Christian Bale's journey was indeed inspirational.
In his early years as an actor, he spent more than two decades building his foundation, playing various peculiar roles.
His first talent agency was ICM, which was a prominent player in the Hollywood entertainment industry before CAA's rise to dominance. ICM represented a plethora of talents, which meant intense competition, and many opportunities slipped through his fingers and went to others.
Unable to see a promising future, he decided to jump ship to CAA during a time when the agency was starting to expand its influence in the industry. He was around twenty-three or twenty-four years old at the time, a former child star with a decent foundation. Given the right training, there was a chance for him to become a star and bring in extra revenue for CAA.
However, things didn't turn out as expected. Just like ICM, CAA wasn't particularly keen on nurturing newcomers. If you didn't have a background or connections, they weren't interested in investing in you. Being male and not having exceptionally striking looks meant he couldn't take the path of an idol actor.
So what good were their resources? They pretty much told him to play around and take his time because he wasn't a priority.
What could he do? Switch agencies again?
Christian didn't do that; he was forced onto the path of a character actor.
But why say he was forced?
Consider this: If you had the looks to make big money with your face, would you willingly put in the effort to act for peanuts at the beginning of your career?
And he was broke to begin with, which is why he took this path.
What choice did he have? People needed to make a living.
So, he embraced the path of a character actor.
And why was he forced?
Think about it: Who would willingly put in the effort to act when they could make big money with their looks and initially earn next to nothing?
Besides, he was already strapped for cash when he entered the industry, which led him to this path.
He didn't have a choice; he needed to survive.
He simply had to embrace the character actor path.
So, he roamed the independent film circles, starring in movies that might never see the light of day, and frequently appeared in TV shows because he needed the extra income to make ends meet.
He had been acting for so many years that he had the experience, but who the hell knew him?
He didn't have the kind of recognition or likability that could carry him; he was just another face on the screen, easily forgotten.
He didn't have any public appeal.
So, while many directors and producers in the industry appreciated his talent, and he never ran out of roles, that was the extent of it.
Starting in 1994, he went silent for a full decade.
It wasn't until the reboot of "Batman" that he silenced many doubters by playing the new Bruce Wayne. This role revitalized his career after years of decline. He began to thrive, forging a strong relationship with Christopher Nolan and starring in their collaborative film, "The Prestige".
And now, it seemed like his situation was improving ahead of schedule?
...
This invitation was sent through CAA.
His agent wasn't a high-ranking figure, but given this opportunity, they weren't about to let it slip through their fingers.
Hastily, they drove to Christian's house.
Christian lived in a high-end apartment near Hollywood, and the community was reasonably secure.
As soon as they entered, Christian's mother called him out.
Knowing it was about a film invitation, his attention immediately sharpened.
She wasn't a materialistic person, but she did hope her son would become a big star and earn a lot of money. Back in the day, she had brought him into the advertising world, seeking opportunities to accompany him in her spare time.
"What kind of movie is it?" Christian asked calmly. After all, he thought it might be another small production looking for him to act...
"It's a new project from Firefly Films, directed by Zack Snyder."
"Oh, him?" Christian was a bit surprised. He had worked on many commercials and had met Zack Snyder. After all, Zack had reached the pinnacle of the advertising world.
"Firefly Films?" Christian's mother, on the other hand, didn't care about the director but was more interested in the investors.
"Is that the "Saw" movie? Did they invest in that?" She suddenly remembered something and asked.
"Yes, this movie is their new project."
"Well, that's great," Christian's mother said with a smile.
After the two of them sat down, she brought a plate of sliced fruit and quickly made coffee.
Christian ate a strawberry and asked, "What about the role? Is there a script?"
The agent shook their head. "There's no script, but based on the information I received, Firefly Films claims to have a production budget of $70M for this project, and they're inviting you to play the male lead."
If it were any other actor who heard of such an opportunity, especially as the male lead, they would be ecstatic. But not Christian. Over the years, he had auditioned for many roles and had been rejected before. This kind of situation was not uncommon, so he remained calm. "Did they mention when the audition is?"
"They notified us that it's tomorrow afternoon, but they didn't specify the exact time. They just want you to come to the Firefly Films office."
Christian nodded and didn't say anything more.
After the agent left, Christian's mother warmly saw them off.
Over the years, the head of the household had proven unreliable, and her own abilities were limited. The heavy burden of the family's livelihood depended on Christian's acting and advertising income.
Although their life had gradually improved, she still felt immense pressure.
So, watching her son become a big star was her greatest wish. She was polite to anyone who could benefit his career.
On the other side, Zack was busy with the preparations for the film crew.
Lyman didn't have much to do either, so he followed Joseph in recruiting staff.
Advertisements for job openings had been running, but few managed to enter the company.
It wasn't that Lyman didn't want to train new employees; they just didn't have the means to do so.
It was still best to find experienced hands, especially in the administrative department. Joseph had a lot on his plate, and with many tasks piling up, his need for recruiting became even more urgent.
When they arrived at the reception room, it didn't take long for an applicant to arrive.
He was a middle-aged man carrying a briefcase.
"Hello, sir, this is my resume."
Lyman opened it and found that this guy had worked at several unheard-of movie companies. He seemed to have quite a bit of experience.
"What position are you applying for?" Lyman asked.
The man replied, "I'm here to apply for the Head of the Production Department."
Lyman was speechless. "I'm sorry, but I'm already in that role."
The man then said, "How about the Head of the Marketing Department?"
"That position has been filled."
"Human Resources Department?"
"We have someone for that too."
"..."
Damn it, he wanted a management position right from the start, and his qualifications weren't even that impressive. Where did he get the confidence?
"Would you be interested in being an assistant to someone?" Lyman asked.
After thinking it over, the man nodded.
"Then come to report tomorrow, complete the onboarding process. You'll be in the administrative department, following the company's specific arrangements. The monthly salary is $6,000. Do you have any objections?"
He seemed to have some experience, so Lyman directly handed him over to Joseph for placement. However, he would start from the bottom in terms of position and salary. If he had real talent, there was room for advancement.
The man hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.
"Jonathan Williams, right? Remember to come to the company tomorrow." Lyman handed him the resume and said, "That's it for now. Do you... have any other questions?" It was a clear signal.
Jonathan smiled, politely took his leave, and left the room.