Behind The Spotlight Chapter 83
"I've been thinking about it seriously. The two of us have great chemistry, and what happened last time is something I can never forget, even if I tried. Maybe we should—"
"Oh my God! Are you Jacky from Passionate Island!?" a sudden voice interrupted.
Ellie was about to give her heartfelt confession, but a young teenage girl stopped her mid-sentence in an unexpected way possible.
The restaurant they were in was a high-end venue located on the upper floor of a luxury hotel, adorned with golden chandeliers and accompanied by elegant jazz music playing in the background.
Only the wealthy could afford to dine there without a second thought about the cost. The fact that the teenage girl managed to enter such a place meant she was either rich or born into a family of privilege and status. However, her social class didn't stop her from fangirling like an ordinary teenager meeting her idol in real life.
When she saw Lawrence having dinner, she couldn't hold back her excitement and awe. She rushed over to the actor.
"Please, can I get an autograph? I'm a fan, a huge fan, really! I love your movie! You're so amazing, and you made me cry so much!" she gushed, holding a piece of paper in her hands.
"Yes, that's right. I'm Jacky from the film. But you should remember me by my real name, too. I'm Lawrence Terrence." Lawrence smiled and smoothly pulled out a black pen from his pocket like a seasoned star. After the success of Passionate Island, he always kept a pen on him, just in case something like this happened.
"Yes, yes!" The young girl nodded eagerly.
He didn't see his fans as a nuisance or an interruption, at least not yet. Especially when the joy of fame was still fresh. He was simply happy, savoring the validation that he was now famous.
In addition, he'd heard from Collin that several studios were interested in hiring him for lead roles and high-profile projects. Collin was currently compiling the best offers, the ones that could take Lawrence's career to new heights.
Unlike two years ago, when he had to personally send his resume and videotaped auditions just to get noticed by low-budget productions, the situation had reversed. Now, production studios were the ones trying to cast him. His status had undeniably changed.
"Yippee!" the young girl squealed like a child who had just won the lottery. She then turned to Ellie with bright adoring eyes.
"Miss Rosey, can I also get an autograph?" she asked with shy but eager enthusiasm.
"Of course," the actress replied warmly with grace. However, she didn't have a pen on her and turned to Lawrence for help.
"Here, you can take mine." Lawrence handed her the pen and glanced at his watch to check how much time he had left.
"I'm sorry, Ellie. I have a schedule tonight that I can't afford to miss. I have a shampoo commercial to film."
Lawrence excused himself and left, not bothering to take back the pen, which now rested in Ellie's delicate hands. Ellie tried to stop him. Perhaps to continue her confession or to share a moment longer, but Lawrence's charming smile made her falter, her heart skipping a beat.
It had been a few weeks since the release of Passionate Island, and the buzz hadn't died down at all. The impact it created was so strong that it dominated media headlines. Because of that, Lawrence received offers for endorsements, guest appearances, and even international interviews as a brand ambassador.
He was now sponsored by a famous clothing line and a luxury watch brand that reflected his rising stardom. He also earned income from commercials that required nothing more than his face and a few spoken lines.
In just that short span, Lawrence had earned more than $10 million from endorsements, appearances, and royalties combined. Probably the fastest money he had ever made. Naturally, Collin and his team also earned a portion of those profits since they were the ones negotiating all the deals.
We can't forget that this novel is about representing celebrities and showing what really happens behind the curtain of stardom. Of course it included the incentives that agents receive when their clients rise to the top.
After 40 days of screening and strong word-of-mouth momentum, as of January 27, 1997, Passionate Island had grossed over $278 million at the North American box office. It shocked both critics and industry insiders.
Furthermore, Sonya-Collapse Studio decided to release the movie internationally in over 30 countries. The movie earned more than $21 million in its first week overseas, in countries like Australia, France, Brazil and more.
The global box office total for Passionate Island reached $299 million. It became one of the fastest-grossing movies of all time. Viewers even returned to see it a second or third time, proving its staying power.
Even after 40 days in North American theaters, it was still showing in 2,700 theaters. An almost unheard-of feat for a romance movie.
Meanwhile, two production teams were regretting their decisions. They had a chance to cast Lawrence when he was still a nobody, but they turned him down. If they had taken that chance, perhaps their movies might have gained more attention or even box office success.
Even Tommy Yatch, who starred in Romea and Julieta, was criticized and compared to Lawrence in a less favorable light. The famous actor didn't take it well and refused to answer any questions about the comparison during interviews.
Lawrence and the cast of Passionate Island had to continue promoting the film in other countries, so his next project had to wait at least another month until his schedule cleared.
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"Fuck that bitch! Why is she not answering her phone? I've been trying to ask her if Collin is interested in signing me, but she never responds, and it's driving me insane!"
Landers Lopez gritted his teeth in frustration. He had learned that the actor who starred in Passionate Island was actually Collin's client, and it stung like a dagger to his pride. Landers was now drowning in regret and cursed the decision he once thought was smart.
He imagined that if he had stayed with Collin and gotten the role of Jacky, he might be the one gracing magazine covers right now. Perhaps he would already be famous.
He wanted to visit ANT and have a proper conversation, but his pride held him back from admitting he made a mistake. He was caught in a storm of mixed emotions, torn between crawling back or letting it all go. He also feared that Collin might still hold a grudge against him for walking away.
His phone rang, and he quickly checked, hoping it was Jennifer. His excitement faded when he realized the caller was his current agent, the one he now hated.
"You have another job for me? No, I don't want to work in another adult video again! Are you even serious right now!? Last time, my booty almost got compromised. Fuck you! Find me another job instead, a real one this time. One that can make me famous without losing my dignity!"
Landers ended the call, fuming, his hands trembling with bottled-up rage. He now wondered if he should beg Collin for forgiveness, though even the thought bruised his ego.
On top of that, he also knew he couldn't break his current agency contract unless he wanted to be sued... Maybe he should wait two years until the contract expired? But would Collin still remember him by then or would it already be too late?
Just like Landers, others also regretted severing ties with Collin. But it was too late. Collin had already moved on. He and his clients were now operating on a different level. They had no reason to remain at the bottom or associate with those who had once betrayed them.
And just like that, February arrived. The filming of Week On A Cruise Ship wrapped up, with everyone finishing their scenes on time. Now, Wyatt had to focus on the post-production phase, which was just as demanding. He started editing the movie.
Uni-Versus Pictures planned to release the movie in the summer to catch peak viewing season. It meant post-production needed to be completed within three to four months, a reasonable but challenging timeframe. Thankfully, Week On A Cruise Ship didn't rely heavily on special effects or CGI, so the editing could be finished earlier if everything went smoothly.
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