Marvel Salted Fish Kryptonian

Henry also switched back to English and asked, "How long have you been in the United States?"

"About two years. Why do you ask?"

"Because your accent isn't like Robert's. It's very Dutch with a hint of French."

As he spoke, Henry imitated the Dutch actor's accent and recited a line from the opera, which made Charlize laugh.

"Did he really talk like that?" Charlize asked.

"Yeah, integrating opera into daily life. That's quite a talent," Henry teased, then turned and asked, "What about you? I've been to many African countries with Ms. Hepburn, but I've never been to South Africa. What's it like?"

The UN arranged a visit to South Africa for Ms. Henry before she became his assistant. There have been no further trips since then, so Henry naturally missed the opportunity to visit that country.

Charlize seemed hesitant to talk about her hometown, but she still replied, "Honestly, it's no different from other African countries. Apartheid created conflict everywhere in society."

"I grew up in Benoni, in the Transvaal province, near the city of Johannesburg. My family lived on a farm, and the environment was very nice. I would often play barefoot in the dirt like a boy.

"There were no Game Boys, no computers, and there were no concerts because of international sanctions. This meant I had to find my own entertainment, like a typical country girl.

"So if you ask me what kind of country South Africa is, I can't tell you. I can only tell you the impression people have of it, even if it's a bit negative."

The meal was served, and the two ate and chatted. Henry asked, "What happens next?"

Charlize replied, "When I was sixteen, I left South Africa with my mother and went to Italy to work as a model. Although I lived in Milan, I spent that year traveling around Europe.

"When my modeling contract ended, we came to the United States. My mother lived in Miami, and I went to New York to attend the Joffrey Ballet School."

Henry said in surprise, "Is this the training institution run by the Joffrey Ballet? They're very famous, and those who get in are not ordinary. You're quite good."

"Yeah. If my knee wasn't injured," Charlize said dejectedly.

"Really? Oh, what a shame. If you get injured during training, it means you won't be able to truly reach the top level."

So-called talent isn't just about learning quickly; it also involves the limits of one's physical abilities. If one hits these limits early on, leaving behind injuries, then any promises of future success are deceptive. For many things, success isn't guaranteed simply by persistence.

"Yes, my teacher said the same thing and didn't recommend me to continue with ballet. It was a terrible time."

"So you came to Hollywood to pursue your dreams?"

As if immersed in memories, Charlize said: "Yes. My mother, who returned to South Africa, came to New York to see me during that time. She told me: 'Either you figure out what to do next, or come home. Because in South Africa, I can sulk as much as I want.'

"Then I came to Los Angeles to give it one last try, while my mother stayed in New York to support me. This was the last chance for both of us. If we failed again, we would have to go back to the farm in South Africa."

"The American Dream, ahaha," Henry exclaimed.

Showing an embarrassed expression, Charlize Theron said shyly: "Really, why would I tell you such weird things. Please forget all this."

"OK, I forgot. But I have to say, sometimes it's good to say it out loud instead of keeping it in."

"No, please just forget it completely. Don't give me any advice."

"No problem, well, I don't remember anything at all." Henry said, following the trend.

Chapter 278 Request

"Everyone is talking about me, what about you? Are you born and raised in Los Angeles?" Charlize asked.

: I traveled through time. If I tell you, you’ll be scared to death!

Henry said, "Alaska is just as boring as you are. The only good thing is that there are more snow activities. Skiing is not just entertainment, it's like a life skill."

"So my childhood wasn't much to talk about. It was a boring place, a boring life. I don't even want to think about it. It was only after I came to Los Angeles that I felt like I was truly alive."

I haven't mentioned my childhood before time travel, because there's really nothing much to talk about. After growing up, we all became office workers, and experienced the eighteen kinds of childhoods with strict fathers and kind mothers. What experiences can we be proud of?

Perhaps because they had similar experiences, Charlize never mentioned "father" in her conversation, and Henry didn't even ask about it. When Henry didn't mention "parents", Charlize didn't deliberately ask about it.

The two of them seemed to have a tacit understanding. They selectively mentioned that period of time and did not ask about the parts that were not mentioned.

In the following conversation, Charlize talked about her experiences in Europe and New York, of course, picking out happy things to talk about.

Henry talked about his experience of traveling around the world with Audrey Hepburn while serving as her assistant.

Don't be fooled by the angelic appearance of the children in the photos released in the public report. In those parts of the life that were not recorded, many things happened that were both hilarious and heartbreaking.

The language barrier is the most common problem. It is impossible to expect every child in these poor countries, who may not even have access to a proper education, to speak fluent English.

Overall, the lunch was a pleasant one. As long as he didn't make any harsh remarks, Henry was a master at creating an atmosphere and could make Charlize laugh from time to time.

It was just that when the two of them finished their meal and were drinking coffee to digest the food, Charlize Theron's hesitant attitude, as if she had something to say, was not too obvious.

Henry smiled and said, "If there's anything I can help you with, please let me know. But you have to know that saying something like, 'I'll give you a female lead role tomorrow worth tens of millions of dollars' is only appropriate to say to the genie in the magic lamp, not to me."

"Well, my wish is not that exaggerated." After being relieved by a joke, Charlize said, "Yesterday I met a man who claimed to be a talent scout. His name is John Crosby.

"He did me a huge favor. He also said he wanted to discuss an agency contract with me, and we've arranged to meet this afternoon. I'm completely unfamiliar with Los Angeles, so I wonder if you could come with me?"

Henry agreed immediately, "Sure. Where are you meeting? What time?"

"At a cafe on Hollywood Boulevard, around three in the afternoon."

Nodding, Henry said, "Well, we still have some time. Before that, let me tell you about the Hollywood newcomer agency contracts I know about.

"The initial contract is valid for one year, and the maximum renewal period is three years. Only big-name actors can easily fire their agents.

"Ordinary people have termination clauses, but generally speaking, they involve the agent's commission. The agent's share of the work agreed upon and completed during the period of cooperation still needs to be paid, and this payment cannot be withheld simply because the contract is terminated.

"As for compensation, generally speaking, there isn't any. This is unless the agent has invested in you, such as training or acting lessons. Only if they've made some upfront investment can they demand compensation upon early termination.

"As for the commission ratio, the agent's commission cannot exceed 10%. Agents cannot participate in the production or enjoy the results of the client's work, including partial enjoyment.

"This is required by law so that brokers can stand on the side of their clients, that is, you, rather than the side of the capital provider, to avoid conflicts of interest.

"But you also have to know that even though the law stipulates this, there are always ways to circumvent it. For example, the agent's commission is 10%, which is his remuneration.

"But if the agent also has operating expenses, can these be claimed from the actor? Just like the investment training I mentioned earlier, these expenses will be paid by the actor under different names. This is also normal in the industry.

"So, I can give you some unprofessional legal advice. As long as it's not an obvious trap contract, you have to consider whether you are willing to accept the other terms.

"The most important point is that newcomers don't have much room for negotiation. So you said he did you a favor. Can you tell me what the situation was?

"If it's just a favor you owe someone, there might be room for negotiation on the terms of the contract. But if it's more than that, you might just have to agree, or repay the favor and refuse."

After thinking about it, Charlize decided to speak out. "Yesterday I received a check from my mother. But when I went to the bank to cash it, the bank rejected it because it was out of state and I'm not a US citizen.

"That was a lifeline for me, so I argued with the bank teller. John Crosby was right behind me in line, and he cashed the check for me and gave me his business card to contact him."

"Is that so?" Henry pondered.

There is a time lag between bank checks and the exchange of checks within the bank's internal bill system. It is not uncommon for checks to be dishonored in the United States due to insufficient account balances.

If the bank pays out at this time, it will suffer a loss no matter how high the discount rate and handling fee are set.

Being in a different state, with a different banking system, and not being a US citizen does pose risks. So Charlize Theron's rejection wasn't exactly news.

Henry asked again, "When Mr. Crosby cashed your check, did he deduct the handling fees? Or did he pay you according to the amount of the check?"

"Everything was deducted. It's not my first time cashing a check, so of course I know there are fees. I wouldn't take advantage of someone like that."

"Well, then this is a personal favor. There is no debt issue."

What Henry didn't say was that the favor could be big or small. It was basically the talent scout gambling his own credit that the check Charlize's mother had sent was real.

If there's a problem with a check, the bank will certainly go to John Crosby, not Charlize Theron.

Of course, if there is money in the checking account and the money can be paid normally, then there is no big problem. But it is still a help.

Looking at the clock on the wall of the restaurant, Henry said, "It's almost time. Let's go meet this scout. Would you like to take my car with us?"

"Okay." Charlize nodded.

Chapter 279 Star Scout

Henry and Charlize Theron arrived at the agreed coffee shop first. It wasn't long before John Crosby came through the door. Charlize immediately stood up and greeted him, "Mr. Crosby, here."

John Crosby saw the man standing next to Charlize as soon as he entered. He approached and greeted him, then asked, "Is this your boyfriend?"

Henry was the first to extend his hand and introduce himself. "Hello, I'm Henry Brown, a friend of Ms. Theron. I've been in Hollywood for a while, and I'm here to give you some courage."

"Hello, Mr. Brown. I'm John Crosby, head of the Crosby Agency. Which agency are you currently signed with?"

John shook hands and then handed over his business card. But his expression was a little unnatural, as if he were seeing someone getting in his way. It was a subtle expression, not overt, so it was hard to tell if he had any ill intentions.

Henry, possessing remarkable self-control, calmly accepted the card. He said, "Please sit down. I'm only registered with the Screen Actors Guild; I'm not affiliated with any agency."

"Oh, then are you interested in signing with our company together with Ms. Theron?" John invited.

Henry smiled and said, "I only played some background roles a little over two years ago. At that time, some senior actors said that I didn't have the looks to be a leading actor.

"I can only get by on supporting roles. I can't make a lot of money, but I can still survive. So now I have other jobs and am not that enthusiastic about the acting career. It's just that I'm even less familiar with Ms. Charlize Theron, so I came to help look over the details of the contract."

Henry didn't want to portray himself as a Hollywood veteran. He couldn't compare to the middle-aged talent scout before him, and it would be easy for him to be caught lying. Instead, he simply told the truth.

It's not like you're forcing them to use all their resources to promote a Hollywood rookie. Just letting them know you're not a complete newbie will help them moderate their inappropriate behavior.

I don't know how much John understood the subtext, but at least his expression softened a lot. He first asked the waiter for a cup of coffee, then took out a document from his briefcase and put it on the table.

John said: "I talked to Charlize on the phone yesterday and she can sign with my agency. The agency's business scope is very wide, ranging from movies, TV series to music videos and print models.

"Given Charlize's qualifications, I believe she will be able to stand out in a very short time. Perhaps at the beginning, we won't be able to play a movie role right away.

"But you can go to acting school to hone your skills first, and work as a model to earn a living. We talked about your modeling career in Europe before. This job should be a piece of cake for you."

It sounds like a smooth road ahead. But who doesn't have a lot of tricks for talent scouts? Henry looked at the documents on the table with reservations and asked, "Is this a contract? Can I see it?"

"Please."

After signaling to Charlize and getting her consent, Henry picked up the agency contract and looked at it first.

In fact, everything from the brokerage scope to the profit-sharing agreement is completely legal and in compliance with the law. However, the key point lies in the initial investment project.

The agency will cover Charlize Theron's acting school expenses. Since there are upfront expenses, the contract period and termination conditions are not so simple.

The law stipulates that the initial contract is only valid for one year, and the maximum renewal period is three years. However, this contract has the right of priority renewal.

As long as Charlize's profits do not exceed a certain line within the year, that is, enough to cover the cost of acting school, Crosby's agency can request an extension of the contract.

The same goes for termination conditions. If you want to leave, you have to repay the company's investment before you can leave cleanly.

The exact amount wasn't specified; it depended on the cost of the acting school. This was only slightly better than asking someone to sign a blank contract.

Speaking of which, for a newcomer with no family resources, such a contract does have hidden dangers; if the agency is serious about training newcomers, the terms of this contract are still reasonable.

But the other documents Henry's X-ray eyes saw in John's briefcase were not so kind.

There is a clause in the contract that states that after signing the contract, the agency will not only pay for the acting school fees, but also provide clothing expenses, living expenses, and high-end apartments for women. It can be said that all aspects are taken care of.

But the profit margin they had to earn for the company within the year was so high that even the average white-collar worker would be shocked. If they couldn't achieve it, they would become practically a slave to the company from the second year onwards, completely controlled by the massive debt.

The girl now has only two choices: the first is to take on a huge debt and work multiple jobs to pay it back. The other is to continue enjoying the lifestyle she had in the first year, but still be controlled by the company.

Although some of the conditions are very strict, every girl who has just arrived in Hollywood thinks that she can turn a small business into a big success like Julia Roberts.

So as long as they fulfill the contract, no matter how strict the termination or breach of contract conditions are, it doesn't matter. But by the time they face reality, it's too late.

Perhaps many of the girls who have fallen in Hollywood were created this way. How many people are really going to make money in the dark industry from the beginning?

From the contents of the unproduced contract, it was clear that Crosby's agency wasn't a good company. It was only Henry's presence that prevented John from producing the strictest slave contract.

But even if he knew that Crosby's agency had a dark side, it was just Henry's guess. He couldn't directly tell Charlize Theron that this guy was dangerous and it was best not to get close to him. He couldn't even provide evidence to prove it.

Didn't they take out the contract from their bag? Just because a man has a gun in his crotch doesn't mean all men rape women. Maybe they really do want to train the actors well.

So Henry simply explained the terms of the contract to Charlize one by one, without deliberately adding any embellishments or emotional words.

Finally, Henry said, "There's nothing to negotiate about this contract. It's basically the Screen Actors Guild's temporary agency contract template, with a few more clauses added."

"The compensation upon termination is actually the company's initial subsidy for the acting school. If you are willing to pay the full tuition, perhaps the compensation clause upon termination can be cancelled."

John, who occasionally supplemented the content, said, "Charlize, if you are willing to pay for the tuition yourself, it is no problem to cancel the compensation clause. This is also because I see that you are in some financial difficulties, so I am giving you special help.

"Whether you want to accept it or not is up to you. But if you want to be a movie actor, don't ever say you don't need to go to acting school.

"The person I chose to work with is a famous teacher that many big stars would seek out for advice. He is very good at acting, and what's even more rare is that he knows how to teach.

"Many well-known celebrities can act themselves, but they may not be able to teach. And more importantly, being able to take classes with them is like a business card.

"If there's a director who places special emphasis on acting, your acting teacher will be the one to endorse you until you have a representative work to convince others."

"Well, let me think about it." The movie queen who has not yet made her debut is standing at a crossroads in her life.

Chapter 280 Another Favor