"I'm really a good guy."
Jeff raised his hands, his face full of innocence. However, his image and appearance weren't convincing. The more he emphasized it, the more he resembled a mastermind, creating a stark contrast.
Anson deliberately adjusted his expression, his face serious. "I believe you one hundred percent." His words expressed belief, but his demeanor conveyed something else.
The back-and-forth banter lightened the mood.
Jeff looked around. "What brings you to Warner Bros. today? An audition? God, which short-sighted producer actually asked you to audition? You should have called me beforehand."
Anson chuckled. "Honestly, I seriously considered it. But the thing is, I haven't called you before, and suddenly calling to ask for a favor... my skin isn't thick enough for that kind of composure."
"Ha." Jeff laughed. "This is Hollywood. Feel free to make requests, propose deals. If I need to refuse, I'll do so without hesitation."
"But who knows? Maybe I'll agree?"
"Surviving in Hollywood requires many skills, and thick skin is definitely one of them."
Anson also laughed. "I haven't thanked you for your recommendation yet, which helped me secure a very important role."
Jeff spread his hands. "I'm playing a long game. Now you owe us a favor. How about that? We should have made a good deal."
The smile reached Anson's eyes. "Oh, as it happens, I'm here today to return the favor."
Jeff was taken aback. "Wait, you're not really here for an audition, are you? God, if that's the case, then we've been impolite."
Anson waved his hand. "No, no, no. I'm here as a producer today. I have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Chris Bender."
With that, Anson raised the briefcase in his hand and patted it lightly. "I think this is the best opportunity to return the favor."
In reality, this should have been Anson's second time asking for a favor, needing Warner Bros.' help. But now, Anson shifted his position, presenting a high profile, as if countless competitors were vying for this project, and Anson was prioritizing Warner Bros. to return the favor.
The situation was instantly different.
Once again, Jeff Robinov realized that Anson was no ordinary person. With his vast experience, he immediately saw through Anson's repositioning tactic, but it was precisely this tactic that piqued Jeff's interest.
Perhaps Anson's skin wasn't thick enough, but he was smart and wise, leaving an impression with every interaction. That wasn't easy.
His thoughts paused briefly.
Jeff looked at Anson. "An original screenplay? Or a novel or a comic book?"
"Original, of course." Anson was confident. "Mr. Robinov, I'm not as wealthy as you think, casually buying up a bunch of novel adaptation rights."
"Haha." Jeff laughed heartily. "That's what someone who just became a Malibu resident would say."
Anson's eyes widened in surprise. "I thought I was being low-key."
Jeff replied, "Indeed, you are low-key. But your real estate agent isn't."
I see.
Anson slightly raised his chin. "It seems I still have a lot to learn."
"It's okay, you're still young. You have plenty of time ahead of you. As for now, why don't we sit down and take a look at your script?"
Jeff made an inviting gesture.
Anson was slightly surprised. "What about Mr. Bender?"
Jeff chuckled. "Consider this me intercepting Chris." He turned to the receptionist. "Tell Chris that Anson is in my office."
Turning back, Jeff extended the invitation again, and this time Anson didn't refuse.
Lena noticed Anson looking at her again, nodding politely in thanks. The slight upward curve of his lips made her heart skip a beat.
The longer one stayed in Hollywood, the clearer it became that looks were just skin deep. Everyone had different aesthetic preferences, and there was no shortage of attractive people, so there was no need to be overly infatuated. But it wasn't about the soul either, even though interesting souls were rare, and truly soulful people in Hollywood were even rarer. What mattered was –
Aura.
The aura emanating from within, that was the key to standing out.
Anson was like that. The aura he exuded with every gesture captured attention, making hearts flutter without any special effort.
Her racing heartbeat didn't lie.
Lena watched as Jeff and Anson walked away, her eyes filled with reluctance, her entire being seemingly leaving with Anson.
Until –
Bam.
A figure crashed into the reception desk at full sprint, braking abruptly, panting and looking around frantically.
"Anson... where's Anson?"
...
"So, what kind of project is it that actually caught your attention?"
Getting straight to the point, Jeff went directly to the heart of the matter.
"After all, Gus Van Sant got the first pick. Now everyone's fighting over the next opportunity. If I remember correctly, we also have a project waiting for your response, but it seems the chances are slim now, right?"
So, the trap was waiting here.
Anson needed something from Jeff, and Jeff also needed something from Anson.
A smile crept onto Anson's lips. "I didn't know I was so sought-after. I thought everyone would still need to wait and see, not rushing to join the excitement."
Jeff shook his head slightly. "No, no, no. Hollywood loves to join the excitement. No one wants Sony Columbia to monopolize the only Anson."
This was also one of the key differences between now and ten years later.
Ten years later, an actor playing a superhero often meant being typecast. Although their exposure continued to rise, the number of film offers would decrease, or the types of roles offered would become extremely limited.
But now, there were only two people who had truly broken through with superhero roles: Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine" and Anson. So, they were rare commodities, and their film offers were exploding.
What Jeff said was true.
"So, you're not interested in our proposal?"
Anson understood that he had walked into the lion's den, voluntarily offering himself up. So, he needed to give a positive response. "I'm not interested in the role of Paris, but apparently, you're not considering other roles."
"Such as?" Jeff raised an eyebrow slightly.
Anson replied, "Hector."
Jeff said, "You know that's not suitable."
Anson flashed a bright smile. "I know, the age isn't right. But I believe there are many actors suitable for the role of Paris. I'm not irreplaceable, unless you have other plans."
His words were meaningful.
The two were engaged in a battle of wits, a silent duel.
They were discussing Warner Bros.' upcoming epic film, "Troy."
This project had invited German director Wolfgang Petersen to helm it, adapting Homer's epic poem to recreate the story of the Trojan Horse and the fall of Troy, with a budget of up to 200 million dollars.
Undoubtedly, this was a major project. Wolfgang had gained international fame in 1981 with "Das Boot," which received six Oscar nominations that year. He later directed successful commercial films like "Air Force One" and "The Perfect Storm," securing his place in Hollywood. Taking on "Troy" this time was also highly anticipated.
And Warner Bros. had set their sights on Anson.