America gains both fame and fortune

Chapter 274: Borrowing Strength
For the moment, Thomas' interests coincide with Martin's, and the two are tied together.

But WMA is different. They are one of the two largest entertainment agencies in the industry along with CAA, and Martin is at best just one of the more important clients.

It is necessary for customers to put some pressure on the service company at the appropriate time. If they do not actively strive for it, the service company may always fool customers with the same package, or even secretly increase the traffic to reduce the treatment of customers.

So, when Martin saw several agents from CAA, although he did not take the initiative to go over and say hello, he kept walking around within their sight and socializing and chatting with them.

A few minutes later, Anne Hathaway's agent Maha Dakshire approached Martin.

"Good evening, Martin." Maha took a quick look at the handsome man in front of him and said, "We have only known each other for a year, and you have gone from a small actor with a salary of 20 to a big star with a salary of nearly million. It's amazing."

Martin smiled and said, "I feel incredible too. Everything seems like a dream." He specifically asked, "Is Annie okay?"

Maha shook her head: "She blames herself every day, saying that she was stupid and ruined the most beautiful relationship, and she will never meet true love like you again."

She sighed again: "Annie fired me, and I am no longer responsible for her business at CAA."

Martin was curious: "Why? You're doing great. Wasn't The Princess Diaries a project you fought for her?"

"It's about you." Maha said half-truthfully, "Annie blamed me for not stopping her from breaking up with you and not keeping track of your dynamics, so she fired me. Annie is under Brian Lord's service in the company, and I am just the executive agent responsible for her business."

Martin knew Brian Lord, an agent on the same level as WMA's Ari Emanuel and a co-partner at CAA.

Martin responded with a casual, "I'm sorry."

Maha said: "Brian has been following your development. Someone recommended you to CAA at the beginning of this year. We have been following your developments."

Martin smiled and said, "My pleasure."

Maha waved to the waiter and ordered two glasses of wine, especially toasting Martin, and said, "Annie's matter is over for you and me. Let's move on."

Martin asked directly: "You are not looking for me just because of Annie, right?"

"There are two main things." Maha heard his direct words and stopped beating around the bush: "One is Pete's matter. I am one of Pete's condominium agents, and Pete is Brian's client."

Martin still said: "I have no personal grudge against Pete. If Pete hadn't taken the initiative to trouble me about what happened at Avalon that night, I wouldn't even talk to him."

Instead, he suggested: "You'd better talk to Pitt. He has a problem with his mentality. Don't say that I don't have problems with Aniston. Even if there are problems, he is just Aniston's ex-husband."

As for Julie, he was too lazy to even mention her.

Maha said: "Don't make things worse. The circle is so small that it is inevitable that there will be times when we have to cooperate."

Martin nodded: "Maha, since we are friends, as long as Pete doesn't provoke me, I will definitely not provoke him."

Maha stopped talking and said, "I remember your contract with WMA. The agent's commission is still 10%, right? You are no longer a small star. Didn't they express any opinion?"

Martin didn't respond, just smiled.

Maha then asked, "Are you a level 4 or level 3 customer within WMA?"

She smiled deliberately: "Ha... It's the new century, and WMA is still using the old-fashioned customer classification. They seriously don't pay enough attention to you! Martin, come to CAA. I can guarantee that you will get better resources and treatment than Annie, and the agency's commission will be reduced by two percentage points."

Just a few days ago, Brian Lord's client Halle Berry was poached by WMA. Although Halle Berry has an Oscar and is not a first-tier star, let alone the ability to carry the box office alone, she is definitely one of the top black movie stars, and is very popular when it comes to many specific roles that require black women.

CAA had long noticed Martin, the rising WMA star who was rising like a rocket.

Martin looked as if he was considering it seriously.

Maha believes that there is no corner that cannot be poached: "The best agency in the industry right now is CAA. From management to concept to operation, CAA is better than WMA in all aspects."

Martin said: "I can't answer you now. This is not a trivial matter. I have to consider all aspects of the situation."

Maha shook hands with Martin again: "I hope we can have a chance to work together."

Not far away from the two of them, Thomas had been keeping an eye on the situation there since the CAA people contacted Martin.

Maha is a right-hand man of CAA co-founder Braun Lord, and is always at the forefront when things happen.

CAA has poached many of WMA's clients, and WMA has done similar things many times.

Thomas wanted to go over, but he felt it was inappropriate, just like the original wife who saw her husband being seduced by a beautiful woman, feeling annoyed but also with an inexplicable sense of pride.

How could someone actively flirt with you if you're not outstanding?

Finally, Thomas saw Martin breaking up with Maha and wandering around alone, so he pretended to go over leisurely.

Martin glanced at his agent and said, "It's getting late. I'm going to leave." Thomas looked particularly concerned about Martin and reminded him, "Julie is always at the door."

Martin took a quick look over there and said, "It's okay, I can handle it." He took the initiative to mention what happened just now: "Maha, the agent from CAA, talked to me for a while."

Thomas asked, "About Anne Hathaway?"

Martin shook his head slightly. "She is not Annie's agent now, and has nothing to do with Annie. She wants to recruit me to CAA and has put forward many conditions, especially the agency's commission, which can be reduced to 7%."

Thomas cursed Maha's family a hundred times in his heart, thinking that these bastards were breaking the rules. They reduced the price by three points at once. When the client becomes a first-tier or super giant, won't it have to be reduced to less than 5%?
Martin didn't finish his words: "She came here on behalf of Brian Lord, and promised that the company would provide me with resources and treatment that are no less than Pete's."

Thomas' heart skipped a beat when he heard this. A broker's commission of one point could be over $100,000. Someone as generous as Martin might not take it to heart, but when it comes to resources, who doesn't want the best?

Within entertainment agencies, the treatment of one client varies greatly from one client to another.

WMA could not possibly offer Martin superstar treatment.

Thomas was nervous, like a prisoner waiting for judgment, and asked tentatively, "How did you respond to her?"

"I didn't give her any response." Martin's words were a little scary: "In fact, the first-tier agencies don't make a big difference to me. Others don't know, but you should know that I have the resources to organize the team."

Thomas nodded. Louise Mayer, Kelly Gray and Sophia, three women, supported Martin, as well as Asian investors. Martin was different from ordinary actor stars.

Martin patted Thomas' arm and suddenly changed the subject: "But you are different! Thomas, we met when we were little, and we worked hard and grew up together. We went through so many hardships to get to where we are today. You trust me, and I trust you. This kind of trust can never happen with other agents."

This statement is a bit exaggerated, but Thomas strongly agrees: "We are partners, we are a golden pair."

Martin added: "My previous agent was Thomas Ryan, my current agent is Thomas Ryan, and my future agent will still be Thomas Ryan. I don't want to make any changes to this!"

The status of a broker is closely related to his clients. Thomas's success today is inseparable from Martin. He did not hesitate at all: "Don't worry, I will have a serious talk with the company. Your salary must be substantially improved. This is what you deserve."

Martin nodded and said, "I'll leave this matter to you."

Thomas didn't mean to shirk his responsibility: "I will go to the company's senior management to discuss this matter formally tomorrow."

The guests in the banquet hall began to leave one after another. Martin said something to Thomas, found Louise who came with him tonight, said goodbye to Barry Meyer and Alan Horn, and prepared to leave.

Louise said, "I just talked to Aniston. She likes you very much. Why don't you ask her to come with you?"

She saw Julie near the door again: "Add Julie to the mix, it's exciting just to think about it!"

Martin let her take his arm and said, "If you don't shut up, I'll drag you down with me!"

Louise laughed but said nothing more.

When she reached the door, Julie gave Martin an inexplicable smile and didn't come over.

After leaving the banquet hall and arriving at the hotel lobby, Louise continued, "Julie and Aniston were rivals in love before, and it will be interesting to see them continue to be rivals in love in the future."

Martin did not hesitate to get rid of the donkey after it had served its purpose: "Dear, you can go now."

Louise took the initiative to let go of his arm: "You are so heartless."

She walked out of the hotel's main entrance alone and got into the Rolls-Royce waiting at the door.

Bruce hadn't arrived yet in the Escalade, so Martin was waiting behind the hotel's revolving door.

There were footsteps behind her, and Aniston came to the door, stopped beside Martin, and asked, "Has the car not arrived yet?"

Martin said, "It'll take a while."

Julie suddenly appeared at the fence on the second floor.

Aniston seemed to have sensed something, looked back, put her arm around Martin's arm, and said, "I'm going to the crew tomorrow, will you come over? We really need to rehearse our scenes together."

Martin's principles did not allow him to refuse: "I will go to the crew tomorrow morning."

Aniston moved closer and said, "Okay, see you tomorrow morning."

The black Escalade stopped at the entrance of the hotel, and Martin pointed: "I should go."

Aniston smiled and said, "Goodnight."

Martin walked out, and before leaving, he turned back, waved with a smile, then went out and got into the car.

Aniston suddenly turned around and smiled at Jolie, an idea coming to her mind: If Martin is trained to be a little puppy, Jolie will definitely be furious, right?
(End of this chapter)