Behind The Spotlight Chapter 84
"I didn't think I'd attend a party like this. I thought the party that Collin held last time was already extravagant, but tonight is different. I guess this is the true power of being a major studio."
Jennifer weakly muttered under her breath, adjusting the strap of her elegant dress. She was very conscious of her surroundings, so her speech became formal as well with no foul language included. A rare restraint on her part.
She looked around and saw several famous celebrities attending the party in sparkling gowns and sharply cut tuxedos. She recognized actors such as Cameroon Dias, a rising starlet who starred in Maskara, and Willy Smith, who wore a classic black suit. The black actor had starred in Bad Men and Independence Day.
Jennifer hadn't expected to reach the point where she could attend a party with such famous celebrities. It still felt surreal to her. Well, she received an invitation only because of Lawrence and Collin.
Sonya-Collapse Studio was celebrating the success of Passionate Island and hosted a party grander than any event Jennifer had ever attended. As of March 5, 1997, Passionate Island had grossed over $431 million at the North American box office and $181 million internationally.
That meant the movie had grossed over $612 million worldwide. A staggering figure that surpassed all industry predictions. No wonder Sonya-Collapse Studio threw an extravagant party with gourmet food, premium liquor, and live classical music playing in the background. Jennifer even felt out of place at this kind of gathering, which was why she couldn't speak as freely as usual.
She spotted Lawrence chatting with several people, most of whom were cast and crew members of Passionate Island.
As for Collin, he was busy handing out his business card like candy on Halloween night to executives of Sonya-Collapse Studio. His smile was stunning and effortless, drawing attention wherever he went. Jennifer admitted that Collin could become an actor if he wanted to.
However, she knew that Collin was earning a lot lately. He probably wasn't desperate for stardom anymore.
"He probably earned at least $2 million from Lawrence alone this year. It's just the third month of 1997, but he already earned that amount... I'm jealous."
Jennifer hadn't even earned her first $1 million, despite working in the industry for several years.
Lawrence and Wyatt were rising so fast that they were now earning millions per project. Wyatt earned $5 million from directing Passionate Island, while Lawrence received $1.5 million plus a $1 million bonus because of the film's outstanding performance.
The actor was also making a fortune from the brand deals that kept pouring in after the film's release. Collin was having a blast with his two clients and rightfully so.
Of course, Jennifer didn't know the exact amount of money they had earned, but she knew it was in the millions. It was hard not to envy them.
"At least Axel is also in the same boat as me." That thought made her feel a little better, even if only slightly.
Still, Jennifer believed that Collin had a plan for her, he always did. She decided to renew her contract and even extended it to five years to show her seriousness and loyalty. She was now 31 years old and eager to break through in the industry before time started working against her.
Some people approached her for conversation, and Jennifer had to leave a good impression by smiling politely and speaking with poise. She started to regret attending the party. She thought it would be interesting and glamorous, but the pressure made her anxious.
Axel and Wyatt didn't attend. Wyatt was busy working on Week On A Cruise Ship, while Axel was preoccupied with something he hadn't disclosed.
"Isn't that Rosey, I mean, Ellie Bridget."
While contemplating, Jennifer noticed Ellie Bridget stealing glances at Lawrence from across the room, her gaze hesitant. Ellie was the star of the movie, and her status had skyrocketed to that of an A-list actress overnight. She also received brand deals from several fashion and skincare brands, though none could compare to what Lawrence was getting.
Even though Ellie had more screen time in the movie, Lawrence was the one who left a lasting impression on both audiences and critics.
Jennifer sensed that Ellie wanted to strike up a conversation with Lawrence.
"Strange, I thought they were dating..."
For the record, the contract about Lawrence and Ellie dating had ended a few days ago. Lawrence stopped seeing her after that. He respected the contract and never got close to her beyond what was written.
Now, Ellie was showing signs of regret and trying to talk to him by inching closer whenever the opportunity arose. But Lawrence was clearly avoiding any interaction that might lead to misinterpretation. Ellie realized her decision had pushed Lawrence away, and she wanted to fix it. Unfortunately, Lawrence didn't give her a chance to do so at all.
"Well, not my problem. I'm just going to enjoy the delicious meal and drink alcohol. Let them have fun, and I'll also have fun." Jennifer shrugged.
Suddenly, a handsome man approached her. Jennifer slightly licked her lips out of instinct. The man was exactly her type, tall, charming, and well-dressed...
...
...
...
"I was busy these days, so I could only set up a meeting today."
"It's alright, I understand."
Stan Gavin smiled as he poured himself a cup of coffee. The commission he earned from Collin was huge, so it didn't bother him one bit.
"Mr. East, you invested $1 million each in Macrosoft, Cisko, Intelligence, and Database Giant last January 1996. As of March 1997, your combined investment has grown to $6.8 million. Do you want to withdraw your money?"
The breakdown was:
Macrosoft — $2.5 million
Cisko — $1.6 million
Intelligence — $1.4 million
Database Giant — $1.3 million
"No, I'll invest $2 million in each company."
Stan grinned when he heard that and immediately jotted it down. That meant more money for him, as his earning increased with the size of the investment.
"Thank you, Mr. East. I'll make sure your investment is in the right hands."
Collin was satisfied with the transaction. He had no reason to pull out his investment yet, especially after earning such a huge amount last year.
In 1996, Collin earned $27 million, a staggering figure that still felt unreal to him. Most of the money came from profit shares of The Accidental Wedding Crashers. On top of that, videotape sales of the comedy film were doing great in both domestic and international markets.
In just two years, he had made more money than he ever expected. Since then, he knew the golden vision was his cheat in this lifetime. It was his ultimate advantage.
Collin excused himself after learning that his investments were fruitful.
"Now, I have to look for scripts for my clients."
Lawrence, Jennifer, and Axel were done working on their respective projects and finally had open schedules. Jennifer and Axel had finished dubbing their lines, and only Wyatt remained busy in post-production in the editing room.
Collin had a hard time finding projects for Axel and Jennifer, unlike Lawrence, for whom scripts arrived every week without effort.
So far, Collin had collected three romance scripts for Lawrence, but he needed to meet the directors first before making a decision. He couldn't risk picking the wrong team. It might sound greedy, but he wanted another Passionate Island-level success.
Especially since Passionate Island was the second highest-grossing movie last year, with $612 million at the worldwide box office. The number was still increasing with every international screening.
The top-grossing film was Independence Day, with $817 million, while Twister Tornado held the third spot with $499 million.
If Passionate Island kept its momentum, it might overtake Independence Day.
+++++
[Thank you guys for all of your support. Please comment something. Your comments motivate me.]