Chapter 40 – The Brooding Heartthrob
Phone Booth was a simple shoot. After selling the European distribution rights, Aaron's focus shifted to the American and Japanese markets.
With Christmas approaching, Los Angeles was awash in festive lights and decorations.
Meanwhile, Sony, having just acquired Columbia-Sony Pictures and formed Sony Pictures Entertainment, poached Batman producers Peter Guber and Jon Peters from Warner Bros., installing them as co-CEOs. Was this during the recent Paramount vs. Time Warner lawsuit? Sony seemed to have been swept up in the frenzy.
Downtown Los Angeles, the set of Phone Booth. Nicolas Cage had just finished a take, and applause rippled through the crew.
Nicole Kidman and Adam Sandler had come by for cameos—especially Sandler, who played a police officer with a decent amount of screen time.
"This is moving fast… less than 20 days, right?" Nicole Kidman asked, intrigued by the unusual script.
"Just two more days of exterior shots, then the phone booth scenes will be done," Aaron replied, glancing at Nicolas Cage. This guy really has a knack for acting.
"And which distributor are you going with?"
Aaron shook his head. "Not decided yet. Both Miramax and New Line are interested, but I want to host a private screening after the film wraps."
Aaron's plan was clear: attract the attention of a major distributor. After all, Phone Booth had a fallback—Legacy Entertainment, through its partnership with Propaganda.
That evening, Aaron took the young cast and crew—mostly under 30—to a Hollywood nightclub to unwind.
Pulsing dance, rock, and electronic beats pounded the crowd. Neon lights danced across the floor, while scantily clad dancers performed energetically. The scent of alcohol, hormones, and hallucinogens filled the air. Aaron lounged on a sofa, tequila in hand, watching the frenzied scene.
"Aaron… bringing me along—do you regret it?" Nicole Kidman asked, sliding in beside him with a playful kiss.
"Regret? Not at all. This is to let them relax," he replied.
"So, all these young, beautiful women… doesn't it bother you?"
Aaron smiled, pulling Nicole closer. "With you here, why would I even look at anyone else? Look at yourself—beautiful and confident. Isn't that enough?"
Nicole kissed him again, then added, "By the way, David Lynch told me that Wild at Heart has been invited to next year's Cannes Film Festival. Do you think it can win?"
Aaron nodded. "High chance. Lynch's work is highly respected in the art-house circuit. France is the center of European cinema—it suits his style perfectly. Plus, his films are usually backed with European financing."
In fact, David Lynch's work was more popular in Europe than in the U.S. Hollywood box office successes rarely intersected with art-house acclaim. The exception would come years later with Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker, which set a record for the lowest-grossing Best Picture winner.
That film, earning just over $10 million, was a purely patriotic American political piece. Coupled with the rise of feminism, Hollywood needed a Best Female Director—Bigelow filled that niche.
"Aaron, Nicole, let me introduce two friends," said Nicolas Cage, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, accompanied by Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder, the young couple. Cage had known Depp for a while; despite Cage's early rise to fame, Depp had recently become popular through the TV show 21 Jump Street.
"Good evening!"
Following the introductions, they all sat down and had drinks together.
"Depp, Aaron was the most powerful young agent at CAA. Too bad he left. Now he runs a film company, and his first project is the one we're shooting—Phone Booth."
Johnny Depp was stunned. "That young? He's the head of a film company already?"
Aaron smiled. "It's just a low-budget thriller drama. I thought I'd try my hand at producing."
"Ah, Aaron… you left CAA?"
Winona Ryder, standing nearby, looked surprised. Not long ago, Aaron had accompanied Jennifer Connelly to the Godfather III set for auditions.
"Yeah, I left not long ago," Aaron said, casting a deliberate glance at Winona, sensing her curiosity.
"So… the role of the daughter in Godfather III didn't end up going to you?"
"Shouldn't be," Winona replied awkwardly, while Johnny Depp beside her took a sip of his drink. "Looks like Aaron's been too busy to keep up with these things. Francis Coppola had his daughter, Sofia, play the role—you didn't go to the Italian set."
"Ah, I see," Nicole Kidman, sitting next to Aaron, recalled his earlier explanation: Italians making movies tend to favor their own people. True enough, she thought.
"Alright, let's have a drink," Aaron said, raising his glass.
"Actually, I'm really looking forward to Tim Burton's fantasy romance, Edward Scissorhands," he added. "I'm sure the performances by both of you will leave everyone stunned!"
At 27, Johnny Depp was strikingly handsome, with an effortlessly brooding charm. 21 Jump Street had made him an American teen idol, but he was still largely a minor TV actor. Edward Scissorhands would be his breakout in cinema—and the off-screen romance between the lead actors only added to the buzz.
"Thanks, Aaron. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to work together sometime," Winona Ryder said with a smile. Her agent had often praised Aaron's eye for talent, and now that he had left CAA to become a film producer, she was happy to establish a connection.
Even if Aaron's ventures failed later, it wouldn't hurt to make the acquaintance—it was just common sense in Hollywood.
Aaron nodded with a smile. Hollywood was a world of fame and fortune; those who could break out of the mold were certainly not fools.
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