus in Hollywood.

Recently, there had been talk in the industry about Schwarzenegger preparing an original script titled "Phantom Hero," and the script quickly made the rounds in Hollywood.

Simon didn't need to read the script to know that this was Schwarzenegger's biggest flop in the 90s.

"Phantom Hero" tells the story of a boy obsessed with a movie action hero who obtains a ticket that allows him to travel between the film world and reality, embarking on adventures with his idol, Jack Slater, played by Schwarzenegger.

In Simon's memory, "Phantom Hero" cost $85 million to produce.

The film grossed just over $50 million in North America, resulting in massive losses for Sony and nearly derailing Schwarzenegger's career.

Such a massive pitfall led Daenerys Entertainment to decline the project outright when ICM pitched it to various studios.

Judging by the current situation, it seemed Sony's Columbia Pictures was taking on the project as in the original timeline.

However, after the failures of "Hudson Hawk" and "Captain Ron" last year, Sony had become more cautious. Peter Guber was evidently trying to bring Daenerys Entertainment on board to make it a joint project.

Simon had no intention of getting involved with "Phantom Hero" and didn't feel the need to warn Sony off.

The release of a box office flop like "Phantom Hero" would open up a significant market share for other films, benefiting Daenerys Entertainment.

Patiently listening to Schwarzenegger's thoughts on the project and exchanging a few words with Guber, Simon verbally expressed he would consider it, planning to have Amy turn it down again later.

Seeing Simon walk away, Schwarzenegger, Guber, and the film's screenwriter Zach Penn were somewhat disappointed.

Being experienced in the industry, they could tell from Simon's vague attitude that Daenerys Entertainment was unlikely to participate in the project.

However, Simon's cold reception didn't dampen their determination to make the film.

Over the past year, while Daenerys Entertainment dominated the box office charts, several successful films still came from other studios.

Marvin Josephson showed no signs of disappointment at Simon's refusal to participate in "Phantom Hero," continuing to warmly lead him to meet another tall actor.

This was another ICM client, Liam Neeson.

During the filming of "Jurassic Park," Spielberg had been looking for the lead for "Schindler's List."

Given the special significance behind "Schindler's List," many big-name actors in Hollywood, like Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, and Warren Beatty, had expressed willingness to reduce their fees to star in it.

However, Simon still favored the original choice, Liam Neeson.

Liam Neeson, now 40, had been in Hollywood for a decade but remained a second-tier actor.

Considering Neeson's career trajectory later on, it's clear that Hollywood male stars have significant advantages over their female counterparts, as they often don't have a shelf life.

In private discussions, Spielberg envisioned Schindler as someone like Steve Ross, and therefore wanted to find a similar type of actor.

Since Simon hoped Neeson would land the role, he specifically instructed ICM and Neeson to find some video references about Ross.

Unlike "Jurassic Park," where Simon would merely suggest ideas, Spielberg had full decision-making power for "Schindler's List."

In Simon's memory, "Schindler's List" had a decent box office performance. However, regardless of whether Spielberg chose Neeson as the lead, Simon wasn't particularly concerned.

For Simon, the project was not about profit but about showing support for Hollywood's Jewish community.

Due to his mysterious background, Simon's ethnicity was often a topic of discussion.

However, most media generally agreed that, based on his last name before changing to Westeros and his appearance, Simon was a standard Anglo-Saxon, a WASP.

Even though some hoped Simon was Jewish, including many in Hollywood, and some had even tested his willingness to convert to Judaism, most people had a general assumption about his ethnicity.

To outsiders, America's Jewish community seems particularly powerful and glamorous,

 but in reality, it's not always the case.

Those deeply involved in American society know that many Jews, whether in politics or business, often feel an inherent inferiority complex in the face of WASPs.

Many elite clubs in America still do not accept Jewish members.

Additionally, many Jews try to integrate into WASP circles after achieving success.

Racial issues in America remain sensitive because of deeply rooted and pervasive discrimination, not just between whites and blacks but even within white communities, with terms like 'redneck' and 'white trash.'

Simon wouldn't declare himself Jewish or convert to Judaism to please Hollywood's Jewish community.

However, as his power in Hollywood grew, supporting "Schindler's List" to convey a certain attitude was necessary.

After discussing with Liam Neeson, Simon was approached by Bruce Willis and Demi Moore.

The couple was currently experiencing a decline.

Bruce Willis's consecutive flops with "Hudson Hawk" and "The Last Boy Scout" raised doubts in Hollywood about his potential as an action star, despite his rise with "Die Hard."

Following "Ghost," Demi Moore's role in last year's "A Few Good Men" reaffirmed her status as a top Hollywood actress.

However, eager to capitalize on her success, Moore had accepted two back-to-back film roles after "A Few Good Men."

One, "The Butcher's Wife" produced by Paramount Pictures, released in October with a $20 million budget, grossed just over $9 million in North America.

The other was even worse, Columbia Pictures' "Mortal Thoughts," with a $40 million budget and co-starring "Ghostbusters" star Dan Aykroyd, aiming to replicate the success of "Ghost" and "Ghostbusters."

However, the film, released on Valentine's Day, grossed just $3.26 million in its opening week, and after two weeks, its total box office barely exceeded $6 million.

Given Moore's and her co-stars' status, they shouldn't have been relegated to such low-profile release dates in October and February.

The fact that both films were dumped in such unfavorable time slots showed that the studios themselves had little faith in their quality.

With two consecutive box office failures, even with the popularity she had built from "Ghost" and "A Few Good Men," Hollywood studios were starting to label Moore as box office poison.

In "Ghost," Moore's performance was commendable, but in "A Few Good Men," the film's success was more attributed to the star power of Robert De Niro and Tom Hanks.

Moreover, both "Ghost" and "A Few Good Men" had Simon's influence behind them.

When analyzed, Moore's box office appeal was even more questionable.

Six years after Simon's rebirth, Hollywood had already changed dramatically.

The era of blockbuster movies was starting earlier, with big-budget, large-scale, high-effects, and high-IP projects gradually replacing the star power of individual actors. After consecutive failures, the couple's chances of a comeback were slim.

"Simon, I just spoke with Ms. Fei about the Oscar dress yesterday. I'm sorry about the Van Cleef & Arpels endorsement issue last time. I fired my PR manager, who thought the brand's positioning didn't fit my image. But if Melisandre's newly acquired CK needs my help, I'll do my best."

Last year, when choosing a spokesperson for Van Cleef & Arpels, Sophia's first choice was Demi Moore, and they had attempted to contact her. However, Moore chose to endorse Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels' direct competitor.

"It's okay. Besides, I don't really get involved in Melisandre's matters," Simon said, shaking his head.

He never had high expectations of people and didn't feel particularly affected by what had happened.

Moreover, standing beside him was the current Van Cleef & Arpels spokesperson.

It turned out that Nicole Kidman, both in appearance and temperament, was more suited to endorse a jewelry brand than Demi Moore.

Moore glanced at Nicole, wanting to say something but holding back. She chatted briefly about some trivial topics before leaving with Willis.

Although sensing Moore's attempts to curry favor and apologize, even making subtle advances when her husband wasn't looking, Simon wasn't inclined to spend much attention on her. This actress seemed to have exhausted her charm in "Ghost."

After mingling for about an hour among the 100-200 guests, Simon decided to leave the party around 9:30 PM.

However, as he walked through the villa, he encountered a surprising figure in the hall.

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