[Chapter 769: Find Her]
"So there is a plan? Excellent. Somehow I got the impression we were risking ten million dollars and hundreds of people's lives on a game of luck," Cate Blanchett asked sharply, her voice quick and laced with a hint of anger. Leaning forward, she pressed, "So tell me, Mr. Bond, What else can you surmise?"
"About you?…. Miss Lynd," Eric Williams replied, scrutinizing Cate, "Well your beauty is a problem. You worry that you won't be taken seriously…."
"Which one can say of any attractive woman with half a brain."
"Tue, but this one overcompensates by wearing slightly masculine clothing and being more aggressive than her female colleagues, which gives her a somewhat prickly demeanor and, ironically, makes her less likely to be accepted and promoted by her male superiors, who mistake her insecurity for arrogance. I would normally have said only child, but by the way you ignored the quip about your name and your parents I would go with orphan?"
Cate leaned back in her chair, still exuding that proud demeanor. However, there were moments during her eye contact with Eric where her guard faltered, exposing the embarrassment of Vesper Lynd being unmasked. After a brief silence, she shot back, "All right, Mr. Bond, .by the cut of your suit you went to Oxford or wherever and actually think human beings dress like that. But you wear it with such disdain, that my guess is you didn't come from money and all your school chums rubbed that in your face every day, which means you were at that school by the grace of someone else's charity, hence the chip on your shoulder. And since your first thought about me ran to orphan, that what I'd say you are. sees a slight reaction. Oh you are. And it makes sense since MI6 looks for maladjusted young men who'd give little thought to sacrificing others in others to protect queen and country. You know former SAS types with easy smiles and expensive watches. Rolex?"
"Omega"
"Beautiful. Now having just met you I wouldn't g as far as calling you a cold hearted b-a-s-t-a-r-d."
"Of course not."
"But it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that you think of women as disposable pleasures rather than meaningful pursuits, so as charming as you are, I will be keeping my eye on our government's money and off your perfectly formed arse."
"You noticed."
"Even accountants have imaginations. How was your lamb?"
"Skewered. One sympathizes."
Cate rose to her feet and gathered her bag, "Good evening Mr. Bond."
"Good evening Miss Lynd."
...
"OK, very good," Eric said, waving over a waiter, then looking back at Cate. "I dare say, Miss Blanchett, if you star in a pure green-screen effects movie in the future, you'll do remarkably well."
Eric dressed casually today, in a T-shirt and khaki pants, and had merely recited lines from memory. Yet, Cate managed to play her role flawlessly, treating him like a dapperly dressed James Bond, showcasing her undeniable acting skills.
Cate Blanchett composed herself. The essence of Vesper Lynd faded, revealing a charmingly shy side. She smiled and replied, "Thank you, Mr. Williams. So, does this mean I got the role?"
"Of course," Eric nodded, picking up the menu casually to order lunch, gesturing for Cate to do the same.
Suppressing her excitement, Cate flipped through the menu a few times, calming herself until she finally felt like she understood it well enough to order lunch, which she passed to the waiter. Upon lifting her gaze, she caught the man across from her smiling while observing her. Biting her lip, she couldn't help but ask a question that had puzzled her these past few days, "Mr. Williams, I've been really curious; why me? I mean, I don't think I'm anything special, and I'm not as beautiful as other Bond girls. I can't even wrap my head around how you found me."
"The casting for this 007 installment began last year when the project was initiated. The actress I wanted to play Vesper Lynd was someone with a classic elegance, someone who appeared proud but was deeply insecure inside, while also possessing outstanding acting skills," Eric explained half-seriously as he looked at Cate. "Most candidates before you didn't meet the mark. Coincidentally, I saw you in a mini-series on TV called Heartland, and I thought, maybe we could give you a shot."
Heartland was a mini-series Cate had just filmed last year, and she vividly remembered her lead role. Some aspects aligned with Eric's description, but she still found it hard to believe. "That's it?"
Eric chuckled, "If you want to dig deeper, I know more. For instance, you were quite the tomboy growing up, enjoyed wearing boy's clothes, and even had a shaved head at one point. After graduating high school, you studied drama for a bit at the Madame W. School, then enrolled in the University of Melbourne to study economics, dropped out after a year, and began traveling the world. Upon returning to Australia, you attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and subsequently began acting, winning the Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Best Newcomer award for your role in Kafka Dances. While performing in theater, you also started to land TV and film roles. However, I also know your first screen debut was in Egypt, during your world travels, where you acted as a spectator in a boxing match for a local television movie to earn fare money."
Cate started off with astonishment, which grew into disbelief as she listened, progressively becoming more speechless.
"So, Miss Blanchett, if you think my decision to find you and offer you the role of Vesper Lynd seems impulsive and sudden, you are utterly mistaken. I know you much better than you imagine. The films and TV shows you starred in are still in my office. So, do you have any more questions?"
"N-no, not really. However," her mind raced, and a slight blush crept up Cate's cheeks as she recalled some whispers about this man. She glanced at Eric, wanting to say something but unsure whether to broach the subject.
Eric's smile lingered as he teased, "Are you about to say you're a lesbian and that I shouldn't get any ideas?"
That touchy subject being exposed caused a flicker of panic on Cate's face. "Ah, you know about that?"
"I deduced from your profile. They aren't so bored as to investigate your sexual orientation, and rest assured, I wouldn't reveal that. Also, you're not really my type. My only concern is whether your performance will satisfy me," Eric said, leaning forward. "However, Cate, I can assure you, you're definitely not a lesbian. You're at most bisexual."
"Mr. Williams, let's not discuss this further."
Eric noticed the waiter approaching with their lunch, sitting up straight as he let the staff set their meal before him while smiling. "OK, back to business. The film is set to begin shooting around June; however, I hope you can arrive in Hollywood early to familiarize yourself with the environment and participate in some initial promotions for the movie. Is that a problem?"
Though Cate wasn't overly dominant in nature, she always preferred to be independent. Now, being in an environment where someone else held all the control made her uncomfortable.
Still, she wasn't one to seek the spotlight either, well aware of how rare this opportunity was. After all, she was still just an ordinary actress without the privileges afforded to the Hollywood stars. After a slight hesitation, she nodded. "No problem. The series I'm currently filming will finish up by the 10th of next month, so I can head over to Hollywood then."
Eric nodded, "Then it's settled."
Cate replied affirmatively, turning to glance at her manager, Ron Lather, sitting nearby. Gathering her courage, she turned back to Eric. "Mr. Williams, my manager is over there. Would you like to talk with him?"
"No need," Eric shook his head. "The details regarding payment and such will be handled by someone else. And when you get to Hollywood, if you're looking for a more professional agency, feel free to go to ICM and tell them it's on my recommendation; they'll set you up."
Cate softly chimed in, "I think Ron is just fine."
"I'm merely suggesting; you can definitely maintain your preferences," Eric smiled while lifting a glass of wine poured by the waiter. "So, here's to a pleasant collaboration, Cate."
"Pleasant collaboration, indeed, Eric." Upon hearing Eric use her first name, Cate cautiously adapted her address as she brought the wine glass to her lips.
...
After lunch, Cate Blanchett took her leave with her manager, while Eric didn't rush off. He ordered a cup of coffee, finished reading an article in the paper he had selected about the Golden Globes, and summoned his assistant, Peter Rich, who was standing nearby. He handed the magazine with a cover featuring a girl named Miranda Kerr to him, saying, "Find her."
Peter glanced at the cover of the magazine with the doll-faced girl, nodded. As a top graduate from Stanford, he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to ask Eric how to find her; that would be seen as an inept performance. There was no one in Eric's assistant's office who would portray themselves incompetently.
After hesitating, Peter still asked, "Mr. Williams, what next?"
There had to be a reason behind it.
"Well, I plan to add a shot of a tennis girl crossing paths with Bond in the film."
Peter couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. While Eric stated it seriously, he still thought the reasoning sounded somewhat absurd. Boss, isn't this a rather blatant way to meet women?
Though he harbored some private thoughts, Peter showed no sign of it and respectfully noted down the task.
...
That afternoon, Eric's private jet took off from Sydney and landed three hours later in Cairns, located in northeast Queensland, Australia. However, the set for the The Thin Red Line film was still over 80 kilometers away.
A few crew members from the The Thin Red Line production team had come to greet him. Two SUVs carried them from Cairns northward. The advantages of a sparsely populated area were that cars could speed along the open roads, and in less than an hour and a half, they arrived at the destination.
The SUVs stopped at a coastal village outside the Daintree Rainforest National Park, where the crew resided, according to the crew members. The main filming locations were in the hilly areas along the Daintree River.
In January, it was the height of summer in Australia, and the days were long. Though they had departed Sydney at two in the afternoon, it was now nearing seven in the evening, and the horizon was already tinged with fiery clouds, without any sign of the darkness closing in.
Upon getting out of the car, Eric surveyed the surroundings. Due to the lack of population, the town didn't even have decent lodgings. The hundreds of crew members could only stay in makeshift cabins. The surrounding houses appeared sparse, as if to highlight their abundance of space -- there was even considerable distance between each home.
Nick Cavill, the assistant producer, stood beside him and asked, "Mr. Williams, the crew should wrap up around seven-thirty. Would you like to wait here, or go take a look?"
Hearing the staff's inquiry, Eric looked towards the distant hills. "Let's go take a look."
"Alright, follow me," Nick nodded and led Eric towards a nearby low hill covered with green grass, explaining along the way, "The primary set is on the other side of this hill."
...
After a few minutes of climbing, they reached the top of the hill. Eric gazed out and saw a magnificent river shimmering with golden light in the sunset. The riverside was dotted with gentle slopes and dense thickets, farther in the distance lay impenetrable primeval forests.
Below the hill was the filming location for The Thin Red Line. It appeared that they were rehearsing for a crowd scene today; hundreds of actors scattered about, creating a somewhat disorganized appearance, with faint gunfire echoing in the air.
Despite the hundreds of people on the scene, Eric could easily spot Kathryn. The woman typically donned a white long-sleeve T-shirt and dark jeans, swinging two bulging tool bags at her waist and sporting a black baseball cap. Her tall stature, over six feet, made her stand out even among a group primarily composed of men.
Before they could make their way down the hillside, they caught the attention of the crew, and Kathryn welcomed them as they approached.
Eric greeted Kathryn and other key figures like Terrence Malick, then said, "I'm just here to take a look; you all can carry on."
"Today's about wrapped up. We're rehearsing an explosion scene, but actual shooting can wait until tomorrow," Kathryn explained softly while holding a thin script.
Though Kathryn was strong-willed, her soothing vocal tone was pleasant to hear. Eric thought to himself that he hadn't seen Kathryn in an argument yet.
"Oh, is there anything you need my help with?" Eric asked as he stood next to Kathryn, glancing at the script in her hand.
"Perfect timing; since you're here, could you check if this shot works?" Kathryn gestured around to several set pieces, as producer and screenwriter Terrence Malick, along with Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, and John Cusack, gathered around.
After over ten minutes of discussion, they roughly finalized the filming scheme. Kathryn declared the wrap, and most of the extras began to group up, crossing the hill back to town. Those crew members who remained simply covered most of the equipment with tarps to protect them from potential rain and carried the more expensive video equipment back to their base.
Eric looked curiously as people carelessly left large amounts of equipment in the wilderness, and then it dawned on him -- the town where the crew was stationed barely housed a few hundred residents, not even a number comparable to that of the crew. In the expanse of hundreds of square kilometers, scarcely anyone lived around, except for the tropical forest's wildlife; it was unlikely anyone would be interested in the crew's filming props.
*****
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