"You're probably talking about *Resident Evil*, right?"
Mike thought for a moment before saying, "From what I know, the official scripts for the first two *Resident Evil* movies aren't ready yet. Production won't start for another two months or so.
But, if you have a connection to Wayne, who's personally overseeing the action choreography, getting a small supporting role with a few scenes shouldn't be too difficult.
If a fitting role appears once the script is finalized, you might even get a speaking part. That's the best deal I can secure for you.
As for the larger roles, those are typically handpicked by Wayne himself. Any major role in a film produced by Hemera Pictures is basically chosen by him."
"Can I meet Mr. Anderson?" Zhang Ziyi couldn't help but ask.
Wayne and Hemera Pictures' approach reminded her of the entertainment industry in China. If that's the case, then all she needed to do was get on Wayne's good side to land a decent role.
Seeing her reaction, Mike couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm sorry, I'd love to take you to meet Wayne, but unfortunately, he's currently shooting a film in Europe. It's another big-budget series fully funded by Hemera Pictures, with a production cost of $55 million. He won't be back for two months."
Mike paused and then put on an exaggerated expression, adding, "Also, half the actresses in Hollywood have heard of Wayne's generosity and his reputation for keeping his promises. If you want to meet him and, well, get to know him better, the line of actresses trying to catch his attention stretches all the way to Santa Monica Beach."
"As for you," Mike gave Zhang Ziyi a more thorough look, realizing just how beautiful she was. He then said, "If you sign with me as your agent, I'll secure the same conditions I just mentioned. But I can bring you up in my next call with Wayne and try to set up a meeting once he returns."
"Just a meeting?" Zhang Ziyi frowned instinctively, clearly unsatisfied.
"Exactly, just a meeting," Mike smiled and patiently explained, "Do you know where Wayne lives? A $15 million mansion in Beverly Hills. Even Hollywood's most invasive paparazzi don't dare get close. Meeting him isn't as easy as you might think."
Fifteen million dollars? That could buy dozens of courtyard homes in Beijing in the year 2000!
Zhang Ziyi's eyes widened with shock. She realized that this was America, where the power and influence of capitalists were far greater than in China.
In China, meeting with a production company boss wasn't easy, but not impossible. Here, though?
Still, thanks to America's party culture, if you really wanted to meet someone, there were ways.
However, Wayne rarely attended those parties unless absolutely necessary, so Hollywood actresses interested in him gradually realized that meeting him was almost as difficult as meeting the head of a major studio.
After hearing Mike's explanation, Zhang Ziyi thought for a moment and then decided to sign with him.
Even if she couldn't meet Wayne, just securing the conditions Mike promised was already a win. After all, she had no idea at this point that *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*, which everyone expected to flop, would turn into a huge box office success. She would rise from being unknown in Hollywood to becoming a fourth-tier actress, catching Jackie Chan's attention and landing a role as a villain's henchman in *Rush Hour 2*.
By that point, even a small speaking role in *Resident Evil* would still be a valuable opportunity for her.
Of course, she would have to manage potential scheduling conflicts.
*Rush Hour 2* was shot from December 2000 to April 2001, taking nearly four months.
Meanwhile, the tentative shooting schedule for the back-to-back filming of *Resident Evil* was from early January to late April 2001, also about four months.
However, for an ambitious and resourceful actress, scheduling conflicts were never a big problem.
If it came to that, she was confident she could work it out.
Later that day, after confirming with Susan that Wayne had indeed appointed Yuen Woo-ping as the action choreographer for *Resident Evil*—and for a total of seven films—Mike and Zhang Ziyi completed the contract.
It's worth mentioning that if not for Wayne's influence, Zhang Ziyi, who was similarly focused on advancing her career in Hollywood in this parallel universe, would have signed with WMA next year.
But not every male star can be like Jackie Chan or Jet Li, and not every female star can reach Michelle Yeoh's level.
Even with WMA backing her and a wealthy Jewish benefactor supporting her, Zhang Ziyi's career in Hollywood didn't go smoothly. Apart from a minor splash with *Memoirs of a Geisha*, there wasn't much else. In the end, she had to shift her focus back to China.
But now, her fate had clearly taken a dramatic turn.
After the signing, Mike was organizing the contracts when he noticed Zhang Ziyi lingering as if she didn't want to leave. After thinking for a moment, he understood what was on her mind.
So, while saying, "Miss Zhang, feel free to share any thoughts you have with me in the future," he picked up the phone, glanced at the time, and called Wayne.
"Hey, Mike!"
"Hey, Wayne. You wrapped up shooting by now, right? I hope I'm not interrupting anything important with this call."
"Not yet, but keep it short."
"Alright then. So, the action choreographer you hired for *Resident Evil* referred a client to me. Like Liu Shishi from before, she's also Chinese, and I think she's even more beautiful. What do you think, interested?"
"F***, Mike! What do you take me for?" Wayne's voice, pretending to be annoyed, came through the line.
Zhang Ziyi, standing nearby, was completely shocked by how openly and directly Mike discussed such matters. He didn't even try to hide it from her, the very person involved!
But this was Hollywood. Things like this weren't hidden "secrets" – they were the rules of the game.
"Well, I seriously doubt your taste. What's your client's name?" Wayne quickly changed his tone, sounding curious.
(End of Chapter)