As Simon saw Bryce Levinson approaching, he gave Tricia Helfer, who was sitting beside him, a light pat on the waist. Tricia understood and stood up, vacating the seat for Bryce, but not without a noticeable look of dissatisfaction.
Ignoring Tricia's gaze, Bryce sat down next to Simon, politely smiling at the others around. Noticing that Simon made no attempt to introduce her to the group, she felt both relieved and slightly disappointed. She tried to focus and pretend to listen attentively to their conversation.
A young man named James was in the midst of explaining his script idea, which revolved around the story of a small-town cop who accidentally kills two African-American youths and the subsequent events that unfold.
Morry, the cop who mistakenly kills the two young men, is shielded by his uncle, Ray, who also happens to be a police officer. Ray fabricates evidence to stage Morry's death, allowing him to escape justice. Ironically, Morry, now "dead," becomes a media hero.
As the investigation proceeds, another officer named Tilton begins to notice inconsistencies in the case and follows the trail to Garrison, the town where Morry lives.
Garrison is a town where many of the residents work as police officers for a reason. As Tilton digs deeper, he uncovers the shocking truth: Garrison is a major drug trafficking hub, and the local men have taken up police jobs to cover their illicit activities.
Freddy, a local sheriff's deputy who always dreamed of becoming a proper police officer but was unable to due to a hearing impairment, typically handles mundane tasks like directing traffic and helping kids cross the street. When he discovers that the police officers he has long admired have a darker side, his sense of justice compels him to assist Tilton in the investigation.
Realizing that his nephew, whom he had protected, might expose the town's secrets, Ray decides to eliminate Morry to cut all ties but fails.
Morry, now an unintended whistleblower who could reveal the town's secrets, also remains a fugitive responsible for the deaths of two young men.
Justice, humanity, and redemption—these themes intertwine, testing Freddy, whose worldview has been severely shaken. In the end, he chooses to stand by his principles.
Bryce Levinson, typically more interested in fashion, parties, and travel, and only occasionally attending Broadway shows to maintain appearances, thought this conversation had little to do with her. However, when James finished explaining his script, she suddenly heard Simon ask, "What do you think of this story?"
Bryce was momentarily taken aback. Although she hadn't zoned out, she wasn't sure how to respond. Relying on the natural ability of women to mask their true feelings, she didn't let her hesitation show. After a brief pause, she said, "It's very impressive. It might even get an Oscar nomination."
After speaking, she didn't dare look at Simon's reaction, but she did notice James' eyes light up across from her, realizing that she might have struck the right chord.
Simon smiled but didn't press further. He then turned to James Mangold and said, "The core of this script is somewhat reminiscent of Scorsese's Cape Fear from a few years ago, as it also challenges the concepts of fairness and justice. The story is compelling. I know you're aiming for the Oscars, Jim, but it won't be easy. The Academy isn't typically fond of crime thrillers grounded in reality. Therefore, on top of a good story, you'll need a strong creative team and a bit of luck in the future. Danelys Entertainment can provide you with those."
James Mangold nodded earnestly, recalling how Cape Fear had only received two acting nominations, and didn't doubt the young man's judgment. After a brief hesitation, Mangold made up his mind and said, "Simon, I've decided. I'll sign with Danelys Entertainment."
"I'm glad you're joining us," Simon replied with a smile, raising his glass to Mangold. After both took a sip of their cocktails, Simon added, "You probably guessed it already, but yes, I was the one who suggested the three-picture deal. I reviewed your background, and while awards are great, I see more potential in you for commercial success, Jim. For us, filmmaking is ultimately a business, and I'm sure you'd rather be the next Spielberg than Coppola, wouldn't you?"
James Mangold nodded again.
Between Spielberg and Coppola, there's also Martin Scorsese, who balances art and commerce.
But Mangold didn't aspire to be Scorsese.
Having spent the past decade in Hollywood, Mangold knew his abilities well.
A fellow CalArts graduate who had once worked alongside him at Disney, Tim Burton had already made a name for himself with the critically and commercially successful Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. Mangold, on the other hand, had to start from scratch with a low-budget film costing only $250,000. The disparity in talent and opportunity was clear.
Now, Simon Westeros represented a turning point in his life.
This was the kind of opportunity that might only come once in a lifetime, and missing it could mean never getting another chance. Mangold also knew that Westeros wasn't so enamored with him that he couldn't be replaced. Danelys Entertainment was full of talent—rumor had it that even Tim Burton had recently signed a project with them—so Mangold had no reason to hesitate.
Decisively agreeing to the deal was undoubtedly his best choice.
In fact, based on what Simon knew of history, James Mangold had the potential to become another Martin Scorsese. Before his work on The Wolverine films, Mangold had directed a series of commercially successful and critically acclaimed films, such as Girl, Interrupted, Identity, and 3:10 to Yuma. His versatile style, however, was somewhat overshadowed by the era of blockbusters and comic book adaptations.
The main reason Simon valued Mangold was his consistent success in commercial cinema.
Aside from films like Girl, Interrupted, which were both critically and commercially successful, even Mangold's less well-received works managed to do well at the box office. For instance, the heavily criticized The Wolverine had a budget of $120 million and grossed $410 million worldwide, bringing substantial profits to Fox. This performance was one of the better ones in Fox's X-Men series, allowing Mangold to later direct the highly acclaimed Logan, which had a budget of $97 million and grossed $600 million globally.
Clearly, Mangold's budget management was on par with Michael Bay's.
A director with such solid credentials was someone any film company would want to keep on their team.
In addition to Simon, Mangold, and Bryce, the semi-circular booth also included Brett Ratner, George Clooney, and Elizabeth Perkins, who were involved in The Man from Earth.
Feeling Simon's emphasis on Mangold, Brett Ratner couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, while George Clooney was already thinking about the new film Mangold had just described.
As for Elizabeth Perkins, seated closest to Simon, even though he was surrounded by beautiful women, she subtly tried to catch his attention. At this party, a glance from Westeros was worth more than a hundred words with anyone else.
After finishing his conversation with Mangold, Simon didn't neglect the others. He turned to Brett Ratner with a smile and said, "You did a great job with The Man from Earth, Brett. However, I want you to take a break. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice starts filming at the end of the month, and I want you to work as an assistant director for Emmerich to gain some experience in handling big-budget, effects-driven films. How does that sound?"
Brett Ratner, who had been feeling envious of Mangold moments ago, immediately perked up. "Of course, Simon. I'm ready to join the team anytime."
With today's blockbusters, which often had budgets exceeding $100 million, the production process had evolved into a large-scale filmmaking operation, far beyond the scope of traditional movies. Talent alone wasn't enough to manage such projects; practical experience was essential.
Simon Westeros asking Brett Ratner to be an assistant director on Batman v Superman was a clear indication of what the future held.
After discussing these matters, Simon didn't plan to leave just yet. Instead, he raised his glass to Brett and the others, saying, "Let's enjoy the evening."
Understanding that this was their cue to leave, Brett and the others excused themselves and moved into the crowd at the party. Elizabeth Perkins glanced at the two women beside Simon but, seeing that he had no intention of asking her to stay, left reluctantly.
Simon remained seated, holding a cocktail. Once everyone had left, he handed the glass to Bryce, then relaxed into the sofa, one hand resting on a slender waist beside him. He turned his head slightly to look at the Victoria's Secret Angel with Native American ancestry, Patricia Velasquez.
Patricia Velasquez, now 24, hailed from Venezuela. She had started her career at 18 after participating in the Miss Venezuela pageant, gaining some recognition in the fashion industry. Her opportunity to participate in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show mainly stemmed from being a familiar face.
In history, Patricia Velasquez gained widespread recognition for her role as the Pharaoh's concubine Anck-Su-Namun in The Mummy series.
Her presence in Park City this time was due to her appearance in the fashion documentary Unzipped, produced by Isaac Mizrahi for Liza Kabon. The film's premiere was scheduled for the following afternoon, followed by a grand brand event hosted by Liza Kabon, which naturally required the support of these fashion icons.
While Simon had a preference for fair-skinned women, he certainly didn't
reject other types.
It was akin to his aversion to artificially enhanced lips—what he disliked was the deliberate tanning. His "waist goddess," Yasmeen Ghauri, didn't have pale skin, but her figure, appearance, and aura were irresistible.
With these thoughts in mind, Simon made eye contact with Patricia, who immediately understood his intentions. She stood up and moved to sit on the coffee table in front of him, striking a pose that many models excelled at.
As he admired the beauty before him, Simon asked with a smile, "Do you want to act in movies?"
Patricia Velasquez, without a hint of reservation, gave him a flirtatious look and responded in accented English, "Of course."
Simon followed up, "Do you have any dance training?"
Patricia Velasquez nodded, "I have. Do you want me to dance for you, Mr. Westeros?"
Coming from a well-off family, Patricia had been trained in dance from a young age, which was one of the foundations of her success. In reality, in Latin America, few models came from the lower class because those girls had limited access to professional training and opportunities, which restricted their ability to make it out of their countries and succeed elsewhere.
Take Ukraine, for example.
While Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic have produced top-tier supermodels, Ukraine has not, despite the high quality of Ukrainian women. Instead, the country is known for its "Ukrainian girls." The lack of opportunity is the key factor here.
Simon shook his head and replied, "It's good that you have dance training. There's a role that suits you, involving a lot of action scenes. If you play it well, it could help you establish yourself in Hollywood. If you're serious about pursuing a career here, I suggest you take some acting classes. I'll have someone get in touch with you."
The collaboration with Fox on The Mummy series was already in the works.
Simon didn't plan to make too many changes to the original plot. Having encountered the original actress, whose performance had been excellent, he saw no reason to replace her.
Patricia Velasquez was taken aback by her sudden stroke of luck, feeling slightly dazed.
In the vast army of Victoria's Secret models, she wasn't the most outstanding, and at 24, she was aware that if she hadn't reached the pinnacle like Cindy Crawford and others, her career might soon decline. In the coming years, she would either have to find a suitable husband quickly or transition to another career.
Switching from modeling to acting was undoubtedly the best path.
In her real-life history, Patricia Velasquez began her transition during this period and eventually secured her place in Hollywood with a small but memorable role in The Mummy a few years later.
After Simon finished speaking, without further engagement, Patricia ran her leg up his pant leg and suggested, "Simon, are you sure you don't want to see me dance? How about we go upstairs?"
Simon shook his head with a smile. "Go enjoy the party. If I have time, I'll give you a call."
Patricia Velasquez wisely didn't push further. She obediently got up, nodded at him one last time, and walked away, still feeling as though she were dreaming.
Once Patricia had left, Simon heard another voice, laced with a hint of teasing: "Simon, I also want to break into Hollywood."
Simon turned to Bryce and said, "Sure, I'll send you to the San Fernando Valley. What kind of role would you like?"
Bryce Levinson, born into a wealthy American family and married into an old-money family at a young age, had no idea what the San Fernando Valley reference meant, but she could sense the mischief in Simon's tone. She playfully hit him on the arm and suddenly said, "Why didn't you take her upstairs to see her dance? Are you afraid?"
Simon raised an eyebrow in interest, "What do you mean I'm afraid?"
Bryce Levinson gave him a sidelong glance, her tone accusatory, "This morning, your cold-blooded assistant took a lot of blood from me. She even... Hmph, I never expected you to be such a coward. So, tell me, Mr. Westeros, do I get to share your bed?"
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