Eric, seated on the couch again, carefully scrutinized the Olsen sisters.
"Ashley, Mary, what films have you done in recent years?"
The sisters began listing their projects one after another.
"Billboard Dad."
"Switching Goals."
"Our Lips Are Sealed."
"Holiday in the Sun."
"What genre are they?"
"Family comedies, school films," one of the sisters replied. "Our agent chose this positioning, thinking it would be profitable for the company."
"And how are things with your peripheral products?"
Mary shook her head slightly, "A few years ago, things were going well, but recently sales have been declining. It feels like time is passing us by, so we decided to change."
Eric nodded, "Your attempt to change direction failed, indicating a wrong choice. From my experience, such school comedies have little demand. The only exception is 'American Pie.'"
"Now I have an important question, and you need to answer honestly. Do you see your future more in business or in an acting career?"
Ashley Olsen answered without hesitation, "Of course, an acting career. Our business should be based on popularity, and for that, we need a successful acting career."
"Smart answer. If you really want to advance in the acting profession and transition from child stars to serious actresses, I have a script with two main female roles. Will you accept it?"
"Yes!" The Olsen sisters answered in unison without hesitation. No one wants to remain a child star forever.
However, Elin, with her life experience, decided to clarify, "Eric, can you tell us about the plot?"
"I can, but it must remain a secret. The film is called 'Blue Is the Warmest Colour.' It's a story about female love, where the main characters are high school seniors, which fits your age."
"Female love? You mean lesbian relationships?" Ashley Olsen asked, frowning.
"Correct. The film is quite explicit; it's an artistic film and is completely different from your previous comedies. It will require serious acting."
"Wait, you mean Ashley and I will play lovers?" Mary Olsen asked cautiously.
"If you want to get a Golden Globe or an Oscar, you'll have to play it that way!"
"What?!"
At the mention of the Golden Globe and the Oscar, the Olsen sisters were genuinely shocked. In all their seventeen years in the industry, even the most self-confident directors and producers had never told them that they had a chance to win an Oscar.
Though the sisters were actresses, they clearly understood their limits. Dreams of MTV awards were more realistic, but the Golden Globe and the Oscar always seemed unattainable, almost fantastical.
"You mean with this film we could get an Oscar?" Ashley asked, stammering slightly.
Eric remained calm, "Winning the Oscar for Best Actress will be difficult, but a nomination is quite realistic. It will require work because such sensitive topics always attract the jury's attention. However, it is possible only if your performance is outstanding."
"Even if the Oscar doesn't happen, you can always aim for the Golden Globe, Cannes, Venice, or Berlin film festivals. Winning at least one of these awards will help you shed the child star label. That will be a real transformation!"
Eric spoke with confidence, knowing he could fulfill his promise.
In the original timeline, "Blue Is the Warmest Colour" was a French film that won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and received an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
On IMDb, the film received mostly positive reviews with a rating of around 8, though the rating dropped slightly due to the influence of anti-LGBT groups.
"Eric, will there be explicit scenes in the film?" Ashley asked.
"Of course, and they must be included. If an artistic film with such a sensitive theme doesn't have explicit scenes, how do you expect to win an award? The jury will say the actresses weren't willing to fully commit, and that's unprofessional."
The sisters exchanged glances, feeling uncomfortable, "But we are sisters, filming such scenes... It's not very good, and the fans might be against it. After all..." Ashley began.
"After all, you still want to sell peripheral products, right?" Eric guessed. "Are you afraid it will affect the business?"
The sisters nodded; their decision to perform in school comedies was precisely because of this.
"Listen. There's a saying: to build something new, you need to destroy the old. Your image has been fixed for so many years, and only through explicit scenes will viewers understand that you've grown up. Only then will directors start taking you seriously, not as child stars. Do you understand?"
"Besides, the film will be rated NC-17. Your buyers are children under ten, so it doesn't concern them."
"But it's the parents of these children who do the shopping, and they might be against it," Ashley noted.
"Ashley, Mary, we don't live in 1903 or 1803. Our society has become much more open. Yes, there are those who are against LGBT, but the majority have long accepted it. In the Netherlands, France, and Belgium, same-sex marriages are allowed. And even in Massachusetts, they will soon pass the corresponding law. Imagine the impact of the film if the law is passed at the same time it is released. You will become icons of a new generation, and your merchandise will sell like hotcakes!"
Eric's convincing speech almost persuaded the sisters, and even Elin began to doubt.
"Is it really possible?" Mary Olsen asked incredulously.
Eric nodded, "For you two, it might seem difficult because you have few resources. But for me, it's not difficult at all."
"Remember Gwyneth Paltrow and the film 'Shakespeare in Love.' Do you really think it could beat 'Saving Private Ryan'? Of course not. It was all thanks to the backstage work of Miramax."
"MGM has even more capabilities. With my connections and experience, many things that seem impossible will become reality."
The Olsen sisters were stunned and almost ready to agree. The hint of an Oscar nomination, the dream of every actress, was especially enticing.
Seeing that her nieces were almost broken, Elin decided to ask an important question, "Wait, there's one more key point."
"What?"
She took a deep breath and asked, "What's the price? Nothing in this world is free."
"Eric, you're offering too much, and I'm afraid these girls won't be able to pay such a price."
Eric smiled, "I don't need that much – a stake in Dualstar Entertainment."
------
You can read up to 10+ advanced chapters and support me at patreon.com/raaaaven