Chereads / I am Hollywood / Chapter 944 - Chapter 946: Gore Verbinski

Chapter 944 - Chapter 946: Gore Verbinski

[Chapter 946: Gore Verbinski]

The Tempest was a fantastical play by Shakespeare and is said to be his last script.

The script tells the story of a duke from the Italian city-state of Milan, who was usurped by his brother and ended up on a deserted island. He tamed the spirits and monsters of the island and then sought vengeance to reclaim his title. The entire tale bore a resemblance to The Count of Monte Cristo.

Eric discovered Vera Farmiga in a costume drama on Fox last night. After a brief phone call, he managed to secure tickets to a production of The Tempest at a Broadway theater in Manhattan for the very next morning.

The costume drama featuring Vera Farmiga was called Roar, but due to poor ratings, it was canceled after just 13 episodes. She was primarily a stage actress, and her attempt to transition to television had not gone well. Consequently, she returned to Broadway to continue her craft, and The Tempest was the play she was currently involved in.

Eric hadn't reached out to Vera Farmiga personally yet, although he thought she had a pair of eyes that were perfect for horror films. He planned to observe her in the show before making any decisions.

The director chosen for the American version of The Ring happened to be in New York. Eric specifically called him to invite him to the play, considering it a chance to audition the lead actress.

Interestingly, the director of the The Ring was quite renowned in its original timeline; his name was Gore Verbinski, known for directing the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. Gore Verbinski, like Michael Bay and David Fincher, had made a name for himself as a director of commercials and music videos before transitioning to film direction.

When Eric found Gore Verbinski, he had just completed a short film, which he intended to use as a stepping stone into Hollywood. Consequently, Firefly easily signed him for three film deals.

...

The August Theatre, where Vera Farmiga performed, was located on West 52nd Street in midtown, close to Broadway. With Christmas just behind them and New Year on the horizon, Manhattan's streets seemed even more lively after nightfall.

The performance started at eight o'clock, and Eric and Gore Verbinski entered the theater at seven-thirty. A staff member who recognized Eric eagerly guided them to a box seat on the second floor overlooking the entire stage.

After briefly chatting with the theater owner, they finally settled into their seats.

It was actually Gore Verbinski's first time seeing Eric after signing with Firefly, although he already knew that Eric had personally designated him for the director's role in The Ring.

While he wasn't sure why this young Hollywood mogul had taken notice of him, Gore Verbinski was confident in his abilities; his advertising resume was as impressive as Michael Bay's. He had previously won a Cannes Silver Lion and the Clio Awards, often referred to as the Oscars of advertising.

However, when it came to taking on a horror film, Gore Verbinski felt somewhat disappointed. Although horror films comprised a massive genre in Hollywood, they ultimately couldn't compare to mainstream blockbusters.

"The Ring is a psychological thriller, so I believe having a lead actress who can draw the audience in is particularly important," Eric explained. "You should pay attention to the actress playing the second lead, a sprite named Ariel, played by Vera Farmiga. She has an inherently tense demeanor that's almost neurotic. Her strikingly unique eyes make people instinctively want to soften their movements as if afraid of startling her. An actress like that is just perfect for the lead in The Ring."

Gore Verbinski nodded seriously. After Eric finished speaking and noticing that the performance hadn't yet begun, he said, "Eric, I've reviewed all the project materials. If you have high hopes for this film, the $20 million budget seems a bit low."

Eric asked, "What do you propose?"

"Since both Vera and I are newcomers, we should cast a leading man with significant box office appeal to ensure the film gains wider recognition after a positive reception. That way, we can safeguard the box office."

As Eric fiddled with a refined mini binoculars, he thought of The Sixth Sense. The blockbuster horror film grossed $600 million globally, and a large part of that success was attributable to Bruce Willis's star power. While Bruce Willis wasn't exactly an esteemed actor, his fame was undeniably a vital component of The Sixth Sense's box office hit status.

The original American version of The Ring had been filmed after the Japanese version gained widespread acclaim, easily resulting in substantial box office success. However, now that Eric had swooped in and secured The Ring, it lacked the built-in popularity of its predecessor. Gore Verbinski's proposal seemed like a sound approach to remedy this issue.

After contemplating for some time, Eric said, "You can discuss this with Kenneth and the others. If we can secure a leading star, the budget can be adjusted, but I must insist that no profit-sharing agreements are made."

In recent years, more and more leading stars have demanded box office cuts, especially in low-budget commercial films. These stars often entered signed agreements hoping to gain more than they initially invested.

Gore Verbinski had also considered this route; promising a cut could lower stars' basic salaries, reducing production costs while increasing the likelihood of securing a big name.

Upon hearing Eric's stipulation against profit-sharing, Gore Verbinski's lips moved as if to respond, but he ultimately held back. He was aware of the salary dispute that had recently occurred between Pierce Brosnan and MGM.

The two men chatted a bit more until the performance finally began.

...

Although the August Theatre was not one of the top-tier Broadway venues, the quality of this play was still very high. Even Eric, who wasn't overly keen on Shakespeare's works, found himself captivated throughout the two-hour performance. Both he and Gore Verbinski were very pleased with Vera Farmiga's performance.

When the show finished, as Eric and Gore Verbinski were about to leave, the theater owner, Andrew Wiggins, approached them with enthusiasm. "Mr. Williams, did you enjoy our performance?"

With a respectful demeanor, Eric replied amicably, "Absolutely, it was fantastic. I'll definitely come back next time I can."

"Oh, it's our honor," Andrew Wiggins said, quickly handing over a business card and giving one to Gore Verbinski as well. "If you ever need anything, please feel free to call me, and I'll reserve the best box seats for you both."

Eric nodded and tucked the card into his suit pocket. Just as he was about to take his leave, Andrew Wiggins added, "Mr. Williams, our actors know you watched the performance tonight. They are backstage hoping to say hello."

Initially, Eric had planned to contact Vera Farmiga the next day. But after hearing Andrew Wiggins's invitation, he hesitated for a moment before nodding and following him backstage.

...

Most theater performances only had one show each day, and after the curtain fell at the August Theatre, it was usually the moment when everyone relaxed the most.

However, today, after the performance, everyone hurriedly changed costumes and removed makeup. They had just received exhilarating news: Eric Williams had attended their show tonight.

Since the August Theatre wasn't a prestigious Broadway venue, those with a keen sense realized that Eric would not solely be there to watch the performance. Though they couldn't guess Eric's real reason for attending, everyone understood this was a golden opportunity.

No Broadway actor didn't dream of Hollywood, and securing even a fleeting impression from Eric Williams might change their lives forever. As a result, all the actors put forth their utmost effort during this performance; even seasoned regular guests noticed that tonight's show was far superior to countless others.

Andrew Wiggins guided Eric backstage, and he couldn't help but probe, "Mr. Williams, did you come to see The Tempest with plans to film a Shakespeare play?"

Eric smiled and shook his head, gesturing toward Gore Verbinski next to him. "He's the one planning to make a movie. But truthfully, I'm actually interested in one of the actresses in your company, so you might need to find a replacement."

"Oh, what a lucky fellow," Andrew Wiggins said, showing no sign of disappointment and instead appearing thrilled.

In Broadway, finding actors for Shakespeare plays wasn't a significant issue, so replacing one wouldn't be overly difficult. Moreover, Andrew Wiggins didn't believe Eric would take the actress away overnight. Filming a movie would require time for prep work; during that interim, any actress Eric took note of would still be around to perform. He could leverage this news as a marketing angle to boost ticket sales for the theater.

At the same time, Andrew Wiggins also grew curious about which fortunate soul had caught Eric Williams's eye. He was very familiar with the members of his theater troupe. Most of the main actors had experience in film or television, but none had achieved considerable success; otherwise, they wouldn't have considered returning to Broadway.

...

As Eric stepped backstage, he immediately spotted Vera Farmiga.

Vera Farmiga, only twenty-four at the time, was in the prime of young womanhood, with fair skin and golden hair, dressed in a white turtleneck sweater among the crowd. Her uniquely captivating eyes projected an air of innocence.

With Andrew Wiggins's introduction, Eric greeted several of the main cast members and posed for a group photo before finally turning his attention to Vera Farmiga.

During their brief exchanges, many people noticed where Eric's and Gore Verbinski's focus lay. As Eric looked toward Vera Farmiga, all eyes turned with varied emotions; Vera could intuit something was amiss, feeling a mixture of excitement and disbelief.

Eric felt the collective gaze and, after pondering a moment, directly asked, "Miss Farmiga, can we have a word alone?"

"Uh, sure, okay," Vera Farmiga nodded, her fingers twisting together in a display of nervousness.

"If there's nothing else pressing," Eric suggested, looking toward Andrew Wiggins, "maybe I can give Miss Farmiga a ride home?"

Andrew Wiggins had the intention of hosting an after-party but, since Eric had made that offer, he didn't decline. It was already late at night, so he readily agreed, "Of course, that's fine."

As Eric chatted with Andrew Wiggins, Vera Farmiga also snapped back to reality, glancing at her bulky black puffer jacket hanging on a nearby rack. She didn't want to wear that in front of Eric, so she looked to a close friend nearby, whose long pink puffer coat was quite lovely. Their sizes were similar.

However, noticing the hint of jealousy gleaming in her friend's eyes, Vera Farmiga decided against asking to borrow that coat. She picked up her own jacket and purse and left the theater with Eric and Gore Verbinski.

Once outside the theater, Gore Verbinski took the hint and excused himself.

...

On this late December night in New York, the temperatures had dropped below freezing, and fewer pedestrians were on the street than earlier in the evening.

Eric's car was parked not far from the theater, but he didn't immediately get in. He accepted a trench coat from a waiting bodyguard and, noticing Vera Farmiga still clutching her puffer jacket with her face flushed from the cold, he laughed and inquired, "Aren't you cold?"

Vera Farmiga shook her head, "I'm... I'm alright, I guess."

"You should put it on; I feel cold just watching you," Eric suggested, taking the puffer jacket from her hands and carefully helping her put it on.

After she slipped her arms into the sleeves, Eric chuckled at how the once-slim woman appeared bulked up now. "What made you choose a black puffer jacket? Do you like black?"

"Not really; I just... bought it on a whim," Vera replied, shaking her head. In reality, it was because this jacket was on sale. Though she had acted in the Fox drama Roar earlier that year, she hadn't earned much as a newcomer. Instead, her time had been spent rather unprofitably, leaving her finances a little tight.

*****

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