King of Hollywood-Chapter 597 - 5: I Want 100%

Everyone in the conference room looked in the same direction, towards the man who first shifted the blame onto MCM Records and thought that the headquarters would support Mottola’s plan. Now, he believed they could target the Playboy. This middle-aged man, appearing to be in his forties with distinctly Asian features, sat upright to the right of Mottola, cautious yet composed. He was Sam Tanaka, a Japanese American, and the secretary of the board for Sony Records.

"We all know that up to now, the major credits for the growth in film and television production at AC Media go to Adrian Cowell," Sam said confidently. "Besides, according to inside information, the rise of two teenage pop idols at MCM was also his doing, even contributing to several popular songs. To describe his influence as miraculous is not an exaggeration. But if you think that’s all there is to him, you’re mistaken. I believe everyone here has heard that although Claude Ronris steers AC Media, the general direction of its growth has always been determined by Adrian Cowell."

"You said it yourself, that’s just hearsay," someone retorted.

"Have you verified that?" Tanaka shot back. "I had the privilege of attending a party hosted by Old Ronris, where he personally admitted he did not anticipate AC Media’s rapid growth, which was thanks to his adopted son’s meticulous early planning. He gave an analogy: if Claude Ronris is the left brain of AC Media, responsible for analyzing, calculating, and executing, then Adrian Cowell is the right brain, handling thoughts, appreciation, and intuition. When both sides perfectly come together, success is inevitable."

After pausing and scanning the room to ensure everyone had digested his words, Tanaka continued, "I think, to earn such praise from Old Ronris, Adrian Cowell must have capabilities beyond just filmmaking and music production; otherwise, he wouldn’t still hold the position of chairman of the AC Media board. Even if Old Ronris was exaggerating, or if Adrian Cowell was sidelined by Claude Ronris, he is still the chairman of the board. Why shouldn’t we start from his end?"

"Are you sure we can get the information we need through one of the women around Adrian Cowell, Sam?" Mottola asked at this point.

"It’s highly feasible, as I just mentioned. Adrian Cowell is still the board chairman of AC Media, and such a takeover plan would not go without his notice. His notorious philandering is well known," Tanaka gestured. "More importantly, unlike typical playboys, everyone present knows all too well that most men struggle with three women, yet Adrian Cowell has maintained long-term affairs with at least six or seven women. Putting this together with the data we routinely collect, it’s not hard to infer that Cowell is quite narcissistic and very controlling, so his relationships with women are likely transactional."

"You’re suggesting we inform one of these women that we can offer her what Adrian Cowell can?" Another person asked disdainfully, "That might as well just send a woman to seduce him."

"We must be meticulous in choosing the right person," Tanaka withheld direct response, simply looking at Mottola.

"I remember, there seems to be a Japanese actress around Adrian Cowell," the same person continued, tone unchanged, "Apparently, she was a gift from the head office during his holiday in Japan a few years ago."

At this remark, the atmosphere in the meeting room subtly shifted, as many threw meaningful glances at Tanaka, who immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of twelve.

"If it was a few years ago, she would have been a good choice, but now, it would be the most foolish choice," Tanaka said calmly.

The other person was about to argue further when Mottola intervened, "Enough, Bill. Let’s hear Sam out."

Mottola then gestured for Tanaka to continue. Tanaka slightly bowed and resumed, "This woman must be smart enough to weigh pros and cons without being so cautious that she gets cold feet; her acquaintance with Adrian Cowell should not exceed six months—too short, and she may not be close enough to gather relevant information; too long, and she might not be swayed by us or could even spill to Cowell. She must also be ambitious, desiring to climb higher; only an ambitious person can be persuaded."

Pausing, Tanaka took a breath and scanned the room. Despite his care, a hint of pride was evident, "If she meets all these criteria, our chances are very good. We have other channels; we don’t need her to probe too deeply, just enough to let us glimpse Cowell’s plans. And Bill was right—if Cowell can provide for her, so can we. Can’t we back a woman just as well? Of course, to show our sincerity and instill confidence, it would be best for Mr. Mottola to personally handle the negotiations."

After finishing, Tanaka looked nervously at Mottola, who remained silent for a long moment before lifting his head, "I assume, Sam, that you already have someone in mind."

"Yes, Mr. Mottola," Tanaka finally couldn’t help but reveal a slight smile of delight, "I indeed have a great candidate!"

Not to mention Sony Records’ plans, Adrian had encountered an unexpected headache this time: the Oscar nomination list had been announced earlier than usual, in early February. The list was broadly in line with Adrian’s predictions, with "American Beauty" receiving several weighty nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original Screenplay. Nicole was also lavishly praised by the media, which claimed that it was her independence post leaving Cruise that allowed her to possess herself and shine brilliantly; Cruise, if he saw this, might have been angry enough to tear the newspapers apart.

In contrast, "Malena" seemed a bit poor, only garnering nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, and... Best Cinematography. Unfortunately, since the investments and production were by American companies, even though the European releases were in Italian, it could not compete for Best Foreign Language Film nomination.

But no matter, the main purpose of producing "Malena" was to secure the Best Actress nomination for Monica—missing other nominations didn’t matter. Last year, Adrian had received two Best Director nominations; it wasn’t surprising that the Film Academy didn’t consider him this time. What needed to be done now was to start ramping up the PR efforts. There might be more opportunities for Monica, but this was the most fitting; the unexpected headache also stemmed from here.

"This is really a tricky situation," Adrian sighed, feet up on the desk, leaning back in his high-backed chair, making the nomination list rustle loudly.

Although both Monica and Nicole were nominated for Best Actress, and "American Beauty" had been very well-received, accumulating over 50 million at the box office, in terms of the impactful portrayal of their characters, Caroline couldn’t compare to Marina. Adrian racked his brains over the four iconic shots he designed in "Malena," which many had praised; also the method of acting through body language had garnered quite a following, just as a certain critic had said, almost comparable to Holly Hunter in "The Piano Lesson."

Thus, although Monica didn’t have much screen time, she was undoubtedly the soul of "Malena." However, Nicole in "American Beauty" had her brilliance divided by Spacey, though they complemented each other, Monica shone brighter. Even though both women were equally beautiful and sexy, Marina’s painful sensuality drew more attraction than Caroline’s simple beauty.

Plus, with Adrian’s full support, the chances of Monica winning the Oscar for Best Actress were very high, if it weren’t for this variable.

"Hilary Swank, ’Boys Don’t Cry,’ damn, how could I have forgotten this!" Adrian tapped his forehead with his fingers.

In the original "American Beauty," Caroline was portrayed by Annette Beining, whose performance was even slightly superior to Nicole’s. Added to this, her husband Warren Beatty’s considerable connections in Hollywood—yes, the same Warren Beatty whom Woody Allen wished to be in his pocket—yet she was still beaten by a relatively unknown actress: Hilary Swank.

As everyone knows, for the Film Academy judges, the more abnormal the role played by the actress, the better—like a character with gender identity disorder, a woman liking women, who wanted to become a man to fit into society, only to be murdered in the end, and even based on a true event; definitely a favorite of theirs.

Simultaneously, with the arrival of the new millennium, the gay rights movement began to burgeon, although not as massively as a few years later. The mainstream society remained conservative, but once the label of discrimination was applied, everyone had to temporarily back off three feet, and Hollywood had many homosexuals, with the gay capital, San Francisco, just up north.

This movie pleased them, and despite being of moderate quality overall, Swank’s performance was very eye-catching, making her awkward persona stand out even more, no wonder it was an upset.

Adrian didn’t want to see this outcome—he had planned so long just for Monica to win that Oscar statuette. Stepping back and looking for another opportunity was definitely not his choice, but using PR tactics to smooth over this issue was not easy either.

There was a knock at the door, and then Charli, holding a folder, pushed the door open.

"This was sent over by Crow, regarding the acquisition assessment." She walked over and handed him the documents.

"Thank you, I’ll finish reading and respond to him," Adrian nodded, tossing the nomination list aside. "You’ve arrived just in time, Charli. There’s something I need you to do for me, give Harvey Weinstein a call and ask if he’d be interested in dining with me tonight."

Hollywood Planet Restaurant, located at 129 Viwillis Street, features an exterior shaped like a water-blue planet, and its theme inside revolves around American movies and TV shows, showcasing elements like Rocky, Rambo, Terminator, and dinosaurs from Jurassic Park. Even a trip to the restroom might involve snapping a photo with four giant Jaws sharks. The restaurant, first established in 1991, now owns about a dozen franchises, with many Hollywood stars investing in it, including Schwarzenegger and the former Willis couple.

Indeed, it has become a Hollywood tradition for celebrities to run restaurants since, aside from acting, they often lack other skills; restaurants are relatively easier for them to manage. They could also exploit their popularity to attract fans, such as Schwarzenegger who once ran a restaurant named Schatzi on Main with his wife.

"Schatzi" means "darling" or "dear" in German, and "Main" signifies "primary", making it essentially "most beloved dear." Considering Schwarzenegger’s robust physique, the name of the restaurant is quite cheesy. Schwarzenegger used to have breakfast frequently at his place, and naturally, his fans wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

However, most stars neither have the time to manage the stores nor the knowledge, leading to disinvestment when the restaurants don’t turn a profit as quickly as they’d like. Schatzi on Main closed in 1998, and Hollywood Planet Restaurant also declared bankruptcy last year but soon revived with fresh funding.

Most stars regularly patronize these restaurants despite the presence of paparazzi lurking nearby. Since the owners are stars too, security is tight, making it a popular spot for directors, producers, and movie company executives to dine and network. It provides an opportunity to strike deals, maybe sign a movie contract, and these restaurants, with their walls adorned with movie and star photographs, guarantee tasty food. Adrian had invited Weinstein to dine at Hollywood Planet.

"I love the duck here, smooth and juicy, fatty but not greasy. I make sure to come at least twice a month," said Harvey Weinstein, as he savored a slice of duck, chewing it twice before swallowing with a blissful expression.

He looked the same as always, small eyes and a goatee, portly with layers of neck fat, though he seemed to be losing more hair than before.

"Indeed, it’s delicious. However, I think it’d be better if you moderated a bit, Harvey. Hollywood would lose a lot of its color without you," Adrian said with a smile, sipping some red wine.

"Don’t worry, Ed. God isn’t ready to have me back, I’ve recovered well and am even stronger than before," Weinstein laughed heartily, setting down his cutlery to take a sip of wine before continuing, "But let’s talk about you. You didn’t invite me out just to catch up, right?"

"Of course not," Adrian chuckled. "’Malena’ is distributed by Miramax, right?"

"What do you want? Best Picture?" Weinstein asked immediately, his mind working fast.

"No, not necessary. ’American Beauty’ will undoubtedly be more popular with the old folks," Adrian shrugged and leisurely cut a piece of chicken, tasting it before adding, "Best Actress, I want Best Actress."

"Wow, that’s touching," Weinstein exclaimed, his face becoming serious again, "Do you need me to do something? I think your capabilities should handle it."

"If it were before, it wouldn’t be a problem, but this time there’s a strong contender," Adrian didn’t hide.

"I don’t think Nicole Kidman is much better than Monica Bellucci," Weinstein stated bluntly, then with a meaningful smile added, "Besides..."

"It’s not Nicole," Adrian shook his head, "it’s the lead actress from ’Boys Don’t Cry,’ Hilary Swank. You know, a true story adaptation, abnormal characters plus homosexuality, those guys’ favorite."

Weinstein recalled carefully, then nodded, "I must admit, what you’re saying is true. I overlooked that. It really is a problem, a big problem."

"So I need someone who is more capable in public relations to handle this." Adrian clarified the topic, "And that can only be you."

"I’m flattered," Weinstein raised an eyebrow, "but isn’t it a bit late now? The nomination list has already been announced."

Once the Oscar nominations were announced, the judges of the Film Academy could no longer privately accept invitations from all parties. Although PR people are pervasive and always find roundabout ways to contact the judges, openly direct contacts were not permissible and were monitored by countless vigilant competitors. It was not an easy task.

In fact, Oscar PR mostly took place regularly, inviting judges to various parties and events. Exaggeratingly speaking, some outcomes were already decided before the nomination list was announced. Weinstein’s instincts in this area were exceptionally sharp; even when Laverne ran Bossworth, he required Adrian’s support to compete with him.

"I know this is difficult, but..." Adrian raised his glass slightly, "you may utilize the resources of our company as you see fit."

Weinstein’s eyes immediately lit up, which meant that during this period, he could have AC Media fully cooperate with him in all aspects. Even if it was just for a short time, the temptation was irresistible.

"Really?" he rubbed his hands together excitedly, "That’s great! If everything goes as I plan, the probability of success is at least 90%."

"No, Harvey, I want one hundred percent," Adrian said lightly.

"One hundred... percent?" Weinstein was stunned. He had never imagined that Adrian would regard Monica so highly.

"That’s impossible, nothing can be one hundred percent successful," he said.

"I know, Harvey, but..." Adrian slightly lifted his chin, locking eyes with him, "a trilogy with an average investment of 200 million, an average box office in North America of 300 million, and a global average box office of 800 million. If you make it happen, I will hand over the operation to Miramax."

Weinstein immediately closed his mouth, rolling his eyes as if unsure how to respond.

Adrian laughed, "I know what you’re worried about, Harvey. You’ve always wanted to expand Miramax, handle some big productions. When you first joined AC Media, you and your brother were drawn to the fact that we didn’t have bigger film companies, which allowed for better development opportunities for you. But after acquiring Universal, you started worrying, worried that we would suppress you, making Miramax give way to Universal. This is really unnecessary. Without your ambitious spirit, Miramax wouldn’t be Miramax anymore. Although resources might lean towards Universal, we wouldn’t treat you unfairly. So, I proposed this condition."

Having said that, he spread his hands and then added, "Of course, this is at least worth three Best Actress awards." (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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