Chapter 13: This Is Hollywood
Culver City, just south of Beverly Hills in the west side of Los Angeles. Aaron drove up to the Culver Hotel on Culver Boulevard and, as expected, spotted Nicole Kidman waiting in the lobby.
"Aaron, you're here!" Seeing Aaron Anderson, Nicole seemed to regain her composure.
Aaron rubbed his forehead. "You've been in the Australian entertainment industry for years. Don't you know what it means to meet at a hotel to discuss a project?"
"That's why I brought you along," Nicole said, pulling Aaron inside as she explained. "The person who arranged this meeting is a senior producer from Orion Pictures—Pete Hallman. He specifically requested me because of my performance in Dead Calm. He said they have a role that might suit me."
Aaron sighed. Even if he didn't expect much, he decided to go along and see. They headed together to Pete Hallman's hotel suite.
When Hallman opened the door, he was surprised to see a man and a woman arrive together. He recognized the woman—the beautiful Australian newcomer Nicole Kidman—but who was the man?
"Good evening, Mr. Hallman. I'm Nicole's agent, Aaron Anderson. I came specifically to discuss the script," Aaron said with a smile, unfazed by Hallman's stunned expression.
Hallman glanced at Nicole with a hint of amusement. "I thought Miss Kidman would come alone."
"Why don't we start by talking about your project?" Aaron suggested.
Aaron had some knowledge of Orion Pictures: they distributed the original Terminator, and two years ago, their production and distribution of RoboCop was a success.
While there were countless small distributors in Hollywood, Orion ranked among the top of the second tier—not something like Miramax could easily compete with. Today, Orion, along with New Line Cinema, Samuel Goldwyn Productions, Columbia's TriStar, and MGM's United Artists, dominated the secondary distribution market.
Hallman gave a playful smile, looking at the two of them. "Aaron, I think you should step aside for a bit. When we talk about roles, it's not really appropriate for you to be here."
Then he looked at Nicole. "You're quite tall—Hollywood doesn't offer many roles for someone of your height. But we have several upcoming projects at Orion that might suit you."
Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Can you tell me what kind of projects?"
"Not yet," Hallman replied, glancing subtly at Aaron. His meaning was clear.
Aaron, meanwhile, stretched lazily and looked at Nicole. "Let's go."
Nicole was frustrated. Dead Calm had just premiered—why waste time here?
"Hmm," Nicole thought. She had only come on a whim, but it was clear Hallman was just playing games.
After they had entered and exchanged a few words, Hallman casually added, "She's from Australia, so she doesn't understand how things work here. Aaron, you're a CAA agent—surely you know how Hollywood operates?"
"Young man, don't get too carried away," he added with a hint of warning.
Aaron turned his head and sighed. "If you were Mario Casar, that would be one thing. But when did Orion let a single executive decide on projects?"
For commercial films, the choice of the female lead wasn't up to someone like Hallman. Orion wasn't that big a company. Mario Casar, the founder and owner of Orion, was the one who made the real decisions.
As for Pete Hallman, his idea of helping Nicole Kidman was probably limited to suggesting she showcase her body in some B-list films.
"Now you see—this is Hollywood!"
After leaving the Culver Hotel, Aaron prepared to drive Nicole back.
"Take me for a drink?" Nicole asked. She was smart and perceptive, already aware of many things—but that comment about her height had clearly stuck with her, making her feel she might miss out on roles.
"Sure," Aaron replied without hesitation, driving her to a bar in West Hollywood.
"Thanks," Nicole said, ordering a cocktail once inside.
"No problem. That guy's a small fry," Aaron said casually.
Hollywood had an overwhelming number of film companies. In smaller studios, only one or two people really held any real power. The rest could only assign minor roles. Many of these distribution companies didn't handle actual film production—the projects were mostly managed by independent studios.
"The producers, directors, and major stars hold the real authority," Aaron continued.
Nicole looked at him. "So… does every newcomer actress have to trade her body for roles?"
Aaron paused. "Uh… the indie film scene is messy, so let's not even get into that. In commercial films, it's a bit different. A leading lady has to fit the movie's positioning—that's the real premise for such compromises."
There was no avoiding it. Commercial films had huge investments—not just shooting costs, but marketing as well. Unlike an art film, commercial movies demanded massive budgets. Take Pretty Woman, for instance: Disney allocated just $15 million for production, but marketing alone would run into the tens of millions.
When commercial films cost tens of millions, no one dared to take unnecessary risks. Of course, if done carefully, commercial films were far more appealing than art films. Not just for leading roles—sometimes supporting roles could even exploit actresses if no one was watching.
"Today, I went to Disney's Touchstone Pictures. Casting for Pretty Woman is already underway," Aaron explained.
"They're prioritizing experienced, beautiful Hollywood actresses first. But that role isn't exactly tempting. Eventually, they'll probably look at younger actresses."
Nicole's eyes brightened. "So… I have a chance?"
Aaron shrugged. "You'll definitely get an audition. I've been pushing this project along, after all. But whether you actually get the role… I can't guarantee anything. I don't hold any real authority in the project."
As a foreigner, Nicole would naturally face stiff competition against local actresses. Without a real decision-maker backing her, it would be an uphill battle. In a past life, she had Tom Cruise to support her—without that, she wouldn't have had much chance at these roles.
"I know," she said. "I'm a foreigner, and I've already felt Hollywood's exclusivity. Still, I really liked the character in Ghost."
Aaron smiled. "Don't worry. You're part of the team now. When the time comes, you'll definitely get your chance…"
Eh…