King of Hollywood
Chapter 410 - 132 Training on Both Sides

Chapter 410: Chapter 132 Training on Both Sides

No doubt about it, the movie Adrian, Drew, and Cameron were discussing was the adaptation of "Charlie’s Angels," a TV show that had been all the rage in the seventies. Drew’s production company had already released "Never Been Kissed" before the summer break, around the same time as "I Know What You Did Last Summer," and the results were quite decent.

Tasting success, Drew naturally wanted to keep up the momentum. Her production company was quite small, with just over ten employees. While it couldn’t be called a briefcase company, it was relatively simple compared to others. In fact, such small companies are commonplace in Hollywood, and they are usually established by stars. These production companies are not considered mainstream, but they have a significant advantage; when necessary, they can leverage the celebrity’s fame and connections to secure investment, then coordinate with directors and various teams for production. There are plenty of such relatively independent teams in Hollywood anyway.

Of course, these companies typically produce films with medium to small budgets. If the film becomes a big seller, they can make a tidy profit, but losses won’t be too painful. The drawback, however, is that these small production companies have to rely on larger ones to survive. In fact, even production companies set up by current big names like Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Judi Foster, which have full departments and staff, need to do this, let alone those started by average A-list stars.

That’s why Drew chose Adrian. As for why she didn’t choose her godfather, after all, DreamWorks was ambitious from the start and was clear in its intent to become the eighth major film company in Hollywood upon the release of "Saving Private Ryan." Moreover, Spielberg had helped her out a few times before, but Drew had her own calculations.

How should I put it? Sometimes the title of godfather is not so sacred. If it’s like the Cowell and Ronris families, where the connection has been built up over several generations, such a godfather will naturally treat his godchildren as if they were his own. Just look at how Old Ronris supports Adrian and you’ll understand. But for someone like Drew, who was taken in by Spielberg because of her stellar performance in "ET," there would be many courtesies, but there’s always a difference.

That’s why, after a few instances of helping Drew and being disappointed, Spielberg stepped back and didn’t get involved anymore, and also why he only hinted a few things to Gwyneth without stopping her, knowing full well that Adrian had many women.

Drew still kept in touch with her godfather, but it was mainly Adrian’s help that allowed her to return to her nearly A-list status, especially the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, which played a significant role. With Adrian’s ever-louder name and the decent success of "Never Been Kissed," she naturally knew which choice would be more beneficial to her.

Besides, she had something Adrian was interested in, and she didn’t care about that bit of commitment. She was just over twenty, but what hadn’t she seen? Moreover, most women in this circle had the same attitude. In addition, although Adrian liked to dominate and toy with women in bed, he generally treated them well, and at least she felt respected by him.

So, after serving him with all her might, Drew acquired the production rights to "Charlie’s Angels" from Adrian.

Since the dawn of action movies, the main combat roles were played by males. Hong Kong cinema is a bit better in this regard, having a number of actresses known for their action roles, while in the United States, such examples were quite rare. After all, it’s not likely for a delicate woman to engage in rugged hand-to-hand combat, right? Even in the original "Charlie’s Angels" TV series, the three female leads solved problems more with gadgets and wit than with fistfights.

That’s why when the film version of "Charlie’s Angels" came out, it was so popular. After being choreographed by professional action directors from Hong Kong, the fight scenes involving the female leads were powerful and swift, making for a visually pleasing experience, akin to a breath of fresh air in action cinema. This is why the Bond girls in the later 007 series also began to move in this direction.

Adrian, who understood all this, took advantage of his foresight and reached out to ABC early to negotiate the adaptation rights for the TV version, just like he had done with various novel rights. However, there was a little hiccup along the way. Due to Adrian’s resounding reputation, when they found out that the Miracle Director wanted to convert the TV show into a movie, they immediately doubled their price. At that time, AC Media had not yet begun the acquisition of ABC, and even Disney was just starting to probe.

"This is a piece the Miracle Director has his eye on, and I’m sure if we publicize this, there’ll be no shortage of people wanting to buy the rights," the representative from ABC said at the time with a smile.

Well, that was actually a joke. They just wanted to use that method to fight for greater benefits for themselves, and the terms they ultimately reached weren’t too harsh. The price was a little higher than the initial offer, they didn’t transfer but retained the rights to broadcast the film on ABC, which you could say shows that the other party is quite good at doing business. Of course, after ABC was acquired, that became a laughing matter.

But the incident still served as a warning to Adrian, the people from other movie companies had never ceased trying to find out what he was paying attention to. Although some important film adaptation rights had been secured, there are always oversights. If he wasn’t careful and other companies snatched up important rights, it could cause quite a bit of trouble.

Not to mention that you can’t expect everyone to understand how to choose wisely. They might agree on one hand and then leak information, potentially leading to a situation where several companies are competing for the same thing. Thus, it would be wise to make some preparations, such as arranging for an independent producer who seemed to have no connection with him to be in charge of purchasing various film rights.

At first, Adrian hadn’t intended to give Drew Barrymore the film. There were plenty of suitable people around him, it was just a matter of waiting a year and a half at most. But following the release of "Never Been Kissed," Drew promptly invited him out and used every trick in the book to ingratiate herself with him. Her maneuvers were unimaginable and bold; she didn’t hold back at all.

Although Adrian had several women who were well-trained, he never forced them, so some things he had never tried. While in Japan, Takako Tokiwa had provided excellent service, but with her petite frame, she couldn’t handle some of the moves, so Drew’s actions were quite satisfying to Adrian.

Since Drew had made such an effort, it was only right that Adrian reciprocate. Besides, "Charlie’s Angels" was originally Drew’s project, so he "generously" took it out. He even went so far as to invite Cameron Diaz to play one of the lead actresses and suggested casting an Asian actress for the third lead role.

Perhaps because of similar traits in their personalities—being playful, unrestrained, young, and carefree—Drew and Cameron clicked instantly. After a few interactions, they became close friends who could talk about anything, even sharing about their experiences in bed with Adrian. Although both women knew from their initial meeting that each of them had been involved with Adrian and were in a "friends with benefits" situation, such open sharing of experiences seemed a bit too much.

All of this was told to Adrian by Drew. In fact, the threesome play with them was also facilitated by Drew. While Cameron didn’t mind having a fling with Adrian, without Drew’s matchmaking, it wouldn’t have happened so quickly, even involving a great time in Drew’s office. Honestly, it felt great—one was voluptuous, and the other had the perfect slender build. Together, they complemented each other in a unique way.

It had to be admitted that Drew, who was three years younger than Cameron and whose father had not been a manager in an oil company, who had gone through even tougher times in life, understood Adrian’s worth better. Not only did she take Cameron to bed in the name of "trying something new," but she also got Adrian to invest in the movie privately— not a large amount but enough to show Drew’s attitude—and she even invited him to be the casting director.

Having benefited from this, Adrian did not decline. He promptly helped contact a better production team, selected a director for some serious discussion, and considered suitable Asian actresses.

To be honest, if Nakama Yukie hadn’t been too young and her acting skills hadn’t yet reached the average level—the previous audition he had arranged for her hadn’t gone well—it would have been a good opportunity for her to make her mark with "Charlie’s Angels."

Adrian had also considered actresses from Hong Kong, as they were more experienced in action scenes, but the problem was that Hong Kong actresses were in a transition period. The few he liked were either taken or semi-retired and may not be willing to come to Hollywood. It would also take a lot of time to finalize the deal, so that was not an option.

After much thought, he had to turn his attention back to the United States. He ruled out the original Lucy Liu, as she didn’t fit his aesthetic at all. Once the audition was announced, a flurry of applications flooded the office responsible. Although the production team had not announced who was in charge of casting, how could those agile agents not find out? Asian actresses hovering between the second and third tiers were overjoyed—it was a rare opportunity. Everyone knew that getting a role with the Miracle Director could mean a massive leap in their careers, even if they couldn’t compare with the top stars.

However, after much deliberation and several days of auditions, Adrian couldn’t find the right candidate. He was losing hope in the casting assistants from the production team. He didn’t understand what was wrong with their aesthetic sense. Going through the profiles they recommended, Adrian could only sigh continuously. Although many of the girls looked pretty to him, beauty was not the only factor. He needed to consider many other aspects; what he had said in the office to Drew was not an excuse.

Aside from being pretty, acting is definitely required; even if the three leading ladies of "Charlie’s Angels" were just decorative vases, they were vases that could showcase themselves. Moreover, you need to know how to handle people. In the United States, although the law prohibits discrimination, and there are many anti-discrimination organizations, if someone really wants to discriminate against you and exclude you, what can you do? Unless you can obtain concrete evidence, it’s useless to go to court.

Lucy Liu’s clashes with Drew and Cameron may have had something to do with this, so Adrian needed to find a more experienced Asian actress. This was not difficult; it was just a matter of time. Hollywood is not short of actors who want to seize the opportunity, even Asian ones.

"You know, I really like watching you comb your hair back," Adrian said with a smile from the bedhead, his bare chest exposed, watching the girl sitting by the bed, "It’s very sexy, and at the same time, it carries an Eastern charm."

The girl, who had just put on a shirt and combed out her hair, her ample softness still exposed, raised her eyebrows in surprise, then smiled gently, "Thank you for your compliment, Ed. In my opinion, there’s no man more gentlemanly and yet more paradoxical than you; tender yet domineering. No wonder you mesmerize so many."

Adrian smiled without a word, stretching out a hand to pinch her chin and admire her. She, in turn, twisted her upper body, puffed out her chest, and let him look to his heart’s content, as if proud to do so.

She may be one-quarter ethnic Chinese, but she’s not the same as a full-blooded Chinese. Adrian chuckled inwardly. If he were to admire Takako Tokiwa or Nakama Yukie this way, they would usually shyly lower their heads and unconsciously cover their chests. Whereas Kate and her like would all open up and let him see enough—that was the difference between Eastern and Western women.

Of course, Japanese women do not necessarily represent all Asian women, and there are certainly forthright Asian women, especially in places like the entertainment industry. But on the whole, Asian women, influenced by Chinese culture, tend to be more reserved. The girl in front of him, although one-quarter ethnic Chinese, was born in Hawaii and received American education; her style was not much different from that of American women.

Yes, the actress Adrian had chosen was Kelly Hu, who had won the title of Miss Hawaii USA. Although beauty contests are commonplace in the United States, with many small towns holding them annually, winning the Miss Hawaii USA title meant that Kelly’s appearance was virtually flawless. Although only one-quarter ethnic Chinese, with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes, her features leaned more towards Western aesthetics, but they still carried a trace of Eastern charm, giving her a unique allure.

Moreover, her resume was quite impressive; she had cameo roles in "Growing Pains" in the 1980s and had appeared in numerous films and TV shows since then. Although they were minor roles, she had accumulated a lot of experience. More importantly, she left a good impression on most people who still remembered her.

Beyond that, Kelly was very perceptive. One actress, a very cryptic question hidden deep within a simple hint, went unanswered by several Asian actresses. Only Kelly approached Adrian directly and privately, inviting him to dinner. Adrian was not a man in a hurry; his probing was more a test of her responsiveness and coping skills. As mentioned before, a performer’s perceptiveness is important, so while he accepted Kelly’s invitation that night, he did not entertain her further advances.

However, Kelly was very clear about what she needed and understood that opportunities often slip by in a flash. Moreover, Adrian did not hide his admiration for her. Hence, after the final audition round, she invited Adrian again to visit her home. Presented with sweets served on a platter, Adrian never refused and naturally indulged himself; there was no need to say more about the role’s attribution.

"Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Yuan Zhenyang," Adrian said as he introduced the middle-aged man, with a face reminiscent of Yuan Heping’s, to the three beautiful ladies in the spacious training room, "Over the next three months, he and his brother’s disciples will give you some basic kung fu training. It might be hard, but I hope you’ll stick with it. Then you’ll see the benefits of practicing kung fu regularly."

"Yu Ao, Yuan Zhibu," the three ladies promptly bowed to the middle-aged man, giggling as they attempted to speak in a strange Chinese accent. Kelly’s pronunciation was fairly standard, but Drew and Cameron were clueless about what they were saying. A young man following behind the middle-aged man couldn’t help but snicker.

Yuan Zhenyang immediately turned his head and glared at his disciple. Although the disciple was his brother, Yuan Heping’s student, he, too, held a certain authority before them. However, when he turned his head back around, he immediately put on a wry smile.

"Let’s stick to English, Mr. Adrian, this is really too..." Yuan Zhenyang made a gesture, "I know a bit of English, as long as you speak slowly, everyday conversation isn’t a problem."

Although he felt somewhat embarrassed, the atmosphere in the room lightened because of this.

"No problem, Mr. Yuan, I’ll leave them in your hands," Adrian nodded and said, "Of course, if you have any suggestions regarding the action scenes, please bring them up immediately."

After getting a positive response, Adrian then looked at the three ladies, "All right, that’s it for now. I’ll make time to come and see your training results. If you slack off, I guarantee the training time will be extended—don’t try to change the subject, Drew, you said before that I get to make all the arrangements."

"Okay, okay, I’ll listen to you," Drew pouted.

"Also, I hope you all will get along well and build enough rapport, understand?" Adrian added immediately.

The three women glanced at each other right away, a flicker of something different passing through their eyes.

Now, to not dwell on that situation, while the "Charlie’s Angels" cast began their basic kung fu training, another cast started similar training a week later, and Yuan Heping himself was in charge.

Adrian had insisted on Yuan Heping personally taking the lead, to ensure the actors received the best possible training, and offered a price that could be decided freely.

Yuan Heping, who had initially planned to send a disciple to do the training, didn’t think much of it at first and nonchalantly quoted a fee of 880,000 US Dollars. To his surprise, a check was delivered within a couple of days.

After getting over his shock, he immediately returned it and set a more reasonable price. Yuan Heping could have easily taken the money and laughed at the foreigners for not knowing where to spend their cash, especially since he wasn’t necessarily reliant on Hollywood as a Hong Konger.

But even though he hadn’t been in the United States for long, Yuan Heping had inquired about Adrian’s background. Although not very familiar, he knew that even as a Hongkonger, Adrian was not someone to provoke. He was very adept in dealing with people, so he immediately affirmed that he would take charge personally.

"Let me introduce them, these three are the main cast of my next film," Adrian said to Yuan Heping in another training room, "This is Laurence Fishburne, this is Keanu Reeves, and this, is Monica Bellucci." (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit qidian.com to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes, your support is my greatest motivation.)