America gains both fame and fortune

Chapter 298 Favor Debt

In the western bar, extras sat in various places, unbuttoning their dirty collars and drinking beer in big gulps in the dry and sultry weather.

The local bully who looked 50% similar to Brad Pitt wanted to tease the red-dressed saint of the Coca-Cola Cult, but was easily subdued by the leader Martin and pressed on the table.

Martin extended his hand to the red-dressed Saint Elizabeth, who opened her bag, took out a glass bottle of Coke and handed it to the leader.

With the cold cola pressed on his head, the bully automatically slid down.

Martin opened the Coke and put it on the table.

The bully picked it up and started drinking, and the expression on his face changed rapidly...

"Stop!" Sam Mendes stopped the filming and shouted to the bully in Pitt's costume: "The transition should be more natural, not so stiff."

The stylists came in to touch up the makeup and the shooting soon resumed.

For the entire morning, the crew was shooting interior scenes in the bar. Compared with simple exterior scenes, interior scenes were more difficult and Sam Mendes was more demanding. He would stop shooting from time to time and sometimes even personally provide guidance.

Kate Winslet arrived in Parker Township from San Diego shortly after noon, simply said hello to Martin, and found a quiet place to watch the filming.

She met Martin three years ago when she was acting in Atlanta. Martin was already a good actor at that time.

Unfortunately, in the film Noon Sun of a Beautiful Mind, almost all of Martin's scenes were cut, and there were only a few fleeting shots of him in the finished film, without even any lines.

Kate later watched all the films Martin starred in carefully.

Martin can handle both young football coaches and mature adults.

Kate specifically asked her old friend Leonardo, who told her clearly that in the crew of The Departed, including Nicholson and Scorsese, most people thought that Martin's performance during filming was much better than that of the leading actor.

Even Leonardo himself admitted this.

A few days ago, Kate called Leonardo again.

Leonardo's words are very interesting: beneath Martin's handsome young appearance, there may be the soul of an old bastard who is more evil than Nicholson.

Kate looked towards the set again, and the people in the bar had already been convinced by the leader of the Coca Cola Cult.

After the commercial shoot, the actors left the bar to remove their makeup.

Sam Mendes is still sorting out the footage.

After waiting for a while, Kate went over and asked, "What do you think of Martin?"

Mendes said his own judgment: "Based on the two days of filming the commercial, he is even better than you said. His acting skills are excellent, mature and rounded. He can control the role easily. If you compare... no other actor in this commercial can compare."

He thought for a moment and said, "Personally, I feel that he is no worse than Kevin Spacey in American Beauty."

Her husband is a director, and an Oscar-winning one at that. Kate trusts his vision and judgment because they are extremely similar to what she has seen and heard.

Although Martin likes to stir up trouble, he is very capable and treats his friends well.

Kate knew that Louise had encountered great difficulties after "Alexander the Great", and Martin persuaded her to invest and successfully helped Pacific Pictures overcome the crisis.

Mendes added: "I told him yesterday that you would come over. I guess he will come to see you later."

Kate nodded and asked, "Have you not thought about it yet? My new work still lacks a director who can take control of the overall situation."

Mendes was skeptical: "Let me think about it."

The crew was dismantling equipment such as slides and cameras. Kate found a place where they would not be in the way and waited patiently for a while.

Martin quickly returned to the bar, pulled out a chair and sat across from Kate, and asked, "You said you had something to talk to me about on Oscar night, and then you went out traveling."

Kate smiled and said, "So, I came here specially to see you today."

Martin asked, "What exactly is it? If you need any help, just give me a call."

Kate opened her bag, took out a book and a script, and handed them over: "Take a look at these first."

Martin took over the book, which was "The Reader" written by German writer Bernhard Schlink, and the script was adapted from the movie script of the same name.

Kate said: "I mentioned this book to you before. Later, I made up my mind and persuaded the author to get the film and television adaptation rights. Then I found Anthony Minghella, the screenwriter and director of "The English Patient" and "The Talented Prairie", to cooperate and adapt it into this script."

Martin didn't read the novel, but looked directly at the script: "I have a general understanding of it. It's a love story between a young man and a middle-aged woman."

Kate nodded and continued, "The male lead's life span is from his teens to middle age, which is a long time span. Some people suggested that the male lead be divided into two actors, a teenager and an adult, but I don't think that's a good idea. The difference in appearance is too big, which can easily make people feel out of place. He looks like a middle-aged man recalling other people's stories." She expressed her own opinion, "I tend to use the same actor. I have considered many candidates. It is not difficult for young actors to play a teenager, but it is not easy to successfully portray a middle-aged character. After thinking about it, I only thought of you."

Martin has experienced a lot himself, so it is not a problem for him to portray the mentality and vicissitudes of life of a middle-aged man.

In comparison, appearance is the easiest problem to solve.

Martin asked directly: "Are you going to win the Oscar for Best Actress with this film?"

"That's right." Kate's goal was very clear, and she specifically mentioned one thing: "When I first got the adaptation rights, I planned to raise investment for production, and then find Weinstein Pictures to distribute it. Before the Oscars, I talked to Louise in detail about some things and learned that there seemed to be some problems between you and Harvey, so I decided that this film would not be cooperated with Weinstein Pictures again. You can rest assured about this."

This film does not suit Martin's taste and style. If someone else came, he would directly refuse.

But when Kate Winslet came over, some things had to be considered.

In the process of climbing up, Martin often borrowed the power of women, including Kate Winslet.

While competing for the Saturn Award for Best Young Actor and The Hills Have Eyes, he used Kate's relationship with Harvey's wife to get to know Wes Craven.

Later on the set of The Departed, Leonardo supported him without knowing him, also because of Kate's lobbying.

It may be just a few words between her and Leonardo, but if the relationship is not right, it will be useless even if you say ten thousand words.

Kate added: "There's no rush for this. Take a closer look at the script first. If it's not suitable, I have other options."

Martin closed the script and asked, "Which class do you plan to run for?"

"It will definitely be too late for next year's Oscars." Kate has already made plans: "If nothing goes wrong, it will be released in the second half of 07 and will compete in the 08th Academy Awards in 80."

Martin thought carefully, who was the winner of the 2008 Oscar for Best Actress? It was so long ago that he thought for a long time but still couldn't remember the name of the person or the movie.

In this case, 80% of the actors and movies are not very famous, so even if they win an Oscar, their influence will be very small.

Martin said: "Leave the script and novel to me, I will read them carefully first."

Kate smiled and said, "There's plenty of time. There's no rush."

Martin asked again: "Where's the director? Is he sure?"

Kate pointed at Sam Mendes who was still busy: "He is the first choice, but he hasn't agreed yet." She mentioned another thing: "I got some investment from Louise, and there is also some investment from the UK. Funding for the project is not a problem."

Sam Mendes is a former Oscar winner for Best Director, and there is no doubt that he has the ability to direct this type of film.

Martin told the truth: "Kate, you are so powerful. It's so easy to promote a project."

Kate rubbed her forehead and said, "It's hard. There are so many things to worry about. When I win the Best Actress award, I will never bother with the academy again. I've had enough of them."

Over the years, her complaints have only grown as she has failed to win an Oscar: "My movie is a big hit, and I'm very popular around the world. Is that wrong?"

Martin picked up the book and turned it over so that the back cover was facing up. There was an old woman on it. "Think of something about the appearance. Is the heroine very old in the end?"

"Yes, old and ugly." Kate made such a choice for a reason. Nazi added: "I will try to be uglier than Charlize Theron."

Thinking of that female devil, Martin felt a chill.

The two chatted for a while, and when Sam Mendes finished packing, Kate joined him and they left the bar together.

Martin also returned to the hotel in town and packed his luggage to return to Los Angeles.

Bruce also knew that Kate came to see Martin. While packing up, he said from a manager's perspective: "This movie doesn't really match your style. Let Kate act with you..."

Martin shook his head: "I roughly glanced at the script. In fact, the male lead has as much role as the female lead. From the script alone, it can be a story about a boy's growth, or it can be a painful choice of a woman between dignity and suffering."

Bruce was surprised: "You don't really like this."

"If it wasn't Kate, even if Louise and Kelly came to me together, I would have rejected this script." Martin now has the confidence: "Louise and Kelly helped me, but I got them to invest together, and they made a lot of money. And what about Kate? I still have a debt of gratitude."

Bruce remembered that he still wanted to do a favor twice, and said, "Hearing what you said now, I doubt whether you are still a bad person. If Leonardo and Nicholson knew about this, they might expel you from the Asshole Club."

Martin couldn't help but laugh: "If you don't return the favor after someone helped you, it will affect your reputation in the future." He also thought a lot: "Of course, I haven't decided whether to return it this time. At least I have to go back and say hello to Thomas and the agency and discuss it first."

After packing his luggage, Martin took the script and the original book with him, went to the outskirts of the town, and boarded a helicopter.

Also returning to Los Angeles on the same flight was Elizabeth Olsen.

(End of this chapter)