Ron's blunt refusal was simply too harsh and too direct, leaving Hugo no face whatsoever. Joseph felt a bit regretful he shouldn't have brought Hugo along in the first place. He instinctively turned to glance at Hugo, expressing his concern.
At this moment, Hugo actually felt a bit innocent. Personally, he had nothing to do with Ron at all this was their first meeting so even if Ron had rejected him, Hugo didn't think too much of it. He was simply judging the matter as it stood and purely felt that Ron truly gave no consideration at all. So when he met Joseph's concerned gaze, Hugo blinked in surprise and then quietly, slowly shifted his eyes to the side: because he didn't know what the appropriate response should be at this moment.
As a veteran agent,Ron naturally wouldn't "humiliate" someone right in front of their face it was simply too impolite. So as soon as he finished speaking, he immediately looked at Hugo, "Hugo, you know this isn't directed at you. It's just that the positioning of Basic Instinct and your image don't align. It's truly not suitable."
This statement was pure nonsense. Hugo wasn't being asked to act in Basic Instinct, just to attend the premiere. It was like actors inviting their friends and family to a party or gathering; it had nothing to do with the movie's genre or nature. Unless Hugo was still underage, Ron's explanation would make no sense at all.
Hugo's eyes had only drifted halfway and he was still unsure how to respond to Joseph. But hearing Ron's words, he naturally spoke up, "Uh, and what exactly is my image?"
That one sentence caught Ron off guard, but being a seasoned professional, he quickly recovered, "Youthful, energetic, healthy, sunny." Though a spontaneous response, it was quite accurate. After all, Ron had been Hugo's agent for six years. Hugo was practically an actor Ron had cultivated from scratch he knew him well.
"Then why can't I attend this premiere?" Hugo immediately followed up with another question. This was far more direct than Joseph, and it caught Ron off guard for a moment, leaving him briefly speechless and somewhat flustered.
Honestly, from Hugo's perspective, he had no idea what Joseph had planned, what situations were appropriate, or what kinds of events benefited an actor's image. He'd never been involved in such considerations, so naturally he didn't understand. But the premiere of Basic Instinct did spark his interest.
Although he didn't like Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct was a breakout film when it debuted. It shattered countless teenagers' fantasies about relationships. The explicit scenes in the film were truly unforgettable. Rumor had it that many top actresses had turned down the role due to the excessive nudity, but the then-unknown Sharon stripped down in front of the camera to win the role and she became an overnight sensation. That alone gave the film a signature dose of Hollywood-style unspoken rules.
Of course, in terms of artistry, the film didn't offer much to discuss. Even though it created a worldwide sensation upon release, both lead actress Sharon and director Paul Verhoeven never produced another representative work afterward. In both of their careers, Basic Instinct remained their only claim to fame.
Hugo was simply curious what kind of premiere Basic Instinct would have.
Faced with Hugo's rapid-fire questioning, Ron couldn't respond immediately. He grew a bit irritated. The young man he used to control effortlessly seemed to have slipped from his grasp today. "You know, we want the premiere to be as grand as possible. Not every level of actor gets to attend."
That was a direct jab at Hugo's "level." Ron had already shown great restraint. He was fed up with Hugo repeatedly coming back for favors after leaving his management. Helping Hugo brought no income, only extra burdens. Especially after the Golden Raspberry Awards, where Hugo had fallen into a slump, helping him was a losing proposition. Ron wasn't that generous.
Thinking of this, Ron's tone grew even sharper. "The negative impact from the Razzie Awards hasn't faded. Columbia Pictures doesn't want their film associated with the Golden Raspberry."
Those two lines hit hard right at the sore spot. They addressed Joseph's current biggest concern: that before Scent of a Woman released, Hugo would still be mocked for holding the Worst Actor title from the Razzies for a long time.
"Stallone would be disappointed to hear that," Hugo replied with a smile. In fact, history had seen countless big-name actors win Razzies—Laurence Olivier, Brooke Shields, Daryl Hannah, and so on. Ron's comment had basically insulted a whole shipload of people. Hugo certainly knew that was impossible if Sylvester Stallone wanted to attend Basic Instinct's premiere,Ron would be begging him to come.
But in the face of Hugo's retort, Ron wasn't worried at all. Instead, he sneered, "Say that again when you're at Sylvester's level." The subtext was: You're not qualified yet.
Ron's words were truly merciless, basically erasing the six years he had managed Hugo Lancaster. For a top agent like Ron, he likely had no fewer than a hundred clients and couldn't tend to them all personally. Naturally, he aimed for maximum profit. Whoever earned him the most commission got the most attention—simple logic. For a half-popular, borderline has-been actor like Hugo, Ron truly didn't find it worth his time to even talk.
Standing to the side, watching the back-and-forth between Hugo and Ron, Joseph couldn't help but marvel at the drastic change in Hugo's attitude toward Ron. The inclination he had expected from Hugo was nowhere to be seen. Even when faced with Ron's rejection and contempt, Hugo didn't flare up. Now, he was confronting Ron head-on. This was truly unexpected.
But at this moment, Joseph didn't have time to continue being surprised. Ron's words were becoming increasingly harsh, practically on the verge of tearing all pretenses apart. Joseph immediately stepped forward. "Once Hugo reaches that level, he won't be standing here anymore." His words ridiculed Ron's lack of qualification to take on big-name actors, instantly changing Ron's expression.
"If it wasn't for Hugo's 'stellar performance' at the Razzies, none of this would be happening today," Ron grumbled in a gruff voice, making no effort to conceal his growing impatience. Clearly, he had no interest in Hugo's visit.
That one sentence made Joseph choke on his breath. If it hadn't been for Ron persuading Hugo to attend, would Hugo have gone to the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood? Would he have made a fool of himself? Would he be facing all the difficulties he now had to deal with? And now, Ron had the nerve to shift the blame? It was infuriating.
"Once Scent of a Woman hits theaters, you'd better not be jealous of Hugo's success!" Hugo witnessed Joseph's first real outburst in two months. Even backstage at the Razzies or when provoked at the Scent of a Woman audition, Joseph hadn't lost his temper but now, he was letting it all out, no filter.
It was only then that Hugo realized Joseph was still a passionate and impulsive young man. He was only twenty-eight years old after all; the vigor and recklessness in his bones hadn't disappeared.
"Let's hope that day comes," Ron sneered with a face full of contempt. Clearly, he had no faith in Hugo's future prospects. Otherwise, he wouldn't have handed Hugo over to Joseph. At first, Ron had still tried to maintain a decent relationship with Hugo. But now, he couldn't help himself—his true feelings came pouring out without restraint. "In that case, you shouldn't even be here today, asking me for an invitation." This statement left Joseph momentarily speechless.
"Well then, if you don't have anything else, please leave." Ron resumed his high-and-mighty tone from when they first walked in, directly kicking them out. "I'm very busy. I have three calls waiting for me right now." He grabbed the phone on his desk, pressed a button, and shouted toward the speaker, "Gary! Please show Joseph and Hugo out. I have a meeting." This blatant dismissal was outright contempt.
Faced with Ron and Joseph's sudden blowup, Hugo didn't feel all that much. After all, he was a transmigrator who arrived halfway through the story. He hadn't experienced everything first-hand, so naturally, he didn't feel it as deeply. But seeing Ron's disdainful expression now, Hugo couldn't help but feel a wave of repulsion. Since the man was so eager to sever ties, why should they even bother showing up?
Hugo tugged lightly on Joseph's sleeve and calmly said, "Joseph, let's go. Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson are still waiting for Ron's reply we shouldn't disturb his work." That simple line immediately made Joseph burst out laughing.
Though it was a light comment, it hit Ron right where it hurt. He might now be considered a top-tier agent, but he didn't have any true A-list stars under his belt. His best-performing client, Michael Douglas, wasn't even someone he discovered himself. To put it bluntly, his hard credentials still hadn't been recognized by the industry. A true star agent must have at least one case where they personally took a newcomer to the top. That was exactly the piece Ron was missing.
Joseph's laughter was salt in the wound, igniting Ron's rage but he couldn't say a word, or he'd just make himself look worse. All he could do was watch Hugo and Joseph walk calmly out of his office. Just before leaving, Hugo even turned to Gary and smiled, saying, "Gary, Ron is on a call with Steven Spielberg right now please don't disturb him."
Gary, watching Hugo walk away, turned to look at Ron's furious face in confusion. Ron wasn't on any call at all. He couldn't help but ask, "Spielberg?"
"Get out!" Ron could no longer suppress his rage and roared at his assistant.
....
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