Although <Romeo and Juliet Modern Version> is not the highest-budget Hollywood film of the year, Baz Luhrmann's bold decision to move Shakespeare's most poignant love story from the Elizabethan era to the 1990s, coupled with his triple role as director, producer, and screenwriter, as well as the numerous rumors involving Romeo and Juliet's casting with several popular Hollywood stars, has garnered significant attention for the project. The film can already be considered a hit before shooting even begins.
To avoid any delays or changes, Yamon Goffman worked with lightning speed, running tirelessly between WMA (William Morris Agency), the studio, and the Screen Actors Guild. Within two days, he successfully finalized the contract for William to join <Romeo and Juliet Modern Version>.
Now, they just had to wait for July to join the production.
However, perhaps because landing the role had seemed too easy, William encountered far more twists and turns in the audition for another movie.
Mark Twain did not describe Huck in <The Adventures of Tom Sawyer> and <The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn> in great detail, merely portraying him as a white teenager with a mix of eccentricity and romanticism.
Over time, as various illustrated editions were published, Huck's image settled: around fourteen or fifteen years old, raised by an alcoholic father, unable to integrate into normal society, with a rebellious demeanor and a free-spirited, romantic personality.
This was a significant challenge for William—both in terms of his height and overall temperament, it was difficult to convincingly portray a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy.
After carefully studying the original book, William asked Yamon skeptically, "Are you sure the crew of <The Adventures of New Tom Sawyer> reached out to you, and this isn't just an audition opportunity you sought out?"
"They reached out to me, and that's the truth," Amon explained.
"<The Adventures of Tom Sawyer> is different from movies like <Home Alone>. <Home Alone> had an original script with a comedic plot where the focus was more on the story than the actors. It didn't matter much if the child actors handsome or ugly. But <The Adventures of Tom Sawyer> is an adaptation of a classic novel. There have already been several film versions, and for most audiences, this story isn't new anymore. "
"Naturally, the casting of actors becomes more crucial. For Huck's role, they deliberately decided to age him up a little and want to cast a handsome teenager like Adonis. That would attract both boys and girls to the theaters. They were impressed by your appeal in <90210>, William. Trust me—you're exactly what they need."
Despite Yamon's reassurances, William still worked hard to prepare for the audition, trying to eliminate the gap between his appearance and Huck's.
For two weeks, he avoided meat and carbohydrates, skipped fitness routines to make his muscles appear less defined, and didn't cut his hair. By the time he appeared at the audition for <The Adventures of New Tom Sawyer>, he was noticeably thinner, his white shirt hung loosely on his frame, and his brown hair, unstyled and untrimmed, fell to the sides of his face. He looked convincingly like a scruffy, free-spirited teenager.
Since the role of Huck called for some little fist and kick kingfu, William incorporated Muay Thai into his audition (thank God he did that), climbing a tree with surprising dexterity.
By the time he stood on the ground, panting yet bowing graciously to the casting directors, their approving looks boosted his confidence.
Things seemed to be going well. William was confident he had aced the audition, as the casting directors' satisfaction and the wary looks of his competitors suggested.
But an hour later, an assistant director hurried over to inform Amon that William had failed…
Yamon Goffman was indignant. Standing at the break room door, he shouted, "I need to know why!" and immediately started dialing on his phone.
Ten minutes later, he returned with an annoyed expression. "Brad Renfro. He's the one who got the role," Yamon grumbled.
Hearing the name, William wasn't not surprised anymore about his results.
Brad Renfro had debuted as a child star and was one of Hollywood's hottest teen actors that year, often referred to as the "successor to River Phoenix."
River Phoenix, born in 1970, had been one of Hollywood's most gifted and beloved young stars.
At just 17, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in <Running on Empty>. At 21, he became the youngest-ever Best Actor winner at the Venice Film Festival for his brilliant performance in <My Own Private Idaho> (also known as <Unruly Sky>). In the early 1990s, River's light overshadowed almost all his peers.
But tragedy struck. During the filming of <My Own Private Idaho>, River became addicted to drugs in an attempt to immerse himself in his character. This addiction would haunt him for the rest of his life. On the eve of Halloween in 1993, River collapsed outside The Viper Room—a nightclub co-owned by Johnny Depp—after a drug overdose and never woke up.
River Phoenix's death shocked the world. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert wrote in a heartfelt column, "Without River Phoenix, Hollywood in the '90s will seem bleak."
Maybe a decade or a few decades from now, those who have not known Raven Phoenix since birth will think that this is too exaggerated. But at the moment, this sentence has won the approval of most people in the world.
River's striking looks, exceptional talent, and unparalleled acting skills, combined with the honors and awards he had earned, were only further sublimated by his untimely death.
Just two years after River's passing, naming a new Hollywood star as his "successor" brought both immense attention and pressure.
Currently, there were two young actors often referred to as River Phoenix's heirs: Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Renfro.
Leonardo, however, was only four years younger than River and had already gained some recognition in 1991 with his role in <Growing Pains>.
The supposed "inheritance" seemed more a media construct than reality. Nevertheless, in 1993, following River's death, Leonardo happedned to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for <What's Eating Gilbert Grape>.
More notably, Leonardo had starred in <The Basketball Diaries> and <Total Eclipse>, two films initially intended for River before his passing. The coincidence only strengthened the media's narrative linking the two stars.
Brad Renfro was discovered at the age of ten by renowned director Joel Schumacher, who cast him in his debut role. His exceptional performance in <The Client> at the age of twelve took Hollywood by storm.
Following River Phoenix's tragic passing, Brad's young age, raw acting talent, and similarly turbulent upbringing earned him the title of "River Phoenix's God-given heir."
The label "heir to River Phoenix" is undoubtedly a magical title these days in Hollywood, and Brad Renfro quickly became a rising star.
According to Yamon's sources, the producers of <The Adventures of New Tom Sawyer> initially wanted Brad for the role of Huck and even contacted his agent.
At the time, Brad was pursuing the lead role in another film and dismissed the supporting role in <The Adventure of the New Tom Sawyer> as beneath him. This prompted the production team to approach William instead.
However, just two days ago, Brad failed to land the lead role he had been aiming for. Turning his attention back to <The Adventure of the New Tom Sawyer>, he quickly expressed interest.
His return thrilled the production company, as Brad's star power far exceeded William's. Despite the unanimous recommendation of the casting directors and screenwriters in favor of William, the company wasted no time signing Brad and rejecting William.
Yamon Goffman, livid, held his phone and cursed wildly at Universal and Brad Renfro: "Shady! There's definitely something shady going on! I refuse to believe Brad just happened to come back at the perfect moment and get the role so quickly."
"If we had more influence—if I had more connections—they'd never dare pull this on us! Bastards! Will, mark my words: one day Universal will beg you to make a film for them, handing you scripts with tears in their eyes to make up for this humiliation. I promise you that!"
William wanted to calm Yamon down, but as he reflected on the situation, his expression darkened.
The thought crossed his mind: he'd been played. <The Adventure of the New Tom Sawyer> must have decided long ago to cast Brad as Huck, but they still let William audition. They'd let him exert effort for a role he had no chance of winning, just to avoid the controversy that would arise from canceling the audition outright.
In Hollywood, canceling a scheduled audition to announce a pre-cast actor could cause public backlash and raise suspicions of shady dealings.
But conducting the audition as planned and "selecting" a pre-decided actor allowed the production to appear professional and aboveboard. This was the unspoken rule of an industry that prided itself on its polished surface while harboring a who-knows how many unspoken schemes.
"'Heir to River Phoenix,' huh?" Yamon continued, his indignation unabated.
"It's not like River is alive to endorse this nonsense! Brad's performance probably wasn't half as good as yours! And don't forget, the media slaps that title on every young actor with a bit of talent. You, William—just wait until you get a nomination for a major award. Reporters will start calling you the next River Phoenix!"
William really began to think about the possibility of snatching the title "Heir of River Phoenix" from Brad Renfro, but soon shook his head: "Forget it," he said. "I'm me—not anyone's heir."
Before Yamon could respond, his phone rang. He stepped aside to answer it, speaking in a hurried tone at first but eventually calming down. After a few minutes, he returned, visibly less agitated.
"That was Stacey Snider," Amon said. "She's an executive at Universal and was involved in the invitation for <The Adventures of New Tom Sawyer>. She said she's sorry about what happened, but the decision came from higher up, and she couldn't do anything else. Then she hinted that Universal would compensate you sooner or later. What do you think?"
"Universal is, after all, one of the Big Eight," William shrugged. "What else is there to say? But as for Stacey Snider… She's a significant player at Universal. You and I are still climbing, Yamon, and the gap between us and someone like her is about as wide as the distance from New York to Los Angeles."
"I figured as much," Amon agreed.
William then smirked mischievously. "By the way, almost none of the female executives in the industry are married. Are you and Ms. Snider...?"
Yamon rolled his eyes. "Your gossip radar is working overtime, Will."
"Hey, it's not my fault you've got a thing for older women," William teased innocently. "Or do you want to explain why none of your ex-girlfriends I've accidentally run into are younger than you?"
"..."
"Selling yourself for my career advancement, huh, Yami? Should I be thanking you for your sacrifice?" William added with a wink.
Yami's the nickname of Yamon.
"Don't. Call. Me. Yami!"
William obediently fell silent.
After a deep breath, Yamon finally calmed down. William's playful banter had distracted him enough to dispel his lingering gurdge over the entire world.
Still, Yamon vowed to secure another audition for William—one that would be as prestigious as <The Adventure of the New Tom Sawye>.
While not yet a top-tier agent who could easily land multimillion-dollar roles for his clients, Yamon had honed his skills at the prestigious William Morris Agency and had spent over a decade in the Hollywood's treacherous waters.
…
Not long after, the script for "Sense and Sensibility" soon came to William's hands.
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